Lesson number: 4 Title: Representing life cycle of plants

Time: 1 hour & 10minutes

Objectives: For students to have firm understanding of plant life cycle sequence by reflecting on their experiments and represent
their understanding in multiple ways (Waldrip & Prain, 2006). This lesson can be an effective opportunity for assess students
understanding and redirect their misconception (Schussler & Winslow, 2007).
OUTCOME: INDICATORS:
ACSSU072: Living things have life cycles
ACSIS064: With guidance, identify questions in familiar
contexts that can be investigated scientifically and
predict what might happen based on prior knowledge
ACSIS065: Suggests ways to plan and conduct
investigations to find answers to questions
ACSIS071: Represent and communicate ideas and
findings in a variety of ways such as diagrams, physical
representations and simple reports.
ACSSU072: observe first-hand one animal or plant as it grows
and develops, and sequence the stages in its life cycle
ACSIS064: Choosing questions to investigate from a list of
possibilities
ACSIS065: Working in groups, with teacher guidance, to plan
ways to investigate questions
ACSIS071: Communicating with other students carrying out
similar investigations to share experiences and improve skills.
KLA integration
Drama: DRAS2.1 Takes on and sustains roles in a variety of drama forms to express meaning in a wide range of imagined situations.
English: ACELY1651 Constructing texts to communicate ideas
Key Scientific Knowledge:
Seeds need three things in order to begin germination: water, oxygen, optimum temperatures and for some seeds; light.
(RTBG, 2009)
Seed seedling/sprout stem and leaves flower for flowering and pollination plant makes seed & drops it
cycle continues.
The part where plants make seeds & drop them is often different with different plants. (E.g. Some plants flower,
the flower contains pollen, birds, bees & other insects pick up the pollen & carry it to another flower, this fertilises
the plant so it can make a seed. The seed is dropped or blown by the wind & grows into a seedling.)
Lesson Overview:
Introduction: Presentation 20 minutes Resources
Teacher will briefly outline what will happen in the lesson. Upload each groups experiment on
the interactive whiteboard. Write following questions on the board and discuss: How do plants
grow and what do they need in order to grow? Guide the discussion with each groups
experiment by highlighting changes and differences between control and variable. Students will
write brief statements in their science journals, asking questions and making comments about
their peers experiment. Use discussion to highlight the importance of various conditions for
plant life cycle and different stages of life cycle. Watch a short YouTube video that clearly
illustrates life cycle of plant including flowing plants.
classroom website
science journal
YouTube Video
http://www.youtube.com/w
atch?v=zPqnYYI2Uq8
Workshop Description
20minutes teacher will float to assist every group.
Resources
science journals
Option 1
Making 2D or
3D model
Groups choose one option to represent their understanding of plant life cycle.
They can focus on the importance of optimum conditions for germination or
different life cycle stages or lifecycle.
Using their understanding and knowledge, students will illustrate what they have
learnt from their own and others experiment findings, group research and
watching video. They can refer back to their science journals.
stationary (paper,
coloured pencils,
cardboard, etc)
Option 2
Drama
props (cloths, allow
them to use anything
in the classroom)
Whole group: Presentation 20 minutes Resources
The teacher will be video-recording students presentation and discussion. Students can orally
explain their intent behind their model/drama. Teacher posts the video on the class website.
Conclude the lesson by reflecting on TWLH chart (L and H part):
a. What new idea(s) do you have about seeds or growing plants?
b. How do you know? (What is our evidence?)
video-recorder
TWLH chart
(Primary
connections, 2012,
p.12)
Modifications
Simplification: Group members will be encouraged to
support each other as they communicate their ideas to
represent their knowledge.
Extension: As lesson concludes, students can be asked to
share the findings they gained from their independent
research on a plant of their interest from last lesson.