edTPA Indirect Instruction Lesson Plan Template

For the Love of Plants!

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Central Focus/Big Idea: Using all elements in nature that help seeds grow into plants.
Subject of this lesson: Water Absorption.
Grade Level: 3rd Grade
NC Essential Standard(s): 3.L.2 Understand how plants survive in their environments.
3.L.2.4 Explain how the basic properties (texture and capacity to hold water) and components
(sand, clay and humus) of soil determine the ability of soil to support the growth and survival of
many plants.
Next Generation Science Standard(s): 3-LS4-3. Construct an argument with evidence that in a
particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot
survive at all. [Clarification Statement: Examples of evidence could include needs and
characteristics of the organisms and habitats involved. The organisms and their habitat make up a
system in which the parts depend on each other.]
21st Century Skills: Creativity and Critical Thinking. In this lesson, I ask students to predict
what they think will happen when we place the celery in the colored water, and I ask them to
draw what they think it will look like.
Academic Language Demand
I chose these terms because throughout this lesson students are asked to make predictions
and explain why they think certain things will happen. Before students are told what they
lesson is about, I show them the materials and they have to guess what we are doing and
why we are doing it. Next, I tell them what we will be learning about then show them the
process or putting food coloring into water; what will happen and why? This process
continues until we have completed the activity with celery and food coloring.
Analyze

Argue

Categorize

Interpret

Predict

Question

Compare/contras
t
Retell

Describe
Summarize

Seed
Definition: A fertilized and mature ovule containing a plant embryo
Context: A new plant will come from the seed.
Stem
Definition: Stalk; a slender or elongated structure that supports a plant
Context: The stem pokes up through the soil.

Explain

Instructional Objective: Students will create tables in their science journals to predict, analyze,
and draw what happens to the celery stalk in the colored water. Students will collaborate with
one another to explain why plants need water. Students will be held responsible for their
materials; water, food coloring, celery stalk, and placing the cup of materials in a spot around the
room that provides abundant sunlight. The objective of this lesson is to allow students to
physically see the stalk of celery absorb the water through its veins because of the food coloring
used in the cup of water it is sitting in.
Prior Knowledge (student): Students should already have an understanding that plants need
water to survive. (Remind students of classroom rules and expected behavior.)
Content Knowledge (teacher): This lesson revolves around predicting and student explanations
on a scientific level as to why they think certain events will happen to a given object. As the
teacher, I must provide proper examples of scientific predictions and also provide students with
the information they need to know about plant survival in order for them to grasp each concept.
A video on seeds will open the lesson, followed by science journal predictions before, during,
and after we conduct the experiment.
Accommodations for special needs: Students who need assistance will be allowed to work with
a partner at their table. If students need help beyond a partner, they will only be expected to write
one word to describe what they see, and one word to describe what they think will happen, and
draw their predictions.
Materials and Technology requirements:
Sid the Seed YouTube video( Sid the Seed) internet, doc cam, computer, white board, markers,
clear plastic cups, stalks of celery, 2 tubes of different colored food coloring, water, and science
journals.
Total Estimated Time: 1 class period.
Safety considerations: Do not place water colored stalks of celery in your mouth, eyes, ears, or
nose.

Content and Strategies (Procedure)

In your procedure, be sure to include all of the following 5 Es. Your procedure should be
detailed enough for a colleague to follow. If you will be relying on technology (e.g., a YouTube
video), describe your back up plan thoroughly. Imagine your most novice colleague needing to
teach from your plan. Dont just answer the questions. Additionally, I expect you to include
possible questions you could ask for each section. This needs to include higher-order questions.
Engage: Begin lesson with the video on YouTube called Sid the Seed.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm12JKhNnWY)
- Prepare the video Sid the Seed. Do you like to water the plants in your home or garden?
We already know that plants and flowers need water to grow and live, but what happens
after that? Sid the Seed is here to tell you all about the way plants use the water we feed
them.
-

Play video on projector. Total video duration: 5:21.

Explore: *Refer to science journal*

- Okay class; turn to a new page in your science journal. Please divide your new page into
four parts, like this (demonstrate on the board.) Title this page Plant Experiment.
These are the materials we will be using in todays experiment; celery, vase, carnation, food
coloring, and water! (Hold up each material for reference) What do you think we are going to do
with these materials? We are going to find out how plants absorb water so they can grow! What
do you think will happen to the celery and carnation when we place them into the water that
contains food coloring? Why? In the top right had square in your journal, please write what you
think will happen to the celery and carnation! When you are finished writing about your
prediction, move to the second section/ square and draw what you think the celery and carnation
will look like after we put them into the food colored water. We will save the other two sections
for after our experiment! We are thinking like scientists!

Explanation: The Experiment:

Separate and select stalks of celery with leaves. Cut about a quarter inch off the bottom. The
lighter stalks near the center will show the most color. Put about 8 ounces of water into glass jar
or vase. Drop 3-4 drops of food coloring into jar. Place stalks into the water using stalk stir very
gently until food coloring is dispersed evenly.
Discussion: Explain the basic needs of plants; water, soil, and sunlight.
What are the three basic needs of plants?

Elaborate:
Light: Whether theyre grown inside or outside, plants need light. They use light energy to
change carbon dioxide and water into food. This process of food productions is called
photosynthesis.
Water: Water is essential to all life on earth. No known organism can exist without water. Plants
use water for many life processes including moving nutrients throughout the plant.
Air: Green plants take in carbon dioxide from air and use it during photosynthesis to make food.
Smoke, gases, and other air pollutants can damage plants.
Just like humans, plants require certain elements to develop, reproduce, and survive. Plants
need room to grow, the right temperature, light, water, air, and nutrients. When these
requirements are limited or arent provided at all, they can inhibit plant growth or cause the plant
to die.
- At the end of the day today, we will observe if any changes are occurring to our stalks of
celery and we will draw what we see. Our last observation of our stalks will be taken on
Monday when theyve had the whole weekend to sit in the water!
- Does anyone have any questions?
Evaluate:
Three points: Students were highly engaged in class and group discussions; used
research materials appropriately; produced a complete sentence that included all
requested information; and correctly identified all elements that make a plant grow.
Two points: Students participated in class and group discussions; used research materials
with little assistance; produced an adequate sentence, including most of the requested
information; and correctly identified at least three elements that make a plant grow.
One point: Students participated minimally in class and group discussions; were unable
to use research materials without teacher assistance; created an incomplete sentence with
little or none of the requested information; and identified two or fewer elements that
make a plant grow.
To be completed after the lesson is taught as appropriate
Assessment Results of all objectives/skills:
Reflection on lesson:
I loved teaching this lesson! The students were engaged, listened, and reflected what they learned
throughout my lesson. I was lucky to have such an amazing corresponding teacher who helped
me plan this lesson. I started this lesson with a launch; an attention grabbing element of a lesson
that leaves students wanting to learn more about a given subject. We then moved into the
preparation of science journals to document observations during our experiment. Students
werent as excited about this little portion of our class period because they wanted to begin the
experiment. To make more sense of what I was asking for in the science journals, I drew an
example on the board to avoid confusion, even though there were still many questions. I then
moved into the presentation of materials we were going to use for our experiment, which revived
their science spirits. I showed them the water, food coloring, and stalks of celery. I then began to

ask them questions about what they thought we were going to do, why we were going to do that,
and what they thought was coming next. The experiment went smoothly and all of the students
listened to me very intently. I was very pleased with their behavior and asked the teacher to give
them DJO points for behaving. Our end result was a stalk of celery sitting in water filled with
food coloring and science journals filled with predictions and drawing of what they thought
would happen. I will reteach this lesson when I become a professional teacher in order to achieve
science standards while allowing my students to participate in a hands on activity.
CT signature/confirmation: _________________________________ Date: ________________