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Mikayla Eshleman
SCI 495
Keith Oliver

A Plants Life
Second grade
Standards:
2-LS2-1. Plan and conduct an investigation to determine if plants need
sunlight and water to grow. [Assessment Boundary: Assessment
is limited to testing one variable at a time.] (PART ONE)

2-LS4-1. Make observations of plants and animals to compare the

diversity of life in different habitats. [Clarification Statement:
Emphasis is on the diversity of living things in each of a variety
of different habitats.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does
not include specific animal and plant names in specific habitats.]
(PART TWO)
Sub-Standards:

K-2-ETS1-1. Ask questions, make observations, and gather information

about a situation people want to change to define a simple
problem that can be solved through the development of a new or
improved object or tool.

K-2-ETS1-2. Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to

illustrate how the shape of an object helps it function as needed
to solve a given problem.

Misconceptions:
Sunlight is helpful but not critical/ sunlight keeps pants warm. (common
misconceptions..)
Behavior and habitat are criteria for classification. (Berthelsen)

Scientific Background:
For this unit, it is important for the teacher to know that plants need both
sunlight and water to grow. For this investigation to work the teacher will
have a plan in their classroom for the students to test their hypotheses on
this idea. It is also important for the teacher to know differences and
similarities between plants and animal life and habitats. These include that
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plants grow with the nutrients that soil provides, water, and most importantly
gets its energy from the sun. There are different types of plants which
attributes to the diversity. Such as there are different types of animals, for
example humans, mammals, fish, insects, etc. Each different type of animal
or plant has different needs but also the same basic needs. These basic
needs include food and water. Different needs for life include clothing and
habitats. For example, fish live in water and make their homes in the water
while humans have houses and bears live in the woods and a flower lives in
soil where it can receive sun. The teacher will also need to know the steps of
scientific method, which is question, gather info, form hypothesis, test
hypothesis, collect and analyze data, draw conclusion, and share. Teacher
will also need to know the differences between a biome and a habitat. A
biome is a large naturally occurring community of flora and fauna occupying
a major habitat. While a habitat is the natural home or environment of an
animal, plant or another organism.

Requisite knowledge:
For this lesson to be successful students should know what a habitat is, and a
few examples of different ones around the world such as a dessert,
grassland, rainforest, etc. From that knowledge students, can make
adaptions and observations on the habitats they will experience. But
remember to review with students, since not all will remember. Students
should also know what a plant is, and we will spend time expanding on how
they can survive.

Overview:
This unit will occur over two weeks, but with five days of lesson. Allows for
plants to grow and see a changeover more time. Students will plan and
create an experiment on what a plant needs to live. They will oversee all the
steps of their experiment. Each day will consist of a serious of instructional
strategies to have students learn the standards on what a plant needs to live
by performing an experiment. By the end they will be able to perform an
experiment. Students will also learn about habitats of a plants life and how it
can change based off their location, not just on water and sunlight. At the
end of the two weeks the students will have completed a complete
experiment with all the steps of the scientific method. They will report out
their results to the rest of the class. Throughout the weeks they will be
working together as a class, by themselves and with partners.

Objectives:
I can conduct an investigation.
I can design a plan for an experiment.
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I can make observations to see the diversity of life.

I can compare plant and animal habitats.
I can differentiate what a plant needs to live and grow.
I can analyze the data collected.

Materials/set up:
Markers
Writing utensil
Investigation packet
Habitat posters
Rainforest group-
Orchid
Gravel
Charcoal
Rich planting soil
Water
Enclosed environment
Desert group-
Cactus
Pot
Sand
Soil
Water
Heat lamp
Tweezers
Tundra group-

Diamond leaf willow

Fan
Dry ice
Pot
Soil
Cover because they require little sun light

Safety:
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Make sure students do not put any of the supplies in their mouths. The
desert group needs to be careful when moving the cactus because of the
spines, there for they have tweezers. The teacher can be of assistance when
moving the cactus around. The tundra group needs to be careful when
around dry ice. The teacher will be in assistance when moving the ice
around. When taking the students outside make sure you have a way to keep
track of all students. Numbering off or line leaders and cabooses are
possibilities for a solution.
Day One (50 mins):
Begin the lesson by taking the students on nature walk, this will engage the
students on unit of plant and animal lives and how they interact and live in
our local biome. During the walk point out what a habitat is compared to a
biome. Also, ask them the following questions to get their thinking going. Let
them know which biome we live in, which is the temperate deciduous forest.
1. What do you observe around you?
2. What similarities do you see?
3. What differences do you see?
4. How do this group/ area interact with each other?
5. If we were in a desert what would be different? (change the biome a
few times)
6. What animals and plants do you think you would see (in said biome)?
When you get back to the classroom introduce the schedule for the following
weeks to the students. Every other day we will take record results on our
plants and continue to expand our knowledge on biodiversity within plants
and animals in different habitats. You will be chicking off your progress with
the checklist in the investigation packet. Then begin with the hypothesis
and planning stages of the plant investigation. Each group of students will
sketch out their ideas on how to represent different habitats for their plants.
The teacher will provide the equipment the students can use to represent
their given habitat. After each group has an idea of their set up and have it
checked by the teacher, they will begin the planting.
Day Two (50 mins):
Begin this day again with having the students write down their results from
their plants. Today will be focused on the diversity of life in a multitude of
habitats. Set up the classroom with stations, each station will have a
different habitat. The stations will be forest, desert, aquatic, grassland, and
tundra. Each station will consist of a detailed large picture of the habitat. The
students will rotate around the stations and take notes or draw pictures of
what animals they see in the habitat; this will be in their passport book. At
the end of class have a discussion with students on what they found at each
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habitat and how the biodiversity changes with the plants and animals.
Making sure to change any misconceptions.
**The Great Animal Search by Usborne has amazing pictures of habitats
around the world. Attached at the bottom is some photos to use at each
station.
Day Three (50 mins):
Begin this day again with having the students write down their results from
their plants. Then move into a writing activity. The writing activity will be a
RAFT activity, which stands for Role, Audience, Format, and Topic. Their role
will be a Michigan plant, their audience will be an Arizona plant, their format
will be a letter of advice, and their topic is what do I need to do if I were to
move to Michigan.
Day Four (50 mins):
Begin this day with the students filling out their charts on their plants. Give
students a match and sort activity with the steps for the scientific method.
After explain to the students the scientific method, while they fill out the
foldable. They will have experienced the first few steps and they will
experience the last steps on the last day.

Day Five (50 mins):

Begin this day again with having the students write down their results from
their plants. Let them spend the next 25 mins coming up with their results
they found throughout the week. Each group will also come up with a short
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presentation on what they found to tell the class. The last 25 mins the three
groups will share to the class what they found answering these questions:
1. What your habitat was like?
2. How you made it?
3. What did you find or notice throughout the week?
4. What did your plant need to survive?
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References:
Berthelsen, B. (1999). Students Nave Conceptions in Life Science. MSTA
Journal, 44(1)
(Spring99), pp. 13-19. http://www.msta-mich.org

"Common Misconceptions about Plants Polar Plants Beyond Penguins

and Polar Bears."
Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears Common Misconceptions about
Plants Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2016.

"Desert." Hodnettbiomeproject - Desert. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2016.

Jackson, Erica. "Steps of the Scientific Method Card Sorting Activity for
Interactive
Notebooks." Pinterest. N.p., 2016. Web. 12 Dec. 2016.

"MLK Day of Service." Kids Ecology RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2016.
http://www.kidsecologycorps.org/kid-power/activities/how-tall-is-your-
favorite-tree
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A Plant Life
Investigation Packet
Scientist:

Date:
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Project Checklist
Color in the smiley face after you finish each step. Meet with
the teacher after each step to receive a yellow star sticker in
order to move onto the next step.
Step 1: Plan investigation and write hypothesis

Step 2: Begin experiment

Step 3: Passport around the world of habitats

Step 4: RAFT

Step 5: Fill out foldable

Step 6: Write results

Step 7: Presentation is ready!

I have completed the entire project and have submitted

my project packet into the teacher!

Great Job!
At the end of this project please write one or two sentences about your feelings on

the project:

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________
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Questions:
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Hypothesis:
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Set-up (Materials, etc.):
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
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Habitat: Plan

You will create a sketch of how to set up your

habitat to allow for the plant to grow in its natural
environment. Use the materials you are given to
make it be the most complete.
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Observation Chart
Date and Height: Color: Changes in Other
Time: environme Obser
nt:
Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5
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RAFT:
You are writing a letter to a plant in Arizona who wants to
move to Michigan where you, the plant, live. Arizona
wants to know what she needs to adapt to when she
moves? How will her habitat be different than yours? Will
Arizona survive if she moves?
R=Role-Michigan Plant
A=Audience- Arizona Plant
F=Format- Letter of advice
T=Topic- What I need to survive to move to Michigan?
______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________
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Station 1: Forest

_____________
Passport
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Station 2: Desert Station 3: Aquatic

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Station 4: Grassland Station 5: Tundra

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Have students use cut out cards and find their matches to correctly label the
steps of the scientific method. Do not have they glue or tape into a
notebook, because they will make a foldable next.
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Final Presentation Rubric

Students Name:
4-5 3-4 1-2 0
Scientific The student The student The student The student
ideas and explains all explains some recalls some does not recall
scientific ideas scientific ideas scientific ideas scientific ideas
concepts and concepts and concepts. and concepts and concepts
thoroughly.
Scientific Student Student Student Student does
method included all included most included some not include any
parts of the of the steps. of the steps. steps.
scientific
method.
Analysis of The student The student The student The student
Scientific analyzes and analyzes attempts to shows no ability
evaluates scientific analyze to analyze
Information scientific information and scientific scientific
and information by provides an information by information. No
understandi making explanation that identifying analysis or
ng. scientifically shown parts, explanation is
supported understanding. relationships, or provided.
judgments Judgements are causes. No
about the made with little explanation is
information, the or no scientific provided or it
validity, or the support. shows little
quality of work. understanding.
Neatness Student used Student did not Student did not Student did not
and work time given well use time as well use time well use time well at
and effectively. as they could and shown in all and product
ethic Produced a but still the work they is all over the
product that produced a provided. place.
showed product that
neatness in showed
handwriting and neatness.
flow.
Writing Student used Student had Student had Student had a
conventions correct spelling most spelling lots of spelling ton of spelling
with all correct with mistakes and mistakes and
complete all complete incomplete sentences
sentences and sentences and sentences. As made no sense.
includes all includes all well as
capitals and capitals and lowercase
punctuation in punctuation in letters starting
the correct the correct a sentence and
spot. spot. had no end
punctuation.
Presentatio Student used a Student Student was not Student did not
n knowledge presented well, prepared and present.
voice when but not showing did not present
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presenting, in knowledge well.

that she/he was preparedness.
prepared.

** Evaluations taken throughout the unit with their checklist and

participation, but the final presentation is their final grade for the overall
understanding of the unit.

Posters for passport activity.

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