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The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project

Gardening From School to Home 4 of 4

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Gardening From School to Home 4 of 4

A 4th grade STEM lesson

Seteara Haddock

05/20/23

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Notes for teachers

There are four lesson plans. Each lesson is tied to the goal of gardening from school to home.

Lesson 1 Energy

Lesson 2 Weather and Climate

Lesson 3 Weathering and Erosion

Lesson 4 Adaptation

Review:

Students may work in small groups of 3-6.
An emphasis on the target Goal: Gardening from Home to School.
Parent Agreement sheet should have already been collected. If they have not then collect them. Print parent agreement letter to get teacher buy-in.
This lesson starts o week. Students will write down all the steps they took to prep to start gardening.
A mixture of soil is important for excellent growth.
Seeds should also be purchased.
Have students calculate how many bags of soil will be needed to fill their containers for school and home.

Current Lesson:

Students will continue to check on plants at school.
Students will share with the class how their plants are doing at their home.
Students will document, in their worksheets, how their plants are doing both at home and school.
Students will be reminded to water their plants at home.
Teacher will take students out daily to water plants.

List of Materials

Student Journal or Handbook. (See attached) This will be used in later lessons but can be introduced early. Journal
Internet: Adaptation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDSFlRunlrU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8q1m0jbvCo
Paper, Pencil, drawing paper
Plastic bag
Paper towel or napkin
Radish seeds
spray bottle
permanent marker
Magnifying glass: to look at soil and seeds
Scientific worksheet (https://homeschoolingonadime.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Cute-Scientific-Method-Printable-Worksheet.pdf)
Daily Observation worksheet Observation Log

Notes and Materials: Teacher will provide each student with a plastic bag with a napkin in side. If the teacher wants she can have students put the napkin in the bag themselves. Students need to write their names on the bag with the permanent marker. The teacher will give each student about 5 or 6 seeds and then spray the seeds with water. The students would then blow air into the bag and seal it. Students will document and watch the seeds to see what will happen.

Teacher will discuss with students the different adaptation of the plants they are growing at home, at school outside, and in the plastic bag. Two have dirt and one does not. Teacher can have a discussion with students about the possible ways that the plants will be affected by their environment.

Students will document daily what they observe with the seeds in the bag. For ELA they could write an essay regarding what they see, How they

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Standards

Science Standards:

Unit 4: Adaptations

4.L4U1.11: Analyze and interpret environmental data to demonstrate that species either adapt or survive, or go extinct over time.

Standards

ELA Standards:

4.RL.1 Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. Ask and Answer Questions

4.RL.1 Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. Make Predictions

4.R.I.5-Describe overall structure of events, ideas, concepts or information in a text for port of a text.(Cause and Effect & Sequence)

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Objective(s):

Today students will be able to explain how plants adapt to their environments.

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Agenda (45-60 minutes)

What is adaptation?

How do people adapt?

How do animals adapt?

How do plants adapt to their environment?

The class can discuss the different ways plants adapt to their environment.

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Intro/Driving Question/Opening

How will knowing about adaptation help with gardening?

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Adaptation

Watch the videos:

Students will work in groups to discuss adaptation and how knowing about adaptation will help with gardening.

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Assessment

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Differentiation

Show pictures of animals and plants adapting to their environment. Students can match pictures to plants or animals.

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

The advanced students could explain using pictures of a slideshow showing adaptation of plants and animals.