EDU423: C&I: Elementary Science Methods

Unit Plan Template

Unit Author
Megan Stone

Science Field
Life Science

Grade Level
Kindergarten
Unit Plan Title: Exploring Plants

Time Needed:
6 35- minute class periods

Summary Description of Unit

Throughout my unit the students will be involved in many different activities. All my
lesson are hands on and will keep the students interest. My lessons also include all
types of learning styles. In my first lesson the students are going to be learning about
what plants need to grow, and they are going to learn how to plant a seed. Each
student is going to plant their own seed. The second lesson the students are going to
be observing different seeds patterns inside of fruits and vegetables. At the end of this
lesson students will have the opportunity to taste the different fruits and vegetables.
Students will learn that the fruits and vegetable that they eat everyday are parts of a
plant. The third lesson the students are going to be learning about living and non living
thing and how a plant is living. The students will be able to paint with both living and
non living items. The fourth lesson is about learning the different parts of a plant/flower.
Students will have to make their own flower using play dough and label all the different
parts of the flower. The last lesson is a nature walk. In this lesson the students will
have to find and observe a plant or flower outside. Students will have to draw and write
about what they see. The last part of this lesson is that the students will have to share
their plant/flower to the rest of the class with their observations that they made about the
plant/flower.
Unit Objectives
-Using a pencil students will be able to sketch a drawing of the seeds of pieces of fruits
and vegetables.
-Using their drawings students will be able to explain one of their fruits/vegetables to the
class and tell what kind of fruit/vegetable it is.
- Using the information that we discuss about the basics needs of a plant, students will
be able to restate and explain what the needs are. Such as air, water, and soil/food.
- Using both living and nonliving things students will be able to identify which objects are
living and nonliving.
- Using play dough and a pencil students will be able to design and label their own
flower, the flower will include: Stem, leaf, petals, and roots.
-By walking outside and using their senses students will be able to identify plants.
-After walking outside and looking at plants students will be able to illustrate and write
about a plant that they saw.
-Students will be able to explain to the class their descriptions of the plant/flower that
they chose.

Targeted MDE Content Standards

K-7 Standard S.IP: Develop an understanding that scientific inquiry and reasoning
involves observing, questioning, investigating, recording, and developing solutions to
problems.
K-7 Standard S.IA: Develop an understanding that scientific inquiry and investigations
require analysis and communication of findings, using appropriate technology.
K-7 Standard L.OL: Develop an understanding that plants and animals have basic
requirements for maintaining life which include the need of air, water and a source of
energy. Understand that all life forms can be classified as producers, consumers, or
decomposers as they are all part of a global food chain where food/energy is supplied
by plants which need light to produce food/energy. Develop an understanding that
plants and animals can be classified by observable traits and physical characteristics.
Understand that all living organisms are composed of cells and they exhibit cell growth
and division. Understand that all plants and animals have a definite life cycle, body
parts, and a system to perform specific life functions.
K-7 Standard S.RS: Develop an understanding that claims and evidence for their
scientific merit should be analyzed. Understand how scientists decide what constitutes
scientific knowledge. Develop an understanding of the importance of reflection on
scientific knowledge and its application to new situations to better understand the role of
science in society and technology.
Targeted MDE Grade Level Content Expectations
S.IP.00.14 Manipulate simple tools that aid observation and data collection.
S.IA.00.13 Communicate and present findings of observations.
L.OL.E.1 Life requirements- Organisms have basic needs. Animals and plants need air,
water, and food. Plants also require light. Plants and animals use food as a source of
energy and as a source of building material for growth and repair.
L.OL.00.12 Identify and compare living and nonliving things.
S.RS.00.11 Demonstrate scientific concepts through various illustrations, performances,
models, exhibits, and activities.
S.I.P.00.11 Make a purposeful observation of the natural world using the appropriate
senses.
Prerequisite Skills
Be able to write a short sentence.
Be able to label different things.
Be able to stamp with paint and paint with a paint brush.
Be able to use fine motor skills.
Formative Assessments
Check lists- to make note if the students understand or not.
Make marks on how well they communicate to the students about their seed drawings.
Check list- Ask the students what they learned that plants need to survive, make note of
students who understand and students who need more help.

Check list- Make marks if the student knows what is living and what is non-living, during
the beginning of lesson when they each have an object and if they know how to tell the
difference between living and non-living.
Check list- Make sure students are creating a model of a flower including all the parts.
Check list- After students have all chosen a plant/flower to describe I will check their
name.
Summative Assessments
Drawings that the student produce from looking at the seeds. Check and see if they
actually drew the seeds or just the fruit.
Look at the plants that the students planted to see if they did it correctly.
Final product of the flower I will assess to see if each student has all the parts of the
flower and they are labeled.
Once the students have finished drawing their flower/plant and describing it then they
will turn that in and I will assess them on how well they did.

Remedial and/or Enrichment Activities

I will have different stations set up around my classroom for the students to go to once
they get done with their work, so they can work on these skills. Such as different books
they can read, different cut and paste work sheets, and play dough so they can create
different plants or flowers that they want too. There will be picture of different plants
and flowers at each station some with the parts labeled.
Materials and Resources Needed
Drawing Seeds
Apples
Strawberry
Green Pepper
Cucumber
Tomato
Kiwi
Planting a Seed
Soil
Cups
Lima Bean Seeds
Buckets for Soil
Poster board
Masking Tape
Sharpie

Book Jaspers Beanstalk by Nick Butterworth and Mick Inkpen

Living and Non-Living
Paint: Yellow, blue, green, and red
Paper plates
Paint brushing
Sponges
Apples
Potatoes
Carrots
Celery
String
Potatoes
Foam
Parts of a Flower
Play dough
-Green
-Brown
-Yellow
-Blue
Paper
Poster of Sunflower
Music for Each of Us Is a Flower
Nature Walk
Book Flowers by Vijaya Khisty Bodach
Camera
Integrating the Curriculum; other subjects and skills addressed
Art- Creativity with coloring, drawing, and painting.
Literacy- Reading the story Jaspers Beanstalk.
Music- Sing the song Each of us is a Flower.
English- describing their flower/plant that they found outside.
Include: Daily lesson plans, copies of all supplemental materials and copies of all formative and
summative assessments