Back to the lesson plan builder
Lesson length30 min45 min60 min
Questions🔀 New questions

Print the plan for yourself; the student sheet prints on its own page after it.

Science lesson plan · 4th grade (Year 5 in England) · 30 minutes

Plant structures for growth, survival and reproduction

Plants

CCSS NGSS.4-LS1-1England: KS2 Y3 Plants

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Plant structures for growth, survival and reproduction.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: How plants protect themselves

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: Real plants or seeds, Hand lenses, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (How plants protect themselves). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. How is this plant part protected: a pine tree wound? (prickly edges / sticky sap (resin) / sharp thorns / spines instead of flat leaves) → sticky sap (resin)Prompt: What would hurt or annoy an animal trying to eat it?
  2. Holly leaves near the ground are very prickly, but leaves high up are often smoother. Why might this be? (High leaves are older. / Animals like deer can only reach the low leaves. / High leaves are not real leaves. / The wind blows the prickles off.) → Animals like deer can only reach the low leaves.Prompt: Which leaves are in danger of being eaten?
  3. True or false? Thorns help a plant take in water. (True / False) → FalsePrompt: Plants cannot move. How else could they stay safe?

Hook · 3 min

  • Bring in a plant that has been kept in the dark next to one in the light, and ask what happened.
  • Share the objective: Plant structures for growth, survival and reproduction. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: What does this structure do for the plant: thorns?
  • Step 1: So the answer is: stop animals eating the plant
  • Answer: stop animals eating the plant
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. What does this structure do for the plant: flowers? (protects seeds and helps spread them / stop animals eating the plant / curl around supports so the plant can climb / attract pollinators so seeds can form) → attract pollinators so seeds can formPrompt: Is it for growing, staying safe, or making new plants?
  2. What is this structure mainly for: bitter-tasting leaves? (growth / protection / reproduction) → protectionPrompt: Does it help the plant grow, stay safe, or make seeds?

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. What is this structure mainly for: juicy fruit? (growth / protection / reproduction) → reproductionPrompt: Does it help the plant grow, stay safe, or make seeds?
  2. What does this structure do for the plant: a waxy coat on leaves? (stop animals eating the plant / protects seeds and helps spread them / stops the leaves losing too much water / curl around supports so the plant can climb) → stops the leaves losing too much waterPrompt: Is it for growing, staying safe, or making new plants?

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: How plants protect themselves.
  • Use concrete materials: real plants or seeds.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-4.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

eurekami

Plant structures for growth, survival and reproduction

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    What does this structure do for the plant: tendrils?

    • A. curl around supports so the plant can climb
    • B. protects the trunk from damage and disease
    • C. stops the leaves losing too much water
    • D. protects seeds and helps spread them

  2. Question 2

    What is this structure mainly for: sweet nectar?

    • A. growth
    • B. protection
    • C. reproduction

  3. Question 3

    Water lilies have air spaces in their stems and leaves. How does this help?

    • A. The leaves float on the surface to reach sunlight.
    • B. They keep fish away.
    • C. They make the water warm.
    • D. They sink to the bottom.

  4. Question 4

    What does this structure do for the plant: a waxy coat on leaves?

    • A. stops the leaves losing too much water
    • B. protects the trunk from damage and disease
    • C. curl around supports so the plant can climb
    • D. protects seeds and helps spread them

  5. Question 5

    What is this structure mainly for: colourful petals?

    • A. growth
    • B. protection
    • C. reproduction

  6. Question 6

    Cactus plants have thick, fleshy stems and spines instead of wide leaves. How does this help in a desert?

    • A. They store water and lose very little.
    • B. They catch more rain on wide leaves.
    • C. They attract more animals to eat them.
    • D. They grow faster in the cold.

Free from eurekami.com

for the adult only

Answer key: Plant structures for growth, survival and reproduction

  1. 1. A. curl around supports so the plant can climb

  2. 2. C. reproduction

  3. 3. A. The leaves float on the surface to reach sunlight.

  4. 4. A. stops the leaves losing too much water

  5. 5. C. reproduction

  6. 6. A. They store water and lose very little.