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The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project

Growing an Arizona Flower: ELA/STEM Lesson

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Science:

Growing a Flower Native to Arizona (Desert Marigold vs California Poppy)

A 3rd Grade STEM Lesson

Deliah Cottle

May 2023

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Notes for Teachers

Context: This lesson takes place in a classroom for one or more hours.

Students may work individually or in groups of 2.

An emphasis on the anatomy of the flower.

An emphasis on what is needed for a flower to grow.

Facilitate student reflection on function of the parts of the flower.

List of Materials

Two different types of seeds (i.e. Marigolds and California Poppy)
small plant pods
Tool for watering (can, cup, etc)
Rulers
Chart paper
Soil

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Standards

Life Science:

3.L2U1.7 Develop and use system models to describe the flow of energy from the Sun to and among living organisms.

Life Science Core Idea:

3.L.2: Organisms require a supply of energy and materials for which they often depend on, or compete with, other organisms.

Science Practices:

Plan and carry out investigations
Understand structure and function
Recognize systems and system models.

ELA Standards: �Describe the logical connection between particular sentences and paragraphs in a text (e.g., comparison, cause/effect, first/second/third in a sequence).

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Objective(s):

I can compare and contrast the growth of two different types of flowers.�
I can use sequencing words to explain how I grew my flowers. �
I can identify what nutrients my flower needed to grow.

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Agenda (1 hour + growing days)

10 min: Read Aloud (The Giving Tree of the Desert)
10 min: Seed Cycle Video�What Is Seed Germination? | SEED GERMINATION | Plant Germination | Dr Binocs Show | Peekaboo Kidz
20 min: Review vocabulary words
20 min: Students will plant their seeds in small pot and document day 1.

Vocabulary:

germination
seed
sprout
dormant
nutrient
root
chlorophyll
pollination
attracting pollinators

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Intro

Intro: Teacher begins by asking students what they know about plants and how they grow. Teacher can ask if any students have planted a seed or helped in a garden.

Opening/Driving Question: Introduce the two different types of flower seeds that will be used and ask students to make predictions about how they might be different or similar in order for them to grow.

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Hands-on Activity Instructions

Step 1: Pull 3 students at a time to individually plan their 2 different seeds.
Step 2: Label each pod (Name/Seed Type).
Step 3: Have students document on Anchor chart (bar graph) the date and how much growth.
Step 3: Graph over a series weeks (teacher discretion); measuring the growth once a week.
Step 4: Have students document the growth of their seed on either the sequencing flow chart OR the science log. (***Please see the Assessment slide for the resources listed above.)

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Assessment

Scientific Method Log: �(For students on level or above.)

SM Log

Sequencing Graphic Organizer: �(For students on level or below.)

Sequencing GO

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Differentiation

Students in need of extra support should be paired with a student who is on level.
Students in need of extra support could be given differentiated nonfiction or read alouds through school provided resources. (i.e. MyOn, Epic or A to Z reading)

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

Gifted students should enrich their project with a book report on one or both of the flowers, comparing the species.
Gifted students should create a poster to go along with their project including the following: Purpose, Question, Research, hypothesis, experiment, data and conclusion.