Indiana Wesleyan University

Elementary Education Lesson Plan Template

2007 ACEI Standards

Tessa VanderStel

Readiness
I. Goals/Objectives/Standard(s)
a. Goal(s) – Students will be able to describe the process of plant growth.
b. Objective(s) – After planting their own seeds, students will describe the three items that
plants need in order to grow.
c. Standard: K.LS.1 Describe and compare the growth and development of common living
plants and animals.

II. Materials
a. Maple tree seed and maple tree sprout
b. Computer and projector for video
c. For each student: a lima bean seed, a Ziploc bag with soil, a clean half pink milk carton
(can begin collecting from lunches a few days prior), and a 1 ounce cup of water.
d. Blank sheet of paper for each student

III. Anticipatory Set (5 minutes):

a. Show students a maple tree seed and a maple tree that is just sprouting. “This is the
same type of plant, but it is at different stages. This one is a seed, and this one is just
beginning to grow. How big do you think this plant will get?”
b. Take students outside to show them a maple tree outside. “This is a maple tree that is
30 years old! Can you believe that it started out as a tiny little seed just like the one I am
holding? How much bigger do you think it will get? What do you think helped this seed
to get so big?”

IV. Purpose Statement: “Today we are going to learn about how seeds become plants because
then you can grow your own garden someday, and help plants grow.”

Plan for Instruction

 Adaption to Diverse Students –
Two students in my classroom often need more space than at their small tables. They
get frustrated, angry, or aggressive when other people invade their space. This project
(planting seeds) may take up extra space. I will allow these students to move to the
bigger round tables on the outskirts of the room.
 Lesson Presentation (Input/Output)
i. Gather students at front of the room.
ii. “Plants need three things to grow – soil, water, and sunshine. Let’s watch this
video of a plant growing. First you will see the roots of the seed growing, and
then you’ll see it come out of the ground! This video was taken over 6 days –
plants don’t actually grow as quickly as they are in this video.”
 iii. Play the following video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZMjBO6A7AE&feature=youtu.be
iv. Give explanations during the video – “Do you see how the roots are growing
downward? Now the plants are growing upward.”
v. “Today we are going to plant our own lima beans, and in about 4-6 days we will
have our own plants!

V. Check for understanding

a. Students will plant their own lima bean seed. Throughout the next few days they will
provide their plant with the main ingredients that it needs to grow (water, sunlight, and
soil).
b. Before students return to their seats to plant their seed, I will demonstrate in front of
the class.
c. Students return to their seats. Each student receives a lima bean seed, a Ziploc bag with
soil, a clean half pink milk carton (can begin collecting from lunches a few days prior),
and a 1 ounce cup of water.
d. Students should write their name on their milk carton so that they can take them home
once the seed has grown.
e. Students dig a small hole in the soil and place the lima bean seed there. Students cover
the seed with soil and then water the seed with the ounce of water. Students will place
their potted seeds in the window sill so that they can receive sunlight. Every morning for
the next few days, the students will water their seeds.

VI. Review learning outcomes/closure

a. Students return to their seats after they have placed their potted seed on the window
sill.
b. I will pass out blank pieces of paper. I will instruct students to draw the three things that
plants need to grow (soil, water, and sunshine). They can draw each of these images
separately or all together in a picture of their seed.

PLAN FOR ASSESSMENT

Formative: Discussion – As students are planting their seeds, I will move around the room asking
questions such as “how long will it take your seed to grow? How big will it get? What are you going to
need to do every day to help it grow? Why are we putting it on the windowsill and not in a closet?”
Based on student’s answers, I will know what information might need re-explaining.

Summative: The illustrations of soil, water, and the sun will be my summative assessment. If students
were able to draw all three, I will know that they will have most likely successfully mastered the lesson
objective.

Reflection and Post-Lesson Analysis

1. How many students achieved the lesson objective(s)? For those who did not, why not?
2. What were my strengths and weaknesses?
3. How should I alter this lesson?
4. How would I pace it differently?
5. Were all students actively participating? If not, why not?
6. What adjustments did I make to reach varied learning styles and ability levels?
a. Bloom’s Taxonomy
b. Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences?
7. Were students able to plant their seeds with little assistance from me? Or should I have other
adults in the room next time I teach this lesson to help the students?
8. Was the summative assessment an accurate assessment of my students?
9. How could I continue to reinforce the lesson objective throughout the next few days when my
students water their plants?