Vancouver Island University Faculty of Education

BACHELOR OF EDUCATION - UNIT MATRIX

Part 1
Grade(s): Kindergarten/Grade 1 Title of Unit: Plants

Overview of Unit Topic/Theme: a) Provide an overall picture of the unit of study; and b) identify key unit concepts (2
-5).
A) As it becomes Spring the students will begin to see the nature in their local environment start to change.
This unit will cover plants, how they grow, local plants, their uses, plant crafts, and activities using plants in
untraditional ways. These lessons will touch on a variety of subjects such as language arts, science, social
students, and physical education.
B) The first key concept is identifying local plants in our environment and there uses. The second is learning how plants
grow and what they need to survive. The third getting out and nature and not just talking about plants but going and
seeing and touching them.

Rationale for Unit: Why are you teaching this unit and how is it relevant to the students at this point in time?
It is Spring time and all the plants outside are changing, flowers are blowing and gardeners are planting. It is important
for students to get out in their local environment and understand what the plants are doing. I want to make nature
exciting for my students so that they can appreciate it.

List the Provincial Learning Outcomes (PLOs):

Big ideas
Science:
- Daily and seasonal changes affect all living things.
- Plants and animals have observable features.
Language arts:
- People connect to others and share ideas through the arts.
Social studies:
-Rights, roles, and responsibilities shape our identity and help us build healthy relationships with others.

Culminating Task(s): Briefly describe the culminating task(s) that will provide a demonstration and/or celebration of
student learning.
Students will learn how plants grow and what they need to survive then the students will plant seeds and
watch them grow in our classroom when the plants are large enough the students will either take them home
to plant in their own garden or plant them in the school garden. The success of growing their own plant from a
seed will be the celebration.
Resources: What resources will you use in this unit?
http://www.fantasticfunandlearning.com/kids-science-in-the-garden.html
https://www.pinterest.com/WrenSG/spring-practicum/
http://www.primarythemepark.com/2015/02/plant-videos-for-students/
http://www.littlesoaringeagles.blogspot.ca/2013/04/if-you-want-them-to-learn-you-have-to.html

Part 2
Learning Outcomes Description of Learning Assessment Method/Tool Assessment Criteria
Activities & Strategies
What are the unit level What teaching strategies & What method (e.g. write/say/ By what criteria do you
learning outcomes? What activities will you utilize to do) and tool/instrument will decide that the outcome has
do you want students to enable students to achieve the you use to collect evidence of been successfully met?
learn/understand/ learning outcomes? the learning? What will you look for in
appreciate? the evidence?

Lesson 1: Native Plants Lesson 1: Lesson 1: Lesson 1:

Students will be able to A local first nations plant On the walk the students On the walk I will make
identify a variety of expert will come into the will verbal say the names sure I ask each student to
local/native plants in class to take us all on a of different plants and identify at least one plant
their community. walk to into our school point them out. In class to me verbally. All
garden and through the they will write/match the students must complete
forest near by. The expert correct name to photo on the worksheet and
will point out different the plant. properly match/write the
plants and explain their proper name to the photo
uses to the students. At the of the plant.
end of the walk the students
will get a hang out with the
pictures of the plants we
saw on the walk and as a
class we will label the
plants.
Lesson 2: Lesson 2:
Lesson 2: Plant needs Lesson 2: After the video I will ask I will make sure each
Students will learn First I will play a youtube my student to repeat the student verbally tells me
what plants need to video on plants needs. Then needs of the plant. Then I the needs of plants. I will
survive. (water, soil, I will ask students what will get them to make a then make sure each
air, sunlight) would happen if we took prediction for each bean student has a drawing for
away some of those needs? drawing a picture if they their prediction, week
would the plant still grow? will grow or not. Then one, week two, and week
We will then plant 4 beans, once a week as a class we three.
first has sunlight, soil, will check the beans and
water, and air. Second will draw a picture of how each
have soil, water, air, but no of them are growing.
sunlight. third will have
soil sunlight, air, but not
water. forth will have air,
water, sunlight, but no soil.
Students will all get
observation sheets for each
bean. Saying my
prediction, then first week,
second week, and third
week.
Lesson 3: What makes Lesson 3: Lesson 3: Lesson 3:
up a plant? First I will play a youtube Students will cut out paper I will be making sure all the
shaped to create a flower. labels are on the correct
Students will learn the video on how plants grow Then they label by matching part of the paper flower and
physical parts that from a seed and about all or writing the flower craft that their spelling is correct,
make up a plant. (roots, its parts. Students will then (stem, roots, petals, leaves, and that they used true
stem, leaves, flower/ do a craft where they make seeds, sunlight, rain, soil, colours.
wind).
petals, seed) a paper flower with roots, a
stream, leaves, petals,
seeds, rain, sunlight, soil,
On the walk the students
will verbal say the names
of different plants and point
them out. In class they will
write/match the correct
Lesson 4:
name to photo on the plant. Lesson 4: I will be listening to hear
Lesson 4: Glove Plant While watching the slide that each student can repeat
Students will learn how Lesson 4: show students will verbally all 5 of the plants life cycles
to plant seeds in a I will have a slide show repeat the plants life cycles and needs. I will be
and needs. Then students will checking to see that the
unique way. As well as which has 5 different plants plant their seeds into the students got the cotton balls
observe how the seed life cycles on it (corn, bean, cotton balls, glove and fill it wet, put only one type of
sprout into a little tomato, pea, carrot). Then I with air. I will label, tie, and seed in each cotton ball and
plant. will tell the students that hang the gloves. Students that they put one cotton ball
will weekly fill out an with one type of seed in one
we are going to grow all 5 observation sheet by drawing figure slot. I will also be
of the plants. I will then a picture of what them see checking to make sure each
show them how to plant the and/or writing words. student has filled out a
seeds in a wet cotton ball, written or drawn
observation for each week.
and how to put it in an air
filled glove. Each finger in
the glove will have a
different seed and cotton
ball in it. Then gloves will
then hang tied up and filled
with air on the window.
Then the students will
watch them grow while
filling out a weekly
observation sheet.
Lesson 5: Our Plants Lesson 5:
Students will learn how I will show the students
to transplant they how to spell all 5 of the
seedlings into a pot plants names and how to
with labels, as well as print them on a popsicle
create a care sheet for stick. I will visually
their plants. demonstrate how to add
soil into a pot and dig a
little hole in the soil, then
carefully remove the cotton
balls from the glove and
plant it in the hole and
cover it lightly with more
soil and patting lightly with
two figures around the
seedy a cm away from the
stem. Then show them how
to place the popsicle stick
label 3 cm away from the
correct seedling. I will then
put a picture step by step
care sheet up on the smart
board with a few words to
go with each picture. ex. a
picture of watering the
plant and says water once a
day.
Lesson 5:
Students will write all 5
names of the plants on
popsicle sticks. I will cut
out the cotton ball
seedlings out of the gloves
to give to the students to
plant. The students will
add the soil to the pot and
dig a little hole in the soil,
then they will plant the
seedlings in the hole and
press soil around the stem
of them. Students will put
in their popsicle labels
next to the correct plants.
Then they will call draw/
write their own step by
step care sheet following
my example on the smart
board.
Lesson 5:
I will checking to see that
the students spelled the
plants names correct. I
will be watching and
helping the students
carefully plant their
seedlings making sure
they do not break or
crush them. I will also
make sure the students
put the correct label by
the correct plant. I will be
checking to see that the
students care sheet is the
same as my example. I
will help the kindergarten
student with the writing
part.