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

Group plants: flowering and non-flowering

Plants

CCSS NGSS.4-LS1-1England: KS2 Y4 Living things and their habitatsEngland: KS2 Y6 Living things and their habitats

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Group plants: flowering and non-flowering.

  • 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.
  1. Which part of a plant makes food using sunlight? (the stem / the seeds / the roots / the leaves) → the leavesPrompt: Which part is usually green and flat to catch the light?
  2. Plant parts: which statement is true? (Leaves are usually green. / Roots grow up towards the sky. / Leaves take in water from the soil. / Trees are not plants.) → Leaves are usually green.Prompt: Picture a plant from its roots to its flower.
  3. The trunk of a tree is a very thick… (leaf / flower / root / stem) → stemPrompt: It holds the tree up.

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: Group plants: flowering and non-flowering. 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: Is this a flowering or a non-flowering plant: grass?
  • Step 1: Flowering plants make flowers, then fruits holding seeds.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: flowering plant (makes seeds in flowers and fruits)
  • Answer: flowering plant (makes seeds in flowers and fruits)
  • 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. Is this a flowering or a non-flowering plant: fern? (flowering plant (makes seeds in flowers and fruits) / non-flowering plant) → non-flowering plantPrompt: Does it ever grow flowers, even small green ones?
  2. How do ferns reproduce without flowers or seeds? (with bulbs only / with spores from brown dots under their leaves / with fruit / with cones) → with spores from brown dots under their leavesPrompt: Turn over a fern leaf (frond).

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. Is this a flowering or a non-flowering plant: apple tree? (flowering plant (makes seeds in flowers and fruits) / non-flowering plant) → flowering plant (makes seeds in flowers and fruits)Prompt: Does it ever grow flowers, even small green ones?
  2. Three of these are non-flowering plants. Which one is NOT? (sunflower / fir tree / moss / fern) → sunflowerPrompt: Does each one make flowers, or spores or cones?

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-4.

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

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Group plants: flowering and non-flowering

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Three of these are flowering plants. Which one is NOT?

    • A. grass
    • B. fir tree
    • C. cactus
    • D. daisy

  2. Question 2

    Grass doesn't seem to have flowers. Why is it called a flowering plant?

    • A. It has tiny green flowers that are pollinated by the wind.
    • B. It has no flowers at all.
    • C. It makes cones.
    • D. It grows from spores.

  3. Question 3

    Is this a flowering or a non-flowering plant: pine tree?

    • A. flowering plant (makes seeds in flowers and fruits)
    • B. non-flowering plant

  4. Question 4

    Where does a pine tree make its seeds?

    • A. in cones
    • B. in flowers
    • C. underground
    • D. in fruits

  5. Question 5

    Is this a flowering or a non-flowering plant: fir tree?

    • A. flowering plant (makes seeds in flowers and fruits)
    • B. non-flowering plant

  6. Question 6

    Three of these are non-flowering plants. Which one is NOT?

    • A. fern
    • B. yew
    • C. pine tree
    • D. grass

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Answer key: Group plants: flowering and non-flowering

  1. 1. B. fir tree

  2. 2. A. It has tiny green flowers that are pollinated by the wind.

  3. 3. B. non-flowering plant

  4. 4. A. in cones

  5. 5. B. non-flowering plant

  6. 6. D. grass