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Science lesson plan · 7th grade (Year 8 in England) · 30 minutes

Photosynthesis

Plants

CCSS NGSS.MS-LS1-6CCSS NGSS.HS-LS1-5England: KS3 Biology: Material cycles and energyEngland: KS4 Combined Science: Photosynthesis

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Photosynthesis.

  • 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: Plants make food from air and water

Leads to: Xylem, phloem and transpiration; Rate of photosynthesis and limiting factors; Photosynthesis: word and balanced symbol equations

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 (Plants make food from air and water). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. How plants grow: which statement is true? (Plants release oxygen into the air. / The energy in plant food comes from the soil. / Plants do not need light to make food. / Plants get most of their mass by eating soil.) → Plants release oxygen into the air.Prompt: Where does a tree's wood really come from?
  2. Which gas do plants take from the air to build their bodies? (nitrogen / helium / carbon dioxide / oxygen) → carbon dioxidePrompt: It is the gas we breathe out.
  3. How plants grow: which statement is NOT true? (Plants make their own food using light energy. / Plants release oxygen into the air. / Plants get most of their mass by eating soil. / Most of a plant's mass comes from carbon dioxide in the air and from water.) → Plants get most of their mass by eating soil.Prompt: One sentence repeats an old idea that experiments disproved.

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: Photosynthesis. 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 chlorophyll do?
  • Step 1: Chlorophyll absorbs light energy, which is used to make glucose.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: absorbs light energy
  • Answer: absorbs light energy
  • 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. In which part of a plant cell does photosynthesis happen? (chloroplasts / vacuole / cell wall / nucleus) → chloroplastsPrompt: This part contains the green pigment.
  2. Pondweed in light gives off 60 bubbles of oxygen in 5 minutes. What is the rate in bubbles per minute? → 12Prompt: Rate = amount ÷ time.

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. Complete the word equation: carbon dioxide + ___ → glucose + oxygen (glucose / water / oxygen / soil) → waterPrompt: The roots take this in.
  2. Pondweed in light gives off 36 bubbles of oxygen in 2 minutes. What is the rate in bubbles per minute? → 18Prompt: Rate = amount ÷ time.

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: Plants make food from air and water.
  • 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

  • Move on to: Xylem, phloem and transpiration; Rate of photosynthesis and limiting factors; Photosynthesis: word and balanced symbol equations.
  • 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-7.

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

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Photosynthesis

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Photosynthesis: which statement is NOT true?

    • A. Photosynthesis takes in energy (it is endothermic).
    • B. Photosynthesis needs light.
    • C. Glucose is made in the soil and taken up by roots.
    • D. Chlorophyll is found in chloroplasts.

  2. Question 2

    Pondweed in light gives off 18 bubbles of oxygen in 2 minutes. What is the rate in bubbles per minute?

    Answer

  3. Question 3

    Complete the word equation: carbon dioxide + ___ → glucose + oxygen

    • A. oxygen
    • B. glucose
    • C. water
    • D. soil

  4. Question 4

    Pondweed in light gives off 65 bubbles of oxygen in 5 minutes. What is the rate in bubbles per minute?

    Answer

  5. Question 5

    Complete the word equation: carbon dioxide + water → glucose + ___

    • A. carbon dioxide
    • B. nitrogen
    • C. hydrogen
    • D. oxygen

  6. Question 6

    Pondweed in light gives off 60 bubbles of oxygen in 4 minutes. What is the rate in bubbles per minute?

    Answer

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Answer key: Photosynthesis

  1. 1. C. Glucose is made in the soil and taken up by roots.

  2. 2. 9

  3. 3. C. water

  4. 4. 13

  5. 5. D. oxygen

  6. 6. 15