1st Grade - Act. 17: Observing Plants Through a Journal

Summary

During the class' plant unit, students will observe a plant and write and illustrate what they have learned in their discovery journal.

Materials

• discovery journals
• different plants
• brown bag

Additional Resources

Look at this Tree by Susan Canizares
All Kinds of Plants by Sandar Iversen
From Flowers to Fruit by Fred and Jeanne Biddulph
Plant Parts by Amy Jo
Plants and Seeds by Colin Walker
Where are the Seeds? by Pauline Cartwright

Background for Teachers

Most plants have some basic structure: roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and seeds. Roots anchor the plant to the ground. They observe water and minerals. Stems support leaves and lift them to the sunlight. Stems also conduct water, food, and minerals from the roots to the flowers and leaves. Leaves are the food production sites of the plant. On the underside of most leaves are openings were gases are exchanged. Flowers must be pollinated for seeds to form. Pollen is usually carried by the wind or by animals. After pollination, a fruit will develop. Inside the fruit are seeds that will form new plants.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Intended Learning Outcomes
5. Understand and use basic concepts and skills.

Process Skills
Observation, form conclusions, collection and interpretation of data, description, investigation, prediction

Instructional Procedures

Invitation to Learn
Play “Twenty Questions” with the participants; the object will be a plant in a bag.

Instructional Procedures

1. Pass out plant and discuss as a class.
2. Introduce discovery journal.
3. Create a discovery chart.
   1. Students write on the chart what they know about plants.
   2. The chart will be displayed in the classroom as a reference for the remainder of the plant unit.
4. Have students write about the plant in their journal.

Extensions

Possible Extensions/Adaptations
Students with special needs will be allowed to draw a picture in their journals instead of writing. Students can also use the class discovery chart to get ideas for writing.

Family Connections

1. Send home a family letter informing parents of the up-coming study of plants. Encourage parents to discuss and share their knowledge of plants.
2. Have students take their journals home once a week and share them with their families. Parents initial them and return them back to school.
3. Encourage parents to take their child on a plant walk around their neighborhood and have the child illustrate their favorite plant and share the drawings with the class.

Assessment Plan

Create a rubric for the journal based on a 3, 2, 1, 0 scale. Keep anecdotal notes of your observation of the students’ work.