Unit Plan: All About Plants Jennifer Smolyn & Brittanie Vangeli 4/22/13 SPE304

Unit Plan Overview

Lesson # 1 Objectives Identify the main parts of a plant Determine the steps required for growing a healthy garden Determine the nutritional value in fruits and vegetables Understand the importance of plants in a human diet Start a growth log of group plant project Activity Plant flip-paper drawing **Plant seeds for unit project (lesson 7) Creating a poster with step-wise directions on growing a healthy plant Read The Vegetables We Eat and categorize/eat fruits and vegetables Write a menu for three meals consisting entirely of plants Prepare growth log, measure plants using a ruler, decide which group member will measure each day Field trip to a botanical garden: photograph plants and bring back to classroom to label Finish plant projects and prepare growth logs to be submitted Assessment Accuracy of plant drawing Details and accuracy of directions, assessed using a checklist Reading comprehension worksheet

Creativity of menu and diversity of plants included Accuracy of measurements, ability to use a ruler

Recognize the parts of a plant, appreciate the great variety of plants in nature Finish plant project journal

Labeled plant photographs

Plant project journal completion

Long Term Planning

Overall objective/Introduction What are you going to teach?

We will be teaching a unit on plants. Students will be learning about plants and why they are important to our lives. In this unit, we will be teaching our students the parts and functions of a plant. Students will be learning how to measure plants through the completion of a project in which they will grow their own plants. Additionally, students will be taught about how plants are incorporated into some of the foods we eat and what nutritional values they provide. Lastly, students will be able to apply what they learn in class to a wide variety of plant species through a trip to the Botanical Gardens! Describe the class for which your unit was designed.

This unit was designed for a third grade classroom that contains students with various learning styles. Ms. Smolyn is the general education teacher, while Ms. Vangeli is the special education teacher. In our class, we have ten girls and ten boys in a suburban elementary school setting. Two of these students have visual impairments, meaning that they need modified materials and enlarged objects/print. Our classroom also has three students with attention issues and one student with social issues. Lastly, two of the students are gifted and talented and one student has metacognition issues. Rationale Why are you going to teach this unit?

We thought it was appropriate to teach our third graders about plants because it fits in to the third grade standards and is a common unit to teach third graders. Third graders are constantly observing things around them. This unit will help students enhance their observation skills by having students record observations instead of speaking about them. We feel plants is a important topic to cover in our third grade classroom because students need to start to understand the world around them and how important other living objects are to them. Students will be able to see how plants are used in their everyday lives for all sorts of reasons such as, food, clothes and oxygen. Sequence How will this unit unfold?

We are teaching a plant unit that will last five to six weeks. In this unit we will be learning about plants and their functions. Along with learning about the plants functions students

will be able to identify and label the parts of a plant. For our plant unit students will be writing steps one must take to keep a plant healthy. Students will know how plants grow each and every day when they are cared for properly. In this unit students will be growing their own plant and will be measuring their plant in math each day and record their measurements on their growth log. By the end of this unit students will be able to see how much their plant has grown and how important is to take care of their plant. Additionally our plant unit will consist of a writing activity where students write menus for three meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) consisting entirely of plants! This will allow students to see how important plants are to the human diet. As we reach the conclusion of our plant unit students will be given the opportunity to visit the Botanical Gardens as a class field trip. Student will be able to walk around the gardens and take pictures of plants. They will then be able to use their pictures to label the parts of a plant.

Standards Writing 3.W.2- Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. 3.W.4- With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose. Math 3.MD.4- Generate measurement data by measuring lengths using rulers marked with halves and fourths of an inch. Science 5.3.P.A.1: Investigate and compare the basic physical characteristics of plants 5.3.2.C.2: Identify the characteristics of a habitat that support the growth of plants

Adaptations

Students Describe the students with special needs in the classroom In this classroom of twenty students, nine of the students have special needs that must be addressed in every lesson we plan. Two of our students have visual impairments, meaning

that they need modified materials and enlarged objects/print. In order to meet their needs, we must provide them with other ways to learn besides visually, which means employing auditory and kinesthetic stimuli in every lesson. Our classroom also has three students with attention issues, who are not classified under an IEP. These students need to be constantly stimulated and we must use varying strategies throughout every lesson to hold their attention. As well, one student in the class has social issues. We must be careful to encourage this boy to work with others, but not pressure him to find a partner or speak aloud suddenly in front of the entire class. Furthermore, we have two girls who are gifted and talented and need to go beyond the expectations of the rest of the class in order to remain engaged. Lastly, one student has metacognition issues, so we must ensure that he receives a specific plan and that each task is monitored so he does not become overwhelmed with information. Explain how this unit will meet the needs of students with special needs. In this unit, the variety of strategies used ensures that the learning needs of all of our students will be met. For any group work, the groups are always predetermined based on students abilities. Depending on the task at hand, the students with special needs may be completely divided in different groups, or they may be grouped with another student with similar needs. Assigning the groups helps ensure that the students with special needs will be able to learn in an environment where they are best suited. As well, the student with social issues will like having assigned groups because he will not feel pressured or uncomfortable trying to find his own group. This unit will include all of the learning styles to maximize student understanding of the material. Information will be presented in an auditory, visual, and kinesthetic/tactile fashion. This will help the student with attention deficit issues remain focused because he is not doing one activity for any length of time, but rather is constantly changing how he is learning. This also helps the students with visual processing issues, because they can hear the information and also perform hands-on activities, rather than simply struggling with primarily visual stimuli. These students will also get their own personal copy of all of the directions given in each lesson. Lastly, each lesson is differentiated in terms of the students abilities. The gifted and talented students will be challenged more and their assignments always go into more depth than the assignments for the rest of the class. Students who have other special needs will also have assignments modified to make them simpler and easier to understand, which is especially helpful for the student with metacognitive issues. Adaptations for students with special needs Each lesson in this unit will be differentiated and adapted to meet the learning needs of all students in this classroom. Specific examples of these adaptations are described in each lesson. Certain students may receive a copy of written instructions, while others may have the activities partially prepared for them in advanced. Likewise, some students will have alternate forms of assessment for some lessons, either to make the material a bit easier or to make it even more challenging.

Short-Term Planning

Lesson One
Objective: Students will be able to label the different parts of a plant and explain the function of each part; students will set up their pots and plant seeds for their long-term project of growing a plant Materials: Two small flowering plants Markers Scissors Paper Plastic plant pots Watering can Pea seeds Fertilizer

Development: *Note: This lesson will likely take two class periods, depending on the cooperation of the students. All of the lesson in this unit may require more than one class period. 1) First, we will divide the class into pre-determined groups with four students each. The students with special needs will be separated, with the exception of the two gifted girls, who will be placed in the same group with two other students who do not have special needs. 2) We will project the steps for planting seeds onto the board and pass out a copy of the steps to each student. We will read through these steps and demonstrate how to plant seeds to the students. 3) The students will then break into their groups and plant their pea seeds using the provided materials. 4) Lastly, the students will create a schedule to determine who will be responsible for checking on the plants each morning when they come into class. During the first five minutes of each class, the students must make sure their plants are getting enough water and sunlight.

5) Then, (on the second day if necessary), we will randomly divide the class into two groups. Each teacher will work with a small group of students. Both of the English Language Learners will be placed with the special education teacher, who is better equipped for instructing them. 6) In the small groups, both teachers will each have a small flowering plant. We will use this plant as a model to discuss the different parts of a plant with the students 7) We will ask the following questions, delivered both verbally and by writing on the board. - What are plants? - What do plants need to grow? Have you ever grown your own plant before? - Where is the plant stem located? What does it do for the plant? - Where are the plants leaves? What do the leaves do? - Where are the plants flowers and roots? What are the functions of the flowers and roots? 8) Then, we will ask student to point to where the leaves, stem, roots, and flower are using the plant provided. Students may also volunteer to come up and show the group where each part is located. 9) Then, we will ask student to point to where the leaves, stem, roots, and flower are using the plant provided. Students may also volunteer to come up and show the group where each part is located. 10) Each teacher will then describe the assignment to the students, as explained below. We will provide the students with a model to help them complete their own plant flip-pictures. 11) After completing this assignment, we will ask students to give us an exit ticket to conclude the class period. On an index card, they will each have to write down (a) one new fact they learned about plants from todays lesson and (b) one thing they would still like to know about plants.

Assessment:

Students will complete a labeling activity to demonstrate their knowledge of the functions and structure of a plant. Students will be given a piece of paper and be asked to fold the paper in half vertically (the long-way) down the middle. The students will then be asked to open up their paper and draw a flower on the right side. On the left side of the paper, they will write the functions of corresponding plant part. The students will then cut on the left panel of the paper up to the crease in the center, which will allow them to flip back and forth between the plant part and the image inside. On the front of each flap they will write the label of the corresponding plant part underneath. More advanced students will be asked to write additional information on the functions of each part. This assignment will be graded as classwork, with each flap worth five points. If all of the flaps are complete and correct, the student will receive the full twenty points for this assignment. Homework Application: Students can use this flip paper drawing to study at home and review the parts of a plant with their parent or guardian. They can also use it later in this unit when they will be asked to label photographs from the botanical gardens trip. Adaptations for students with special needs The students with visual impairments may have difficulty drawing their flowers and understanding how to cut the paper to create the flaps. Instead, they will be given a pre-made flip sheet with a picture of a flower already on it. They will color their flowers and write the steps on the flap. Also, the students with metacognitive issues will receive printed directions that they can refer to in creating their plant. As one of the teachers is going through the step-by-step instructions slowly, the other will walk around the room to assist students who require additional help. In addition, the student with social issues should not feel pressured because the teachers are assigning the groups, so he does not have to feel uncomfortable trying to find a group to work with. The tangible objects and variety of strategies used in this lesson should keep the attention of those students with attention deficits. Likewise, the gifted and talented students will be responsible for writing additional functions of plant parts on their flaps, rather than just the general purpose of each part.

Lesson Two (Writing)

Objective: students will be able to write the steps required for growing a healthy garden/plant. Materials: Paper/ Poster paper Gardening tools Large plant picture Plant books in classroom

Development: 1) Students will gather on the carpet and we will discuss how we keep ourselves healthy. While discussing, we will write the ideas on large chart paper in a list format. This will show the students an example of how to write stepwise directions for any process. 2) We will then brainstorm ideas on how to grow a healthy plant/garden. The students will be shown a big picture of a plant and asked what they think are some things that they would need to grow healthy garden/plant. Students should brainstorm ideas such as: soil, water, sunlight, oxygen, nutrients, space to grow, etc. After, we will explain to the class that this will help the students grow their own pea plants in class. 3) After the students have finished brainstorming ideas, we will explain to the students that in order to grow their own plants in the classroom, they will need to know the steps to keeping a plant healthy. 4) Students will be partnered heterogeneously based on previously determined groups. Once they are in pairs, we will explain that each pair will make a poster that lists and describes the steps necessary to keep a plant healthy. If they become confused, we will encourage the students to think of some of the things we talked about at the beginning of class. We will also remind the students that they can go to our classroom library if they need to reference any books. 5) Additionally, students will be told that they can find any spot in the room to work with their partner on their poster. They can also use any art supplies at the front of the room to complete their posters. 6) As the students are working, Ms. Vangeli will call up one group at a time to investigate some of the common garden tools we use when planting. These tools are situated in the back of the classroom and will provide the students with tangible objects to go along with this unit. 7) As a closure, when students have finished, they will hang their posters up around the room. Then they will walk around the room and look out their classmates posters as well.

Assessment Students will be assessed on the creation of a poster that describes the steps in growing a healthy garden. The posters will be assessed with a simple checklist, as shown below. Student posters should: a) b) c) d) Describe the planting of seeds Explain the daily care required for a plant before it sprouts Explain the daily care required for a plant after it sprouts Be neat and legible
. .

HW application For homework, students will be asked to go home and look at any plants they have in the house or out in a garden and determine if they are well cared for. Students should apply what we learned in class to help their parents/guardians care for their plants. For students who do not have any plants at home, they can use the skills they learned to successfully grow their classroom plant. Alternatively, they could ask their parents to consider getting some plants that they can take care of at home using the skills they learn in this unit. Adaptations For students who might have trouble writing out the steps, they will be given the option to draw a picture instead. Additionally, students that need visual aids can refer to the large picture of the plant (discussed in the introduction), look at the gardening tools in the back table, or look at plant reference books in the classroom library. The gardening tools in the back aid both the students who need visual and the students who learn best with tactile objects. Students were pre-grouped heterogeneously, so the students with special needs did not work with one another. This is especially helpful for relieving any anxiety issues that the student with social issues may have. Furthermore, our student with metacognition issues can refer to the brainstorming chart that we created as a class because he learns best with graphic organizers.

Lesson Three (Reading)

Objectives: Students will read The Vegetables We Eat by Gail Gibbons and explain the nutritional value in fruits and vegetables. Materials: The Vegetables We Eat books (2) Poster notepad Various fruits and vegetables (apples, potatoes, bananas, broccoli, kiwi, carrots, corn, oranges, etc.) Knives, paper plates, paper towels

Development: 1) Students will be divided into two groups. One group will include the visually impaired students, the attention deficit students, the poor metacognition student, and the student with social issues, along with five additional students. This group will work with Ms. Vangeli. Ms. Smolyn will work with the remainder of the class, including the gifted and talented students. 2) Ms. Vangeli and Ms. Smolyn will each read The Vegetables We Eat book. Ms. Vangeli will use the big book version. While reading, both teachers will pause frequently and add information to the large poster notepad. They will write about the eight groups of fruits and vegetables we eat (leaf, bulb, flower, root, tuber, stem, fruit, and seed), as well as the nutritional value of fruits and vegetables. 3) After reading, the teachers can ask several comprehension questions about the story. 4) Then, the two groups will return to their seats for the rest of the lesson. We will then put out some common fruits and vegetables from the supermarket and ask students to help classify them in the groups based on the poster notepads created. 5) Once students successfully classify the fruit or vegetable, the teachers will cut them up and give them to the students to enjoy. **Note: Teachers should be familiar with student allergies before feeding them the fruits and vegetables. Assessment: Students will be assessed primarily on their participation in this lesson. Each student is expected to contribute at least two thoughts or questions throughout the lesson in order to receive the full participation points. Homework/Application: At the dinner table tonight, students are to think about the food they eat and decide if they are consuming any fruits or vegetables. If they are, they should also try to categorize these fruits and

vegetables. This will be discussed tomorrow in the beginning of class, so students may want to write down what they eat on a piece of paper. Adaptations: Ms. Vangelis group uses the big book to help those students with visual impairments see better. She will also pass the book around and let students see the pictures up close. After the list is created on the large paper, these students will also receive their own copy of the list to keep. The story is short enough that the students with attention issues will remain focused, and they will enjoy categorizing and eating the fruits and vegetables.

Lesson Four
Objectives: Students will construct a menu of breakfast, lunch and dinner using only plant items to demonstrate their understanding of the nutritional value of plants. Materials White printer paper Markers, crayons

Development 1) Ask students the following questions to review yesterdays lesson and introduce todays lesson in a large group discussion: a. What plants did you eat for dinner last night? b. Were these plants fruits or vegetables? c. What category of fruits or vegetables does the plant belong in? d. Why are these fruits and vegetables so important to eat? 2) Divide students into pairs. Groups will be predetermined at the teachers discretion, with students paired based on how they work well with one another and their ability to remain focused and on task. Students with special needs will not be paired with one another. 3) Students will create a menu based entirely on plant food items. They must fold their paper to create three panels. The front will be the cover of the menu, which they may decorate however they would like (create a restaurant name, etc.) The inside three panels will have the headings Breakfast Lunch and Dinner. Each meal should have two different options to choose from and should include a small picture of each. They may decorate the back panel however they would like, as long as it pertains to plant foods. Assessment: Students menus will be graded out of ten points, with a possible three points given for each meal and one point for neatness and completeness. A student who receives three points for a panel will have two creative food options and pictures to go along with it. The menus will be hung up around the classroom after they are graded. Homework Application: At home tonight, write down a list of all the plants included in your dinner. Remember, even if you are not eating plain vegetables, there are always fruits and vegetables in most foods (pizza sauce contains tomatoes, etc.) This will be turned in tomorrow for a participation grade, either completed or incomplete. Adaptations: A sample menu created by the teachers will be passed around the room once students begin their menus so that they can see what is expected. This is especially helpful for students with visual processing issues and metacognitive issues.

Lesson Five (Math)

Objective: Students will be able to measure the height of their plant stems using a ruler and keep a log of this growth every day for the remainder of the unit. Materials: Personal pea plants Growth Log Ruler

Development: 1) Before we begin our measurement lesson, we will review information about measurement they have learned prior to this unit. We will reinforce the measurement lines on the ruler, such as the difference between inches, centimeters and millimeters using a ruler projected on the board. Then the students will measure items such as a pencil, desktop, and eraser. As a class, we will go over the measurements that the students came up with. 2) Next, students will be instructed on how to properly record their measurements in their growth logs. The person in each group who has been responsible for watering the plants at the beginning of each day will also be responsible for measuring the height of the plant at that time. If they need help, another group member can assist them. 3) Once the students understand what is expected of them for their growth logs students go back to their pea plants. For those students whose plants have not sprouted yet, they will be given another small plant to work with. 4) We will explain to the students that just like humans, plants grow every single day. When we properly take care of plants with water and sunlight, they are able to grow bigger and bigger each day. We will also explain to the students that each day before we start math we will be measure our plants and recording how tall they are, which will enable us to see how much our plants are growing each day. 5) Once students have properly measured how tall their plants are, they will be asked to record the plants height in their growth log. 6) Along with recording measurements in our growth log students will be asked to draw a quick sketch of their plant. Since this lesson will be on-going, the students will be able to see by their sketches and measurements how much their plant has grown since the first day. 7) As a closure, students will be able to compare and contrast their plants appearance and height with that of their classmates. They will leave their growth logs at their lab stations and rotate around the room, observing their classmates plants and growth logs. Assessment:

By the end of this unit, students will submit their growth logs. This assessment will determine if students have successfully understood how to measure a plant and have observed plants growing over time. For this lesson, students will be assessed on their participation and ability to measure with a ruler in the proper units. Homework application Since the students are learning about measurement in math, they will be asked to go home and find three items in their house and measure them using a ruler. If they do not have a ruler at home, they may borrow one from the classroom. Students will be asked to record their object and measurements in their math journals to share with the class tomorrow. Adaptations For students who have difficulty visualizing measurements, they will be able to see the actual plant and understand what two inches looks like. Additionally, for students that learn best through tactile and kinesthetic means, this lesson provides a hands-on activity in the measurement of the plants. If certain students are seriously challenged by the measuring, they can be responsible for drawing a sketch of the plant. We will have those students draw a picture of how tall their plant is and observe growth through each sketch becoming a little larger over time. For the gifted and talented students, they will have to create a basic graph showing growth over time to be submitted with their growth logs.

Lesson Six (Field Trip)

Objective: Students will be able to take pictures of different types of plants and label the different parts on their photographs the following day. Students will be immersed in hands-on adventures relating to plants and apply their knowledge of plants to the new species they see today. Materials: Field trip to a botanical garden Disposable cameras Notebooks and pencils Construction paper

Development: 1) Before we leave for the field trip, we will go over the rules for the day and remind the students that they are representing our school and should be on their best behavior. We will then assign students to their field trip groups and introduce the students to their chaperone for the day. These parent chaperones were decided beforehand and volunteered to come on the field trip with the class. Once the students know the rules for the day and their chaperones, we will ask each student to share one interesting plant fact they have learned thus far in this unit. If they cannot think of one, they may say pass or repeat a fact that has already been said. 2) When we arrive at the botanical gardens, a disposable camera will be given to each group. 3) We will then instruct each group to take pictures of interesting plants and flowers that they might see when they are exploring the botanical gardens. They also may choose to write down any interesting facts they learn about plants during the tour of the garden. 4) We will tell students that when they return to the classroom the following day, their pictures will have been developed and printed. They will be using these pictures to label the parts of the plant with their field trip group members. They will also identify any fruits and vegetables they saw in the garden. 5) Before the students leave the tour of the botanical garden, we will tell them to consider the type of environment these plants are living in and how this might compare and contrast to the environment we grew our pea plants in. 6) When students return to the classroom the next day, they will paste their pictures on construction paper and label the parts of the plant they see in their picture. If applicable, they should also label their plants as fruits or vegetables. As a class, we will discuss how the botanical garden plant environments were similar or different to our class environment. 7) As a closure, students will form a circle and be able to share one favorite part of the botanical garden field trip with the rest of the class.

Assessment: Students will be assessed on if they could successfully label the parts of the plants from the botanical garden. Each group should have at least six labeled pictures with the labels in the correct locations.

Homework application: Students will be asked to go home and write down three Did you know.? facts that they learned from the botanical gardens.

Adaptation: Before we leave for the trip during the class share out, students have the opportunity to pass or repeat an answer that has already been said. This is great for the student with social issues because he will speak out in front of the group, but he does not have to come up with his own answer if he is too worried to think of one. On the field trip, the groups that have the students with attention problems will be given more than one chaperone in order to keep those students focused and behaved. Students will be pre-grouped for this trip, with the special needs students being split up into different groups. As well, having smaller groups may encourage the student with poor social skills to speak up and participate in the photographing because he will not feel as intimidated.

Lesson Seven (Final Project)

Objectives: Students will finish their plant project journal to be turned in at the end of class. They will also complete any other assignments they did not finish during the unit to get partial credit (if applicable). Materials: Plant project journals Rulers (for any final measurements needed)

Development: 1) Arrange desks in groups, instruct students to sit with their plant project groups 2) Students will look through their plant notebooks and see if they completed every aspect of the project. They will have the rest of the class period to finish taking measurements and clean up their notebooks to be submitted at the end of the period. Assessment Students plant journals will be graded using a simple rubric, shown below. Poor (1) Plants not measured every day; measured in the incorrect units or with obvious inaccuracies Plant sketches mostly absent or only few included Proficient (2) Plants measured every single day with up to 80% accuracy in units and measurements; data not organized into neat tables More than half of the plant sketches are included, but they are not labeled Plant observations occasionally noted, but not clear or accurate Log is legible, but not neat and organized; several spelling and grammar issues Exceeds Expectations (3) Plants measured correctly every day with the correct units used; data organized into neat tables that are easy to read All plant sketches included and clearly labeled to distinguish when they were drawn Plant observations noted frequently with clear labels and accurate explanations, including description of watering frequency and sunlight availability Log is legible, neat, and organized; very few grammatical or spelling errors

Measurements

Plant sketches

Plant observations

Plant observations rarely (or never) noted

Neatness and spelling/grammar

Log is nearly impossible to read and understand; grammar and spelling detract from content

Homework Application No homework! Plant unit has been completed. Adaptations Students with special needs, especially those with metacognitive impairments and visual processing difficulties, will be graded based on their groups log. All group members will receive the same grade; unless it is obvious that one student did all of the work, in which case the grades will be adjusted accordingly. More frequent errors and neatness issues are permitted on the days that the special needs students wrote in the logs.

Assessment
Determine how you will assess student attainment of unit objectives. The students will be assessed at the completion of the unit on their personal plant projects. They will be required to submit a growth and observations log for their pea plants, detailing how the plant changed over the duration of the unit. They should also include information on watering frequency and sunlight issues they note in their observations of the plant. Throughout the unit, students will be assessed on the completion of various projects as described in the above lessons (such as plant flip papers, botanical garden photographs, and participation/completion of homework assignments).

Describe adaptations of assessment for students with special needs. The assessments in each lesson are modified for those students with special needs. The gifted and talented students are required to go beyond the expectations of the rest of the class. For instance, they are required to submit a graph of their plant growth over time in addition to the tables in their growth logs. They are also required to know additional details about the plant structure and function. Those students with visual learning issues and metacognitive issues will not have to go into as much detail in their descriptions. They will be graded more leniently in the assessment of their final project. Since there are no presentations in this unit, the student with social needs will be assessed in the same way as his peers. The students with attention difficulties will also be assessed in the same way, with the hope that the variety of activities in these lessons will stimulate them throughout the unit. These specific assessment modifications are also described in the above lesson plans.