Early Childhood Education

Learning Experience Plan

Name: Erin Walsh, Tori Hostiuck

Lesson Title: Science Opening Experience with Plants
Date:
3/9/16
Grade Level: Pre-K
Circle one:
ECE
PKSN
Standard(s)/Guideline(s): ACTS Science: Science Inquiry & Application #10: Make predictions
ACT Science: Physical Science #1: Recognize properties of objects/materials
ACTS Language and Literacy: Listening and Speaking #3: Understands complex concepts
ACTS Approaches To Learning: Engagement and Persistence #5: Focuses on the task at hand even when challenged.
Pre-assessment of current knowledge: Asking the students about what they know about plants or flowers and creating a graphic organizer of the findings.
Ex: What they look like, what color they are.
Instructional Objectives (1-2)
One/Two Assessed Instructional
Objective(s): The student will be
able to...
The students will be able to listen
to the book as well as engage in a
follow-up discussion about roots.
The students will be able to
actively engage in the roots activity
and make predictions about what
will happen to the seeds.
One Assessed Developmental
Skill:
The students will be able to use
their fine motor skills to plant their
seed into the cup and make a
drawing of their predictions.
Safety Considerations:
There are no outstanding safety
concerns. The adults will be
monitoring the students so they will

Assessment of Student Learning

Identify Evidence: (What will you collect or record as data
to demonstrate students have met your objective(s) and
skill?)

Learning Experience
Academic Language:
Plants
Roots
Seeds
Soil
Acorn

Upon completion of the lesson, the students will draw a

picture of what they think will happen to their seed. It can be
assumed that, the more detailed the drawings are, the more
comprehension took place in relation to the content and
academic language. For example, drawings may include the
bean with growing roots, or a plant that is growing from the Procedural steps:
bean. Specific labels may also be included, as these will
indicate further understanding.
1. We will have the students move to the carpet/story area to
start our lesson and book read.
2. Ask the students what they know about plants, or flowers
Program Monitoring: (How will you aggregate or compile
specifically. Ask them if they know what leaves, stems, roots,
your evidence into a class or group view?)
or seeds are.
3. After asking the questions, we will read the book Little Acorn
Anecdotal notes should be taken as the educator is
Grows Up by Edward Gibbs.
observing the students throughout the lesson. Concepts 4. Once we are done reading the book, we will move the
which do not seem to be well understood should be noted
children to the big table to do our activity.
for further review. Furthermore, after the prediction
5. First we will ask the students what they remember about the
drawings are collected, they should be evaluated for
book, specifically what the acorn grew to be.
inclusion of academic language, whether it is drawn or
6. We will transition into our activity by talking about what the
written in labels. This, along with the level of detail in the
roots of a plant are by showing them our visual that shows
drawings, will inform which concepts are understood and
the plant growing process and pictures from the book.

Early Childhood Education

Learning Experience Plan
not put the lima beans or peas into
their mouths.

which are not. Then, the educator will know what

information should be revisited.

7. We will demonstrate our activity for the students to show

them what we will be doing.
8. We will supervise the students as they plant their seeds
9. We will set their cups with the planted seeds by the window
to allow them to gain sunshine for the next week.
10. We will ask the students to draw what they think their beans
roots will look like in a week.

Authentic Materials: (Describe authentic real life, hands-on

materials.)
Little Acorn Grows Up by Edward Gibbs (1)
Clear plastic cups (1 per child)
Damp paper towels (1 per child)
Lima beans or peas (1 per child)
Bean Seed Germination visual from Curriculum Materials
Center (1)
Drawing paper (1 per child)
Clipboards (1 per child)
Pencils/Drawing utensils (1 set per child)

Adult Roles:
Reading the book to the students, providing materials for the
activity, overall supervision and instruction as previously
explained in the procedural steps

Resources & References:

Little Acorn Grows Up by Edward Gibbs
Learning About Plants by Evan-Moor Corp.
Bean Seed Germination visual from Curriculum Materials Center

Early Childhood Education

Learning Experience Plan

Reflection: (What have you learned about your students? How will this inform future instruction?)

The lesson began with and interactive read aloud. As Tori organized and prepared the activity materials, Erin gathered six students onto the
carpet space. There, she read Little Acorn Grows Up by Edward Gibbs. Throughout the story, she asked questions like What will happen next? or
How has the acorn changed? to prompt discussion and critical thinking. Each child was engaged, as they studied the pages intently, pointed to the
pictures with excitement, and offered answers to the questions. After the book ended, Erin and the students recapped what was just read. We
summarized that a seed, like an acorn, can grow into a plant over time with sunlight and water. Then, Erin explained that we would be planting
seeds of our own.
The class moved to the large table where Tori had set up supplies. She provided the students with the steps for executing the activity. The
students were each given plastic cups and strips of paper towel. Then, the children dampened their own paper towels and placed them inside the
cup. Tori explained that the wet paper towel would provide our seeds with water to grow. Next, each student selected one seed from a container.
Tori compared the seed to the acorn we just read about and explained that, over time, it too will grow into a plant. The children dropped their seeds
into the center of their cups, atop the paper towel. We wrote the students names on the cups and instructed them to watch as we placed the seeds
on a high windowsill. This is how the seeds will receive their sunlight, we said.
Finally, we talked about roots. Erin explained that plants do not eat with mouths, like we do. Instead, they have roots, which are like tubes
that suck food up into the plant. Tori showed each student real-life roots, which were encased in plastic. Each student examined the roots. Then, the
children were given drawing paper and we instructed them to draw what they think their plants roots will look like when it grows. Erin explained that
this is called making a prediction. We collected their prediction drawings as data. A picture of them is attached.
Overall, the lesson was executed well. A specific strength was engagement. The children were attentive and very interested in the process.
All six participated in reading the book, planting the seeds, and drawing root predictions. Therefore, we were able to gather that our students can be
easily engaged when they are interested or enticed by a lesson. Also, we were able to easily include our Spanish speaking students with the help of
a bilingual classroom teacher. She translated instructions when needed. If we were to do this lesson again, perhaps we would use real soil when
planting the seeds. We chose not to include it since paper towels are much less messy. However, soil would have been a more authentic material.
The students could have learned more about how plants grow in the ground this way. In sum, we considered the lesson to be a success.

Early Childhood Education

Learning Experience Plan