How It Works:
Science, young children, and plants are a natural combination. Children
are fascinated by living, growing things. Through this unit students satisfy their
curiosity about plants and develop a sense of pride and
responsibility. Students learn the basic parts of a plant and what each
part does. Students also grow a plant, starting from a seed and make
discoveries and test ideas in real hands-on situations.
Additionally students create a variety of multimedia presentations and use other technologies to
make their discoveries. The plant world is filled with amazing discoveries
just waiting for you to explore and discover its exciting secrets!
Standards:
Know the basic needs of all living things
Describe how organisms change as they grow and mature
Compare and describe the structural characteristics of plants
Identify the parts of a plant and their functions
Grow a plant from seeds
Identify the basic needs to a grow a plant
Use desktop publishing programs, online services, and multimedia authoring
programs to develop projects
Estimated Class Periods To Complete:
10 or more
Software Materials Used:
Software needed to complete projects include multimedia
presentation software such as HyperStudio, PowerPoint, Kid Pix, Word Processor
and Microsoft Publisher. You will also need access to the Internet.
Keywords:
living, non-living, flower, leaves, stem, roots, seeds,
embryo, cotyledon, seed coat, air, water, light, fruit, vegetable
Students:
This project is suitable for the primary grades and can be
adapted for the intermediate grades as well. The lessons take into
consideration the different learning styles of students. Throughout the unit
students can work individually, with partners, or in groups in order to
complete projects.
Overall:
The purpose of this unit is to develop students' awareness
of plants. Working with plants gives children opportunities to make
discoveries and provides hands-on situations. Through this unit students will
engage in all the important process skills. It integrates multimedia
and various software to captivate its audience. The lessons integrate many
subject disciplines, which helps in the students' retention and understanding
of different concepts.
Tips:
Access to the Internet is important and students should
have knowledge about navigating the Internet. The teacher should bookmark the
various websites found in the unit in advance. Have all printables and
materials ready for students. Mini lessons on using Kid Pix and HyperStudio or
other software are also important before students begin their projects.
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About the Teacher:
Terry Garcia is a creative teacher who is constantly
looking for meaningful activities in order to motivate and inspire her
students. Terry is a graduate of Florida International University and has a
Master's Degree in Mathematics through Florida State University. She is
currently a Kindergarten teacher and has been a part of the Citibank FamilyTech program for four years.
Subjects:
Science
Grade Levels:
K through 2
Email Terry
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