Science lesson plan · 2nd grade (Year 3 in England) · 30 minutes
Pollinators: animals that help flowers make seeds
Plants
CCSS NGSS.2-LS2-2England: KS2 Y3 Plants
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Pollinators: animals that help flowers make seeds.
- 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: Parts of a plant
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 (Parts of a plant). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- The trunk of a tree is a very thick… (flower / leaf / root / stem) → stemPrompt: It holds the tree up.
- Plant parts: which statement is true? (Only flowers are part of a plant. / Roots grow up towards the sky. / Leaves take in water from the soil. / Flowers help plants make seeds.) → Flowers help plants make seeds.Prompt: Picture a plant from its roots to its flower.
- Which part holds the plant up and carries water to the leaves? (the petals / the stem / the roots / the flower) → the stemPrompt: It is like a straw and a pole at the same time.
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: Pollinators: animals that help flowers make seeds. 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: Why are many flowers brightly coloured and sweet-smelling?
- Step 1: Colours and scents guide pollinators to the flowers.
- Step 2: So the answer is: to attract pollinators like bees and butterflies
- Answer: to attract pollinators like bees and butterflies
- 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.
- Why are many flowers brightly coloured and sweet-smelling? (to keep warm at night / to scare animals away / to attract pollinators like bees and butterflies / to catch rain) → to attract pollinators like bees and butterfliesPrompt: What would a bee notice from far away?
- Does this animal help pollinate flowers: crab? (pollinator / not a pollinator) → not a pollinatorPrompt: Does it fly or crawl from flower to flower looking for nectar?
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.
- Why do bees visit flowers? (to collect nectar and pollen for food / to sleep in them / to lay eggs in every flower / to keep the flowers warm) → to collect nectar and pollen for foodPrompt: What do bees use to make honey?
- Pollinators: which statement is true? (Bees make pollen. / Only bees can pollinate flowers. / Using lots of insect spray in gardens helps pollinators. / Without pollination, many flowers cannot make seeds or fruit.) → Without pollination, many flowers cannot make seeds or fruit.Prompt: Who makes pollen, and who carries it?
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: Parts of a plant.
- 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-2.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder