The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project

Exploring Plant Life Cycles and Bee Basics! Part 3 of 3

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Exploring Plant Life Cycles and Bee Basics! (Part 3 of 3)

A 1st grade STEM lesson

Lyndi Ramos

October 2023

Notes for teachers

Day 3 is an Exciting Culmination:

• Begin by highlighting the importance of the previous two days. Remind students of their exploration of plant life cycles and the secrets of pollination. Stress how they actively contributed to supporting bees by creating seed balls for wildflowers.

Recap Key Concepts:

• Spend a few minutes summarizing the main points from Day 1 and Day 2. Discuss plant life cycles, the role of bees in pollination, and the significance of wildflowers. Encourage students to share what they remember.

Connecting the Dots:

• Emphasize how everything they've learned so far is like building blocks, each piece contributing to their understanding of the natural world. Day 3 will bring these pieces together in a meaningful way.

Introducing Day 3:

• Explain that Day 3 is a culmination of their learning journey. They will put their knowledge into action by planting the seed balls they created on Day 2. This act of planting is a powerful way to support bees and wildflowers, directly applying what they've learned about the plant life cycle and pollination.

Emphasizing the Bigger Picture:

• Remind students that their actions matter. By planting these seed balls, they are actively contributing to their environment and supporting local pollinators like bees. This reinforces the idea that what they learn in the classroom has real-world applications.
• Part 1- Click here
• Part 2- Click here
• Part 3- Click here

List of Materials

• Seed Balls (from day 2)
• Plastic cups (one per student)
• Paint or permanent marker
• Soil
• small shovel/trowel
• Watering can
• Visual aids for plant cycle
• Journals for notes/observation (optional)

Standards

Science (Arizona):

• 1.L1U1.6 Observe, describe, and predict life cycles of animals and plants.
• 1.L2U2.7 Develop and use models about how living things use resources to grow and survive; design and evaluate habitats for organisms using earth materials.

Technology:

• 6. Creative Communicator - Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using the platforms, tools, styles, formats and digital media appropriate to their goals

English Language Arts (ELA):

• 1.W.2: Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some sense of closure.

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Standards

Art:

• 1.CR.1: Create artwork that communicates ideas, experiences, or stories.
• 1.CR.2: Create art that conveys the idea of what it represents using different mediums and tools.
• 1.CR.4: Identify and discuss common elements of the arts in artworks and in the environment.
• 1.RU.2: Analyze how the form and content of an artwork can represent the time and place of its creation.

Engineering (STEM):

• ETS1.A: Defining a Simple Problem: Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.

Standards

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)

• 1-LS1-1: Use materials to design a solution to a human problem by mimicking how plants and/or animals use their external parts to help them survive, grow, and meet their needs.
• Connection: Students engage in creating seed balls to help wildflowers grow, directly supporting the bee population by providing food sources, which mimics natural propagation methods.
• K-2-ETS1-1: Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool.
• Connection: The lesson frames the decline of bee populations as a problem ("situation people want to change") and presents planting wildflowers as a solution to support pollinators.

Common Core English Language Arts (CCSS.ELA)

• SL.1.1: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
• Connection: Students participate in a "Recap Key Concepts" discussion, sharing what they remember about plant life cycles and pollination from previous lessons.
• SL.1.5: Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
• Connection: Students draw and label the stages of a plant's life cycle on a worksheet to demonstrate their understanding of the process.

Common Core Mathematics (CCSS.MATH)

• 1.MD.A.1: Order three objects by length; compare the lengths of two objects indirectly by using a third object.
• Connection: While not explicitly detailed in the snippet, planting activities often involve measuring spacing or depth for seeds, or comparing the size of the seed balls created.
• MP1: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
• Connection: Students understand the "problem" of needing to help bees and "persevere" by following the multi-step process of creating and planting seed balls to enact a solution.

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Objectives:

Students Will:

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Apply Plant Life Cycle Knowledge: Demonstrate an understanding of the plant life cycle by drawing and labeling the different stages (seed, sprout, mature plant, flower, etc.) on a cup.

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Understand the Importance of Planting: Recognize the significance of planting seeds to support the growth of wildflowers and their role in providing food and habitat for pollinators like bees.

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Agenda (60-70 Minutes)

Introduction (5 minutes):

• Begin by summarizing what students learned on Day 1 and Day 2, focusing on plant life cycles, pollination, and the significance of wildflowers. Emphasize how their actions on Day 3 will bring these lessons full circle.

Drawing Plant Life Cycles (15 minutes):

• Distribute plastic cups to each student.
• Provide paint markers or permanent markers and instruct students to draw the plant life cycle on the cup's surface. Encourage them to label the different stages (seed, sprout, mature plant, flower, etc.) and add arrows to show the progression.

Planting Seed Balls (20 minutes):

• Have students put on garden gloves if available.
• Provide a small amount of soil and a small shovel or trowel.
• Instruct students to dig a small hole or create a depression in the soil inside their cups.
• Take the seed balls that they created on Day 2 and place them in the holes. Cover them with soil, gently patting it down.

Watering and Labeling (10 minutes):

• Give students watering cans or cups filled with water and ask them to water their newly planted seed balls.
• Provide labels or markers for students to write their names and the names of the wildflowers on their cups.

Discussion (10 minutes):

• Facilitate a class discussion about the activity. Encourage students to share their thoughts on why they chose the specific wildflowers and the importance of planting them.

Reflection (10 minutes):

• If using journals or observation sheets, have students jot down their reflections on the planting experience.

Conclusion (5 minutes):

• Summarize the importance of what they've done. Explain that they can take their planted cups home and watch the wildflowers grow.

Intro/Driving Question/Opening

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Welcome to Day 3 of our journey exploring plant life cycles, pollinators, and the wonders of nature. We've learned about the importance of bees and even created our own seed balls filled with wildflower seeds. Today, it's time to put our knowledge into action. We're going to draw the plant life cycle on cups, plant the seed balls, and create art on our mini-gardens to support our buzzing friends, the bees. By applying what we've learned, you become young environmental stewards, actively contributing to your environment. Let's get ready to plant, draw, and celebrate your newfound knowledge.

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Opening Questions:

"Do you remember what we learned about plant life cycles and the role of pollinators in the past two days?"

"Why do you think it's important to support bees and wildflowers in our environment?"

"What do you expect will happen when we plant the seed balls you made on Day 2?"

Driving Questions:

"How can we use our knowledge of plant life cycles to illustrate them on our cups?"

"What wildflowers did you choose for your seed balls, and why did you choose them?"

"How can we take our knowledge about pollination and apply it to support pollinators like bees?"

Hands-on Activity Instructions

Planting in the Cups:

Prepare for Planting (5 minutes):

• Distribute soil, small shovels or trowels, and the seed balls.

Explain the Planting Process (5 minutes):

• Inform students that they will now plant the seed balls in the cups. Optionally, wear garden gloves for this step.

Digging Holes (15 minutes):

• Instruct students to dig a small hole or create a depression in the soil inside their cups.

Planting Seed Balls (10 minutes):

• Guide students in placing the seed balls they made on Day 2 into the holes they created. Ensure that the seed balls are covered with soil and gently pat down the soil.

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Drawing on the Cups:

Distribute Materials (5 minutes):

• Hand each student a plastic cup and a paint marker.

Introduce the Activity (5 minutes):

• Explain to the students that they will be drawing the plant life cycle on their cups. Emphasize the importance of labeling the different stages (seed, sprout, mature plant, flower, etc.) and adding arrows to show the progression.

Drawing (15 minutes):

• Encourage students to start drawing the plant life cycle on the surface of their cups. Provide guidance and answer questions as needed.

Label and Add Arrows (10 minutes):

• Instruct students to label each stage and add arrows to show the growth process. Encourage them to be creative and accurate.

Assessment

• Cup Inspection (During and After the Activity):
• Observe students as they draw and label the plant life cycle on their cups.
• Pay attention to the accuracy of their drawings and labels.
• Question and Discussion (Post-Activity):
• Engage students in a brief discussion. Ask questions like:
• "Can you explain the different stages you drew on your cup?"
• "Why did you choose the specific wildflowers for your seed balls?"
• "Why is it important to plant wildflowers to support bees?"
• Reflection (Optional):
• Encourage students to reflect in their journals or on provided observation sheets.
• They can write about what they've learned and their experience with the activity.
• Peer Sharing (Optional):
• Students can pair up and share their cups and explanations with a partner.

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Assessment Criteria:

Correctly drawing and labeling the plant life cycle stages on the cups.

Ability to explain the significance of planting wildflowers to support pollinators.

Participation in discussions and peer sharing.

Differentiation

Visual Aids and Models:

• Provide visual aids, such as images or diagrams of plant life cycles, for students who may need additional guidance in drawing the stages on their cups.
• Display a model cup with the plant life cycle drawn on it to serve as an example.

Simplified Instructions:

• Break down the instructions into smaller, more manageable steps for students who may find the activity challenging. Provide one step at a time, allowing them to complete each before moving on.

Peer Support:

• Encourage peer support by pairing students who may be struggling with those who are more confident. This allows them to learn from each other and offer assistance.

Teacher Assistance:

• Offer one-on-one or small group assistance for students who require additional help with drawing and labeling the plant life cycle.

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Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

• Local Botanical Gardens: Suggest visiting local botanical gardens or nature centers, where families can explore diverse plant species and learn about pollinators.
• Library: Recommend books about wildflowers and pollinators that families can borrow from the library.
• DIY Wildflower Garden: Provide guidance on creating a small wildflower garden in the backyard. Share tips on selecting native wildflowers and creating a pollinator-friendly space.
• Pollinator Activities: Suggest simple at-home activities that families can do together, such as creating a DIY bee bath, building a birdhouse, or making hummingbird nectar.
• Citizen Science: Encourage families to participate in citizen science projects related to pollinators and wildflowers. There are many projects where families can contribute data to ongoing research.