From Seed to Seed:
Plant Science for K-8 Educators

Grades: K-4

Associated Lesson Topics:

• Plant anatomy review

National Standards:

• SCIENCE: Standard C
• LANGUAGE ARTS: Reading 10

Planting the Seed...

Even after students have technically learned all of the plant parts, they may still be holding on to some naive conceptions. Try to tease their ideas out by asking probing questions: Which plant parts can you name? What is the flower made up of? What do you think is going on underground?

Teacher Information:

Plants can seem like complicated organisms, especially when the terms and definitions used to describe them are new and unfamiliar. The purpose of this activity is to reinforce what students have already learned about plant anatomy. Before this activity is conducted, students should be familiar with all the parts of a plant.

Necessary Materials:

• Beads or seeds.
• Construction paper.
• Glue.
• Markers.
• Paint.
• Paper-mache supplies.
• Pipe cleaners.
• Popsicle sticks.
• Scissors.
• Tape.
• Yarn and string (roots).

Procedure:

• Have students choose a "favorite" plant. This can be a plant they have come across in gardens or one they discover through research or reading. They should locate a detailed photograph or drawing of their plant to use for reference.
• Ask the students to build a miniature model of their plant. You can limit this exercise to the shoot of the plant (aboveground vegetation), but we recommend that they build both shoots and roots.

Harvesting the Crop...

Since this activity serves as a review of plant anatomy, you can link it to any other lesson that you feel is suitable. For example, now that students know all about plant parts, which plant parts are commonly used as food? Or, you can launch into lessons about the functions of these parts and how they relate to their structure. For example, explore the structure of leaves and how they facilitate photosynthesis.

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