University of Richmond Lesson Plan Form

Name: Marnie Burke

Date: September 22, 2016

Grade Level/Subject: Fifth Grade/Science

Number of Students: 25

Introduction
Lesson topic: Plant Cells
Length of Lesson- 45 minutes
VA Standards of Learning 5.5a: The student will investigate and understand that organisms are
made of cells and have distinguishing characteristics. This includes basic cell structure and
functions.
Context This lesson is part of an unit on organisms. This lesson comes after a lesson on animal
cells. This is the first time that plant cells are being introduced.
Global Themes All living things are made up of cells. It is important that students have a strong
grasp of cells and their function in order to develop an understanding of the living world around
them.

Content Objectives
Students will:
Successfully identify all the parts of a plant cell on a diagram.
Distinguish three similarities and two differences between plant and animal cells through the completion
of a graphic organizer.
Assessment Aligned to Objectives
Formative
During the Prezi- Are students able to locate the different parts of the cell and summarize their function
based off of prior knowledge?
After the Prezi- Are students able to have a successful conversation with their elbow partner about the
similarities and differences of a plant and animal cell?
Summative
Science binder- Are students able to label the parts of the plant cell correctly? Were students able to fill in
their graphic organizer with three similarities and two differences?
Materials/Technology and Advanced Preparation
White boards - one for each student
Dry erase markers- one for each student
SMARTBoard
Prezi
Cell diagram- One copy for each student
Graphic organizer-One copy for each student

Teaching and Learning Sequence

TIME
TEACHER ACTIONS
Introduction/Anticipatory Set
10

Say: Stop, look and listen to get the

minutes
students attention.

Say: Could I please have everyone clear off

your desks. Once I see that your table is
cleaned up and I give you the okay I would
like you to get a whiteboard and marker and
meet me on the front carpet.
Call table groups one at a time that are sitting

quietly and ready to learn.

Say: Today we are going to continue to
learn about cells. On your board I would like
you to write down everything that you know
about a cell. Give students a minute or two
to do this. Once completed have students
share with elbow partner and then allow a
few students to share with the whole class.
Say: Up until today we have been learning
about animal cells. Now we are going to take
a look at plant cells. Do you think that they
will be any different than animal cells? Give
students time to share what they think.
Say: There are a few differences with plant
and animal cells. I am going to play a short

rap about plant and animal cells. Play close

attention and see if you can pick up on any of
the similarities and differences.
Ask students to share. In two columns on the
board (one for similarities and one for

differences) and write down what they say.

Lesson Development
20
Say: Those are all great observations about
minutes
plant and animal cells. We are going to take a
deeper look at plant cells by going on a little
virtual tour. Before we start I would like you
to draw a line down the middle of your
board. Just like I did on the board. As we go
on our tour I would like you to write
similarities that the plant cells have to animal
cells on one side and differences on the
other.

Ask: Does anyone know where the cell

membrane is on this plant cell? Hit prezi

slide so it moves to the cell membrane.
Have a student read what the role of the cell

STUDENT ACTIONS
Students respond: Okay
Students clear their desks and wait quietly to
be called to get a dry erase board and marker.

Students move to the front carpet.

Students write down everything they

remember about cells, share with an elbow
partner, and a few share with class.

Students discuss whether or not plant cells

and animal cells will be the same or
different.

Students watch video and share what they

noticed about plant and animal cells.

Students draw a line down their board.

Students take turns pointing to the different
cell parts, their function, and why they
believe it is similar or different to an animal
cell.

membrane is.
Ask: Does an animal cell have a cell
membrane? Have students write cell
membrane on the similarities side of their dry
erase board. Hit next on prezi so it zooms
back out.
Ask: Does anyone know where the cell wall
is on this plant cell? Zoom in on cell wall.
Have student read what the role of the cell
wall is.
Ask: Do all cells have a cell walls or is it
just plant cells?
Ask: Why do you believe plants need this
cell wall?
Ask: Does anyone have a way for us to
remember the location and function of the
cell wall (ex. plants are not as strong as
animal so they need that extra protection. It
is a wall so it is the outside layer).
Ask: Because only plant cells have a cell
wall where do you think we should write this
on our dry erase board?
Say: Next we are going to travel to the
nucleus. Can anyone come up and point to
the nucleus and tell us the function? Zoom
in on the nucleus.
Once finished reviewing the function of the
nucleus ask students where they believe they
should write it down on their whiteboard.
Ask: What about the vacuole? It looks a
little bit different than the animal cell. Can
anyone point to it?
Discuss how the vacuole is bigger in the
plants because its stores water and other
materials needed for the plants to survive.
Say: Where do you believe we should write
vacuole down on our board?
Be prepared to discuss how the vacuole is in
both the plant and animal cell but because of
the size they could fit in any column.
Students just need to be specific about the
reason that they placed it in that particular
column.
Say: Now we are going to move onto the
chloroplast. Does an animal cell have
chloroplast? Can anyone locate where the
chloroplast may be?
Have someone read the function of
the chloroplast. Discuss what it
means. Ask if anyone has a way to

Closure
15

minutes

remember what it looks like/ what it

does. (ex.It is green and bean
shape. It makes the food that
plants need to survive plants tend
to be green).
Ask: Where on your whiteboard should you
write the chloroplast?
Say: The last place we are going to travel to
is the cytoplasm. Do both plant and animals
have cytoplasm? Does anyone remember
what the function cytoplasm is?
Have student come and show were the
cytoplasm is/ move to that slide and review
the function.
Say: We have now completed our trip
through a plant cell. I would like you to turn
to someone sitting next to you and discuss
the similarities and differences that you
noticed.
Walk around and listen to what students are
discussing. Did they pick up on major
differences? What about similarities?

Students discuss with elbow partner the

similarities and differences that they noticed.

Say: Stop, look, and listen to regain

students attention.
Say: On the back table you will find two
sheets of paper that we are going to be
adding to our science binder. One of the
sheets is a diagram of a plant cell. Your job is
to label all the parts that we just discussed. I
will leave a picture of a cell on the
SMARTBoard. You are welcomed to go back
and look at it again if you need to. The
second sheet is a graphic organizer. Your job
is to fill out how animal and plant cells are
similar and different. You should have at
least three similarities and two differences.

Students stop what they are doing and

respond Okay!

The notes we just took together on your

whiteboard may be very helpful.
Ask if anyone has any questions.
Remind students that this is an independent
activity and ask them what their voice levels
should be like.
Say: Once you are finished you may put
them in your binder, place your binder on the
back table, and read quietly until it is time to

move on.
Dismiss them by birthday month to pick up

their papers and head back to their seat to

work.
Float around the room as students are
working. If students are not finished and it is
time to move on let them know that they will
have time to finish during Cool Down after
recess.

Students share what they believe that their

voice level should be- quiet.
Students work labeling the diagram and
completing the graphic organizer.

References:
Cell Rap: Emily Crapnell,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-zafJKbMPA8
Cell Image: James A. Sullivan, http://www.cellsalive.com

Appended Materials
Attach the following forms and resources to the completed lesson plan.
Lesson Organizer
Curriculum Framework Document Attach the appropriate pages from the Curriculum Framework guide
and highlight information most relevant to the lesson.
Lesson Materials Including, but not limited to, handouts, homework, presentations, assessments,
rubrics, graphic organizers, and other materials of this type.

Lesson Organizer
Prior Knowledge and NEW Instructional Content

Prior Knowledge:
All organisms are made up of one or more cells.
The major parts that make up an animal cell are the nucleus, cell membrane, vacuole, and cytoplasm.
The function of the nucleus, cell membrane, vacuole, and cytoplasm.
New Content:
The major parts that make up a plant cell are the nucleus, cell wall, cell membrane, vacuole, chloroplast,
and cytoplasm.
The functions of the cell wall and chloroplast.

Instructional Modifications to
ASSIST Students
1.
Through prezi students are
able to review the function of
the organelles that both plant 2.
and animal cells have.
I, We, You- Students watch as I
compare and contrast the two3.
types of cells from the video,
We compare plant and animal4.
cells together through the
prezi, You- students complete
graphic organizer on their
5.
own.

November 2013

Name/#:______________________

Main Events of Instruction

Students write down

everything they know about

cells.
Students watch a video that
compares plant and animal
cells.
Students go on a virtual tour of
a plant cell.
Students discuss the
similarities and differences of
plant and animal cells with
their elbow partner.
Students complete diagram
and graphic organizer.

Instructional Modifications to
CHALLENGE Students
Activating prior knowledgehaving students write down/
share what they remember
about cells before we dive into
learning about cells.

Date:________________________
Time:________________________

Label the following on the diagram below:

Nucleus, Cell Wall, Cell Membrane, Vacuole, Chloroplast, Cytoplasm

Name/#:______________________
Date:________________________
Time:________________________

Plant Cells vs. Animal Cells

Similarities

Differences