Science lesson plan · Kindergarten (Reception and Year 1 in England) · 60 minutes
Test what a plant needs: light and water
Plants
CCSS NGSS.K-LS1-1CCSS NGSS.SEP 3England: EYFS Understanding the World: The natural worldEngland: KS1 Y2 Plants
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Test what a plant needs: light and water.
- 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: Plant growth experiments: read the results
Materials: Real plants or seeds, Hand lenses, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 6 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… (stem / root / flower / leaf) → stemPrompt: It holds the tree up.
- Plant parts: which statement is true? (Trees are not plants. / Leaves take in water from the soil. / Only flowers are part of a plant. / A tree trunk is a stem.) → A tree trunk is a stem.Prompt: Picture a plant from its roots to its flower.
- Which part of a plant takes in water from the soil? (the stem / the flower / the roots / the leaves) → the rootsPrompt: Which part is under the ground?
Hook · 6 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: Test what a plant needs: light and water. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 12 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: One plant is kept in a dark cupboard and one on a sunny windowsill. Which grows green and strong?
- Step 1: Plants need light to make food, so the one in the light grows well.
- Step 2: So the answer is: the plant on the windowsill
- Answer: the plant on the windowsill
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 12 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- To test if plants need light, what must be the SAME for both plants? (the water, the soil and the type of plant / the amount of light / nothing, everything should be different / only the colour of the pot matters) → the water, the soil and the type of plantPrompt: We only want to change one thing.
- Plant experiments: which statement is NOT true? (Plants need water, light and air to grow well. / To test light, you should also give one plant more water. / In a fair test you change only one thing. / Plants grown in the dark often turn pale and weak.) → To test light, you should also give one plant more water.Prompt: Remember what plants need and what makes a test fair.
You do: independent practice · 17 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 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 7 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- A plant on a windowsill leans towards the glass. Why? (It is trying to get out. / The glass pulls it. / It is cold inside. / It is growing towards the light.) → It is growing towards the light.Prompt: Where does most light come from in a room?
- Plant experiments: which statement is NOT true? (To test light, you should also give one plant more water. / A plant without water will wilt. / Plants need water, light and air to grow well. / In a fair test you change only one thing.) → To test light, you should also give one plant more water.Prompt: Remember what plants need and what makes a test fair.
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
- Move on to: Plant growth experiments: read the results.
- 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/kindergarten.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder