The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project

STEM in the Garden- Mr. Potato Head Comes Alive!

STEM in the Garden-

Mr. Potato Head Comes Alive!

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A Kindergarten- 3rd grade STEM lesson

Lisa Moberg

April 21st, 2023

Notes for Teachers

• Context: This lesson takes place in a classroom for 2 non-consecutive days with a 2-week break in between for the potatoes to sprout.

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• Click here for background information about how to plant potatoes. Click here for fun facts about potatoes.

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• Students will take home potato eyes to plant with families, hopefully inspiring them to continue gardening as a family/ community.

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• This lesson creates an understanding of the significance of using vegetable scraps to create/sustain gardens.

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List of Materials:

• seedling potatoes or organic potatoes from the grocery store (1 per student)
• large plastic cups/ containers to hold potatoes
• 1 plastic baggie for each student
• paper rulers
• Observation Chart
• pencils
• “Two Old Potatoes and Me” by John Coy
• Mr. Potato Head (optional)

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Kindergarten Standards

Science:

• K.P2U1.1 5 senses
• K.L1U1.6,7 plant parts

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Technology:

• K-2.1.b network with others
• K-2.1.c share learning
• K-2.4.c design process
• K-2.4.d perseverance

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Math:

• K.MD.A.1 measurable attributes
• K.MD.A.2 compare 2 objects
• K.G.A.1 describe objects- shapes
• K.G.B.4 compare 2D/3D shapes

English Language Arts:

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• K.RL.1 ask and answer questions about text
• K.RL.2 retell stories
• K.RL.3 identify characters, settings, events
• K.W.4 writing appropriate to task and purpose
• K.SL.1 collaborative conversations
• K.SL.2 asking/answering questions- details
• K.SL.4 describe people, places, things, events
• K.SL.5 add drawings to provide detail
• K.SL.6 speak audibly

1st Grade Standards

Science:

• 1.L1U1.6 life cycles
• 1.L4U1.10 plant groups/subgroups

Technology:

• K-2.1.b network with others
• K-2.1.c share learning
• K-2.4.c design process
• K-2.4.d perseverance

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Engineering:

• 1.L2U2.7 model living things using resources
• 1.L4.U1.10 model groups/subgroups

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Math:

• 1.MD.A.1 order 3 objects by length

English Language Arts:

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• 1.RL.1 ask/answer questions
• 1.RL.2 retell stories
• 1.RL.3 describe characters, settings, events
• 1.W.4 writing appropriate to task
• 1.SL.1 collaborative conversations
• 1.SL.2 ask/answer questions about text
• 1.SL.4 describe people, places, things, events
• 1.SL.5 add drawings to clarify ideas
• 1.SL.6 produce complete sentences

2nd Grade Standards

Science:

• 2.L2U1.10 energy from the sun

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Technology:

• K-2.1.b network with others
• K-2.1.c share learning
• K-2.4.c design process
• K-2.4.d perseverance

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Math:

• 2.MD.A.1 measurement
• 2.MD.A.4 compare measurement

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English Language Arts:

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• 2.RL.1 ask/answer questions about details
• 2.RL.2 recount stories- determine message
• 2.W.4 writing appropriate to task/purpose
• 2.SL.1 collaborative conversations
• 2.SL.2 recount read aloud
• 2.SL.4 recount experience
• 2.SL.5 create audio recordings
• 2.SL.6 produce complete sentences

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3rd Grade Standards

Science:

• 3.L1U1.5 internal/external structures
• 3.L1U1.6 plants react to stimuli
• 3.L2U1.8 interdependence of plants

Technology:

• 3-5.1.b network with others
• 3-5.1.c share learning
• 3-5.4.c design process
• 3-5.4.d perseverance

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Math:

• 3.MD.B4 measurement using rulers

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English Language Arts:

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• 3.RL.1 ask/answer questions about details
• 3.RL.2 paraphrase stories- central message
• 3.RL.3 describe characters in story
• 3.W.4 writing appropriate to task/purpose
• 3.SL.1 collaborative discussions
• 3.SL.2 main ideas/details of read aloud
• 3.SL.4 report on a topic
• 3.SL.5 create audio recording
• 3.SL.6 speak in complete sentences

Objective(s):

The student will participate in a Think-Pair-Share activity to discuss ways to create plants without seeds.

The student will actively listen to a read aloud to participate in a collaborative conversation about the significance/impact of creating plants without seeds.

The student will make scientific observations about a potato by counting the eyes, using the 5 senses, and measuring the weight, length, width, and circumference.

The student will participate in a scientific experiment by predicting/confirming the hypothesis of sprouting a potato without a seed, using water and air.

The student will collaboratively communicate with a partner about their findings from the experiment by creating an online presentation.

Agenda [2 separate days (1-2 hours each) with 2 weeks in-between]

Day 1

• Think-Pair-Share “How can we create plants without seeds?”
• “Two Old Potatoes and Me” read aloud
• Class Discussion about creating plants without seeds
• Scientific Observations about Potatoes
• Setting Up the Experiment- using variables of water vs. air

2 Week Break

• Observe on chart after the 1 week

Day 2

• Counting Eyes & Observing Sprouts from the Potatoes
• How To Guide of Growing Potatoes

How does Mr. Potato Head Come Alive??

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Can We Create Plants without Seeds?

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Read Aloud or

Video

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Instructions

• Each student will be given an organic russet potato to observe, using the 5 senses and mathematical concepts/skills (counting the “eyes,” measuring the height, weight, circumference, etc.)
• Students will write down their observations in this chart, and share with a small group, using academic conversations. (This repeats 3 times, for each week.)
• The teacher will introduce the concept of a VARIABLE in a scientific experiment.
• Students will choose between these variables: soil, water, air to try to grow their potatoes. They will place their potato in the correct setting to observe the growth for 2 weeks.

Instructions

• After 2 weeks of observations, the students will determine if the variable increased/ continued/ or decreased the growth of the potato. Indicators are:
• Counting the eyes that sprouted
• Length of the sprouts
• The students will discuss as partners/ small groups/ whole group:
• “Which variable increased potato growth?”
• Which variable decreased potato growth?”
• Encourage the students to ask questions about their scientific observations about the potato growth.
• Create a How To Guide about growing potatoes to take home to share with families.
• Bag up the potato and send it home with student

Assessment

Throughout the read aloud, pause to ask clarifying questions about the text for students to discuss as Think-Pair-Share.

The scientific observation chart can also be used as a formative assessment, determining the understanding of:

• scientific observations
• applying the 5 senses
• measurement concepts

The How To Guide can be used to assess the students’ knowledge of:

• how potatoes germinate
• definition of “potato eyes”
• how to continue growing potatoes at home

Differentiation

For students who cannot write a lot, they can just draw a picture of their observations

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Students can work as partners while observing potatoes to stimulate academic conversations about scientific observations.

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Students should pair as heterogeneous partners when presenting the information about Growing Potatoes; more advanced students can support struggling students with their How To Guides

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

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Students can document the growth of their potato on Flipgrid presentations, adding to their original presentation.

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Students could meet a farmer and/or Master Gardener to discuss their experience with growing potatoes in this specific climate.