The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project

Area and Perimeter: Plant Size and Structure

Area and Perimeter: Plant Size and Structure

A 5th Grade STEM Lesson

Estormeo Serena

May 3, 2023

Notes for teachers

Context: This lesson takes place in in a classroom for 3 hours.

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Students may work individually or in a small group of 3-5.

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The purpose is to identify the functions of the plant and the appropriate distance, area and the space needed for a specific plant.

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List of Materials

• Ruler/Meter Stick
• Marker
• Seed Planting and Spacing Chart
• Sticky Notes

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Arizona Math Standards

5.M.MD.A.01: The Highly Proficient student can create and solve real world word problems and choose the appropriate measurement.

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5.M.NF.B.04c: The Highly Proficient student can find the area of a rectangle with fractional side lengths by tiling it with unit squares and explain the process.

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Arizona Science Standards

5.L3U1.9: I can obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about patterns between the offspring of plants, and the offspring of animals (including humans); construct an explanation of how genetic information is passed from one generation to the next.

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NGSS Standards

MS-LS1-4. Use argument based on empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support an explanation for how characteristic animal behaviors and specialized plant structures affect the probability of successful reproduction of animals and plants, respectively.

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Objective(s):

Today, students will figure out the parts of the plant and the different seed type.

Today, students will be able to understand the different characteristics of the plant.

Today, student will be able to measure the distance, the area needed and the perimeter of the lot.

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Agenda

Plants

What are the parts of the plants and the functions?

What are the Characteristics of the Plants?

Figure out the area and perimeter of the lot.

Introduction to Plants

What do plants need to grow?

There are many different types of plants and each different type of plant has different needs.

Plants need water and sun to grow.

Do plants need water and sun? Why?

• For photosynthesis to take place, plants need water and sunlight.
• Chloroplasts are components of a plant's leaves.
• Chlorophyll, a green pigment, is present in chloroplasts. The substance chlorophyll gives plants their green leaves.
• The air's carbon dioxide is absorbed by the chloroplasts. Through a chemical mechanism, the carbon dioxide combines with the solar energy that has been stored in the chloroplasts to produce simple sugar.
• Additionally required for and utilized in the photosynthetic process is water. Photosynthesis could not take place without water.

Characteristics of the Leaves

Leaves may grow in simple, compound, opposite, alternate or whorled. The leaves vary in different shapes and sizes.

Simple—there is only one blade.

A compound leaf (also known as a leaflet) has more than one leaf blade.

Two leaves form an opposite pair at the same node or place are said to grow oppositely.

A single leaf develops from a separate node or site, and the leaves alternate sides along the stem.

Whorled: three or more leaves originating from one node or place.

• Math lesson for you to insert
• Possible topics: 12” = 1’; fractions, perimeter, area, volume

Plant Leaf Size Number of Days

Table 1: Leaf Size of Plants and Number of Days to Grow

How far will you plant?

Hands-on Activity Instructions

• This is group work.
• Let your students identify what seeds they want to plant.
• They need to plan, assign and measure the area and perimeter of the lot area.
• Using the Table 1: Leaf Size of Plants and Number of Days to Grow, students will only select 4 different types of plants. They then plan out the correct area and distance using the size of the leaf of the plant.
• Students will use the floor to assign the seeds and make sure to write the names of the seeds in a sticky notes.
• Students will explain the measurement and why they choose that kind of seed.

Assessment

Students analyze the table.

Students measure and solve using multi-digit multiplication.

Students explain the concept and use technical terms of science and math in explaining the topic.

Differentiation

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Remediation

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Strategically pair students as needed.

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Create word wall with key vocabulary and images or drawings.

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Provide additional video and book resources to support the lesson.

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Provide step-by-step directions for the hands-on activity.

Enrichment/Extension

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Students can create a Google Slides presentation to explain why it is important to calculate area and perimeter for plants.

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Students can document their work using Flip.

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Students can create a school garden.