Lesson Plan: Watch Your Seeds Grow! Unit of Study: Life Cycle of a Plant Grade Level:Pre-K

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Lesson:  Watch Your Seeds Grow! (Vocabulary - Root, Stem, Leaf, Seed, Plant, Soak, Soil)

Unit of Study: Life Cycle of a Plant

Goal of Lesson (Common Core State Standards/Division of Early Childhood where appropriate)

New York State Prekindergarten Foundation for the Common Core

Counting and Cardinality: Know number names and the count sequence

     Count to 20. (for this lesson count to 12)

Science: Describes and identifies the different structures of familiar plants and animals. (Plants have stems, roots, leaves; animals have eyes, mouths, ears, etc.) 

Objectives:

Identify major structures of plants (roots, stems, leaves)

Pre-Assessment:

Assemble the plant puzzle (roots, stems, leaves) in class prior to lesson.  Assistant Teacher will oversee and check children’s names off of list as they assemble puzzle.  

Post-Assessment:

Assemble the plant puzzle after lesson in order (roots, stems, leaves),  have child name part as they put the puzzle piece in.    Assistant Teacher will oversee and check children’s names off of list as they assemble puzzle.  

Materials:

1 Cardboard Egg Carton (Empty)

1 Tablespoon

2 cups of Soil 

12 Lima Beans (Seeds)

1 Permanent Marker

1 Cup of Water

Use of Technology: N/A

Differentiation:

  1. Adaptive materials will be provided such as a magnifying glass will be available for students with vision disabilities.   
  2. To make this more difficult have the student write the number on the egg carton (example 1 - 12)
  3. To make this less difficult, the teacher will scoop and measure the soil, the student can then put the tablespoon in the carton.

Seating Configuration/Use of Physical Space:

The class has 12 students, 1 Teacher and 2 Assistant Teachers.  This lesson will be taught as small group learning.  There will be 1 table with 4 students and 1 Teacher or 1 Assistant Teacher.  The remaining 8 Students will be at choice time - playing with blocks/kitchen area/coloring/etc.  If one teacher needs to leave choice time and assist the small group learning table, she will be able to do so. 1 teacher will remain overseeing choice time at all times.

Teaching roles and collaboration:

The teacher and assistant teacher are to serve the child and and facilitate the natural process of learning.

The assistant will collect the pre-assessment data and assist teacher with data. 

The teacher will assist the students at planting seeds.  One assistant teacher will be available.  

Classroom Management:

1/3 of the class will be participating in the lesson at 1 table of 4 students and 1 Teacher

The remaining students will have choice time.

The teacher will remind the students to clean the table afterwords of any soil and water to prepare for the next group.  

To wash hands after the planting the seeds

Engagement of students/anticipatory set/Motivation:

Tell the students that on the last day we will plant the seed outside in the school garden.  

Engagement of students/anticipatory set/Motivation:

Tell the students that on the last day we will plant the seed outside in the school garden.  

Connection to Previous lesson/Prior Knowledge:

“Remember when we read How a Seed Grows?  Well, today we are going to plant our and own seeds and watch them grow.  What are some materials that were used in the book to help seeds grow? Does anyone remember?”

Lesson Presentation:

Estimated Time: 10 minutes

  • Label carton numbers 1 - 12
    • Fill each egg holder with 2 Tablespoons soil
    • Make a hole with your finger and place the lima bean (seed) inside
    • Cover with 1 Tablespoon soil
    • Water every day (until moist)
    • Watch your seeds Grow!
    • Wait 3 days then dig up seed #1, students can view and discuss during morning meeting. Are there roots?
    • Next day dig up seed #2, is there a root?
    • Dig each day until students can see the root
    • The remaining seeds that grow will be planted in the school garden

Guided Practice/Active Involvement/Small group work/Independent Practice:

Estimated Time: 10-15 minutes

The students will be actively engaged as they each fill their own part of the egg carton with soil, lima bean, more soil and water.  

Final Summary/Closure:

Estimated Time: 3 - 5 minutes

“Today we planted our own seeds.  How many days to you think it will take for the roots to grow? Raise a quiet hand so that I can call on your.”

Extension:

1. Have a prediction chart with the students names and questions to see how many days roots will grow.  Go around the group and fill in the number of days.  

2.The students can color in a pre-outlined picture of plant with crayons.  They will choose what colors they think each part of the plant will be.

Lesson:  Watch Your Seeds Grow! (Vocabulary - Root, Stem, Leaf, Seed, Plant, Soak, Soil)

Unit of Study: Life Cycle of a Plant

Goal of Lesson (Common Core State Standards/Division of Early Childhood where appropriate)

New York State Prekindergarten Foundation for the Common Core

Counting and Cardinality: Know number names and the count sequence

     Count to 20. (for this lesson count to 12)

Science: Describes and identifies the different structures of familiar plants and animals. (Plants have stems, roots, leaves; animals have eyes, mouths, ears, etc.) 

Objectives:

Identify major structures of plants (roots, stems, leaves)

Pre-Assessment:

Assemble the plant puzzle (roots, stems, leaves) in class prior to lesson.  Assistant Teacher will oversee and check children’s names off of list as they assemble puzzle.  

Post-Assessment:

Assemble the plant puzzle after lesson in order (roots, stems, leaves),  have child name part as they put the puzzle piece in.    Assistant Teacher will oversee and check children’s names off of list as they assemble puzzle.  

Materials:

1 Cardboard Egg Carton (Empty)

1 Tablespoon

2 cups of Soil 

12 Lima Beans (Seeds)

1 Permanent Marker

1 Cup of Water

Use of Technology: N/A

Differentiation:

  1. Adaptive materials will be provided such as a magnifying glass will be available for students with vision disabilities.   
  2. To make this more difficult have the student write the number on the egg carton (example 1 - 12)
  3. To make this less difficult, the teacher will scoop and measure the soil, the student can then put the tablespoon in the carton.

Seating Configuration/Use of Physical Space:

The class has 12 students, 1 Teacher and 2 Assistant Teachers.  This lesson will be taught as small group learning.  There will be 1 table with 4 students and 1 Teacher or 1 Assistant Teacher.  The remaining 8 Students will be at choice time - playing with blocks/kitchen area/coloring/etc.  If one teacher needs to leave choice time and assist the small group learning table, she will be able to do so. 1 teacher will remain overseeing choice time at all times.

Teaching roles and collaboration:

The teacher and assistant teacher are to serve the child and and facilitate the natural process of learning.

The assistant will collect the pre-assessment data and assist teacher with data. 

The teacher will assist the students at planting seeds.  One assistant teacher will be available.  

Classroom Management:

1/3 of the class will be participating in the lesson at 1 table of 4 students and 1 Teacher

The remaining students will have choice time.

The teacher will remind the students to clean the table afterwords of any soil and water to prepare for the next group.  

To wash hands after the planting the seeds

Engagement of students/anticipatory set/Motivation:

Tell the students that on the last day we will plant the seed outside in the school garden.  

Connection to Previous lesson/Prior Knowledge:

“Remember when we read How a Seed Grows?  Well, today we are going to plant our and own seeds and watch them grow.  What are some materials that were used in the book to help seeds grow? Does anyone remember?”

Lesson Presentation:

Estimated Time: 10 minutes

  • Label carton numbers 1 - 12
    • Fill each egg holder with 2 Tablespoons soil
    • Make a hole with your finger and place the lima bean (seed) inside
    • Cover with 1 Tablespoon soil
    • Water every day (until moist)
    • Watch your seeds Grow!
    • Wait 3 days then dig up seed #1, students can view and discuss during morning meeting. Are there roots?
    • Next day dig up seed #2, is there a root?
    • Dig each day until students can see the root
    • The remaining seeds that grow will be planted in the school garden

Guided Practice/Active Involvement/Small group work/Independent Practice:

Estimated Time: 10-15 minutes

The students will be actively engaged as they each fill their own part of the egg carton with soil, lima bean, more soil and water.  

Final Summary/Closure:

Estimated Time: 3 - 5 minutes

“Today we planted our own seeds.  How many days to you think it will take for the roots to grow? Raise a quiet hand so that I can call on your.”

Extension:

1. Have a prediction chart with the students names and questions to see how many days roots will grow.  Go around the group and fill in the number of days.  

2.The students can color in a pre-outlined picture of plant with crayons.  They will choose what colors they think each part of the plant will be.