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Grades 5–6
4 Sessions; 2 Hours Each
Informational, Narrative, STEM
Resource type iconProjects

Plant Explorers

by Rebecca Darugar, 826NYC
1. Introduction to Plant Life and Aquatic Photosynthesis Demonstration
2. Plant Collection and Classification
3. Chromatography Investigation
4. Our Plants: Research and Writing
Students investigate the plant life that grows within their community and then select a specific species to learn about in-depth and consider how that species interacts with the overall ecosystem.
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Introduction to Plant Life and Aquatic Photosynthesis Demonstration

What are the basic needs of plants? How are those similar to and different from the needs of other species? What is photosynthesis and how does it happen?
What Your Students Will Learn

Your students will be able to identify the basic needs of plants and explain the basic process of photosynthesis. They will also be able to explain what happens to a plant when it is deprived of light.

Common core standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2.D
Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.10
Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.2.D
Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.10
Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
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What Your Students Will Produce

Your students will produce two pieces of writing: a journal entry about their day and a piece of creative writing mirroring their journal activity about the daily lives of plants.

What You Will Need

  • Plant with portion of the leaf covered by painter’s tape for 1 week
  • 8-10 sprigs of e. Densa
  • Large, clear container
  • Stirring rod
  • Large funnel
  • Test tube
  • Rubber band
  • 20-W fluorescent light source
  • Tap water
  • Scissors
  • Computer
  • Smartboard or projector
  • Plant Explorers — Slideshow
  • Writing Prompt #1: Journal Entry — Handout
  • Writing Prompt #2: What if you could photosynthesis? — Handout
  • Crossword Puzzle — Handout
  • Word Search — Handout

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