Science lesson plan · 2nd grade (Year 3 in England) · 60 minutes
Plant growth experiments: read the results
Plants
CCSS NGSS.2-LS2-1CCSS NGSS.SEP 4England: KS1 Y2 PlantsEngland: KS1 Working scientifically
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Plant growth experiments: read the results.
- 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: What plants need to grow; Test what a plant needs: light and water
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 · 6 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (What plants need to grow; Test what a plant needs: light and water). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- A plant is not watered for a long time. What happens? (It grows taller. / Its leaves turn blue. / It makes more flowers. / It wilts (droops) and may die.) → It wilts (droops) and may die.Prompt: Plants need water to stay firm.
- One plant is kept in a dark cupboard and one on a sunny windowsill. Which grows green and strong? (both the same / the plant on the windowsill / neither, plants need darkness / the plant in the cupboard) → the plant on the windowsillPrompt: What do leaves need to make food?
- What plants need: which statement is true? (Plants need water. / Plants grow best in the dark. / Plants never need water. / The more water you give a plant, the better it always grows.) → Plants need water.Prompt: Think about what keeps a plant healthy.
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: Plant growth experiments: read the results. 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: A sunflower seedling was 3 cm tall on Monday. Two weeks later it was 17 cm tall. How many centimetres did it grow?
- Step 1: 17 − 3 = 14
- Step 2: So the answer is: 14 cm
- Answer: 14 cm
- 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.
- A sunflower seedling was 6 cm tall on Monday. Two weeks later it was 12 cm tall. How many centimetres did it grow? → 6 cmPrompt: Growth is the change in height.
- A plant kept in the dark grew tall, thin and pale. What do the results suggest? (Darkness is the best way to grow plants. / Pale plants are the healthiest. / It had too much light. / It was stretching to find light and could not make enough food.) → It was stretching to find light and could not make enough food.Prompt: Being tall is not the same as being healthy.
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 kept in the dark grew tall, thin and pale. What do the results suggest? (It was stretching to find light and could not make enough food. / Pale plants are the healthiest. / Darkness is the best way to grow plants. / It had too much light.) → It was stretching to find light and could not make enough food.Prompt: Being tall is not the same as being healthy.
- A sunflower seedling was 2 cm tall on Monday. Two weeks later it was 9 cm tall. How many centimetres did it grow? → 7 cmPrompt: Growth is the change in height.
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: What plants need to grow.
- 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