Title: Understanding Your Roots

Grade: 4th

Subject: SciencePlants

Designer: Sara Cummings

Stage 1 Desired Results

Established Goals: SOL 4.4The student with investigate and understand basic
plant anatomy and life processes. Key concepts include:
(a) the structure of typical plants and function of each structure
Understandings:
Essential Understanding: Plants have
certain structures as well as different types
-Plants have a certain structure
of roots to help them function within their
allows for survival within their
environment.
environment.
Essential Questions:
-Without these structures, many
plants would die.

-What types of plants have taproots? Which

ones have fibrous roots?

-If a plant had a deformity but still

has roots, leafs, stems, and a flower,
it is still able to survive.

-What if a plant had a deformity? Will it still

be able to function normally?

-Plants need some type of soil,

water, sunlight, and carbon dioxide
in order to survive.
-Plants have either tap or fibrous
roots that help them absorb the
amount of water they need.
Materials
-Parts of a Flower sheet
-4 Leaves sheet
-Vocabulary flaps sheet with extra
flaps
-Document Camera
-Scissors/Glue

-What would happen if a plant didnt have

roots? What about leaves? A flower? How
about a stem?

Students will be able to

-Label major parts of a plant
-Describe the two types of roots plants have
and what they do for the plants.
-List the functions of each part of the plant.
-List and describe what plants need to
survive.
-Explain why, even if a plant has a deformity
but still has all of its necessary parts, it is still
able to survive.
Stage 2 Assessment Evidence
Performance Tasks:
Other Evidence:
-With teacher scaffolding, students
will write the parts of a plant as well -Teacher scaffolding
as the functions of each plant. The
-Teacher observing
students will also write what plants
-Go over definition of each part of a flower
need in order to survive and the
and its function and compare what a plant
different types of roots plants can
needs to what humans need.
have. After the lesson, the teacher
-Go over the two types of roots and see if
will review each part, its function,
they understand by having them say which
the different types of roots, as well
types of plant have those specific roots.
as what plants need to survive and
students will raise their hands to
help review the material they
learned.
Stage 3 Learning Plan

Learning Activities:
1) Students will sit at their desks for the first part of this activity. The teacher will
hand out a Parts of a Flower sheet as well as a set of leaves sheet (see attached)
for the students to put into their interactive notebooks.
2) Students will cut out the Parts of a Flower worksheet and glue it into their
interactive notebooks. Students will then cut the 4 leaves from the set of leaves
sheet and glue those into their notebooks in a way that the leave will act as flaps.
3) Once this has been completed, students will meet the teacher on the carpet so
they can go over the parts of the flower as well as what plants need in order to
survive. The teacher will tell the students they can color in their flower if there is
time at the end of the lesson.
4) The teacher will put her own Parts of a Flower worksheet on the Document
Camera so she can model where the students can write the different parts of a
flower (roots, stem, leaf, and petals). She will tell the students to label the different
parts with numbers, for example: (1) [would be Petals], (2) [would be Stem], (3)
[would be Leaf], (4) [would be Roots]. She will then tell the students to do the same
with their vocabulary flaps on the next page of their notebook and make sure the
words on the vocabulary flap, match the number on the Parts of a Plant
worksheet.
5) The teacher will then proceed to go over the definitions for the different parts of
the plant and what their purpose is for the flower.
6) Once the Parts of a Flower definitions are done, the teacher will ask the
students what they believe a plant might need in order to live. She will ask the
students she chooses to write their answers, the best they can, on the whiteboard.
The teacher will then ask the students to lift one of their leaves (any one they
choose) and write down one of the items a plant might need to survive, for
example: Sunlight [under one leaf], Water [under one leaf], Carbon Dioxide [under
one leaf], Soil [under one leaf]. The teacher tells the students they can draw a small
picture of each one if it will help them remember.
7) The teacher then tells the students to turn back to the page with the vocabulary
flaps so they can go over the two main types of roots they might see (they will have
a picture along with the type of root under the root vocabulary flap (see attached
for a better example). The teacher will then tell the students the different definitions
for each and what the two types of roots do for the plants that are attached to
them.
8) Once everything is copied, students will go back to their seats. If there is any
time, the teacher will allow them to color in their Parts of a Flower sheet. If not,
the students pack up and get ready for the next activity.
Reflection

Petals
Leaves
Stem
Root Hairs
Roots

Fibrous Roots

Tap Roots

Petals

Part of the plant that attracts insects.

Leaves

Part of the plant that makes the food using

photosynthesis.

Stem

Part of the plant that carries food, water, and minerals

to and from the roots and leaves.

Root Hairs

Threadlike hairs on a root that take in extra water and

minerals.

Roots

Part of the plant that takes in water and minerals from

the soil, holds a plant in place, and sometimes used to
store food.

Fibrous Roots

Tap Roots

-Fibrous Roots: Spreads out in many directions. Examples: trees, grass,

marigolds
-Tap Roots: Single, thick, large root. Examples: dandelion, carrots, raddish