Unit Topic: Earth Science

Grade: 3

Lesson Plan Topic: Photosynthesis

Lesson Objectives: Students will be able to list or draw the three main nutrients that all plants need in order to go through photosynthesis.

Instructional Technique: class discussion, online group work, experiment 

Instructional Materials: “Photosynthesis Online Guide” Handout, computers

https://www.scholastic.com/magicschoolbus/games/sciencenews/loader_2.swf. For our closing activity: biodegradable pots, seeds, dirt, water.

Theoretical Perspective: This lesson is important for students to know because students should have a basic idea of the planet and what makes plants grow. This will also help them learn how to care for plants.

Procedure

A.    Introductory

Teacher will call students to circle up at the front of the room.

Teacher will ask multiple questions about plants and record students answers on the board.

●      What do humans need to survive?

●      What do animals need to survive?

●      What do you think plants need to survive?

●      What do you think Photosynthesis means?

B. Main Lesson

Teacher will instruct students to work in groups of two or three and get a computer to share. Then the teacher will handout the “Photosynthesis Online Guide” handout. On the handout will be instructions on how to get to the website and then what to do once you are on it. The students will then go onto the website and follow the animation. On the handout the students will answer questions based off of the photosynthesis game on the website. For example a question would be “where does a plant get Carbon Dioxide from?”. The students will be instructed to go through the website twice so they can test if different plants need the same nutrients. Lastly, the students will  draw out the cycle of the photosynthesis to get a visual of what they believe this process might look like. 

C. Closure

            At the end of the lesson, the class will come together to discuss what they received for answers and to show their drawings to see if they are similar to the actual cycle of photosynthesis. After the teacher and students have gone over the worksheet the students will be told to go back in their groups, each group will be handed a biodegradable pot and a seed; each group will have a different type of plant. Within each group they will be instructed to plant the seed then add water. After they plant their seeds and added water, one person from each group will place their plants in front of a window and will observe the growth of their plants for a week. 

D. Adaptations

            For students who work quickly and want to be further challenged, there is an option for them at the end of the worksheet to continue learning about photosynthesis in the “Facts” section of the website.

ELL students can be grouped with the teacher or paired with a strong reader who can read the information on the website outloud.

 There is a variety of questions on the guide and ways students can express their learning. For example we have provided the option for students to draw a picture of their plant and how it got its nutrients.

E. No homework will be given

Evaluation

A.    Our objective was: Students will be able to list or draw the three main nutrients that all plants need in order to go through photosynthesis.

Students are asked to draw the cycle of photosynthesis on the back of the work sheet. The teacher will look to make sure there is a plant dawn with three arrows pointing to it. At the top of each arrow should be water, sunlight or CO2.

On the worksheet students were also asked to list the three nutrients plants need to go through photosynthesis. They should have listed water, sunlight and CO2.

Students were asked to repeat the process of “growing a plant” twice in order to help them understand that most plants need those three nutrients. 

B. Concerns

            A concern that a teacher might have is some of the student’s might not fully understand the cycle of photosynthesis by the end of the lesson and will still have questions by the end. 

Another concern might be that students lose focus with the activity or that some finish the activity much faster than others and become bored or not continue onto the “facts section.”