Life Science 5E Lesson Plan

Title

Flower Power Understanding Plants and

Classification

Teacher(s)

Dunford
Alison.dunford@cobbk12.org

E-mail
School

Timber Ridge Elementary School

Grade Level

5th Grade

Lesson
Essential
Questions

What characteristics of plants allows them to be

classified in different ways?

Concepts(s) Targeted:

The student will identify the parts necessary for pollination, or reproduction
of flowering plants, by examining a typical flower and observing the parts
used in the production/protection of seeds. The student will also make
comparisons and find patterns in nature, leading them to the understanding
of the processes of sexual reproduction in flowering plants, including
pollination and fertilization (seed production). Students will analyze the lab
and their understanding to determine specific characteristics scientists use
to classify plants.

Georgia Performance Standards:

S5L1b Plant Classification - Demonstrate how plants are sorted into groups.

Safety Considerations Teacher will review the safety rules applicable

to all science labs prior to starting.

The Learning Plan:

The student will identify the parts necessary for pollination, or reproduction
of flowering plants, by examining a typical flower and observing the parts
used in the production/protection of seeds. The student will also make
comparisons and find patterns in nature, leading them to the understanding
of the processes of sexual reproduction in flowering plants, including
pollination and fertilization (seed production). Students will analyze the lab
and their understanding to determine specific characteristics scientists use
to classify plants.

Engage:
o The teacher will play the PowerPoint presentation, stopping to
introduce each part of the slide.
o The students will take notes for their investigate activity in their
Science Journal by drawing their own flower and writing down
pertinent parts.
o Pertinent parts include: stem, sepals, ovary, ovules, style, pistil,
stigma, filament, anther, stamen, petals.
o The teacher will remind the students that it is important to
understand the role of each part of the plant to completely grasp
how pollination works.

First slide: Parts of a Flower - The teacher will point out

each part of the flower the students will be exploring today.
The teacher can refer back to this slide as often as he/she
needs.

Second slide: Petals, Stalk/Stem, and Nectary The teacher

will quickly read the definitions of each part pointing out
what they look like and provide some background
knowledge. The teacher can use the provided pictures or
go back to slide one.

Third slide: Ovary and Ovules/Egg Cells - The teacher will

quickly read the definitions of each part pointing out what
they look like and provide some background knowledge.
The teacher can use the provided pictures or go back to
slide one.

Fourth slide: Receptacle and Sepals - The teacher will

quickly read the definitions of each part pointing out what

they look like and provide some background knowledge.
The teacher can use the provided pictures or go back to
slide one.

Fifth slide: Pistil, Style, and Stigma - The teacher will

quickly read the definitions of each part pointing out what
they look like and provide some background knowledge.
The teacher can use the provided pictures or go back to
slide one.

Sixth slide: Stamen, Filament, Anther, and Pollen - The

teacher will quickly read the definitions of each part
pointing out what they look like and provide some
background knowledge. The teacher can use the provided
pictures or go back to slide one.

Seventh slide: Students will take one more look at the

flower parts as a hole and the teacher will once again
review the directions for the investigation.

Explore:
o The students will dissect a flower provided by the teacher with a
partner following the dissection/lab sheet instructions step by
step.
o Remind the student of the classroom Science Rules, ie...don't eat
anything, no running or horseplay, no extra investigations, keep
are clean, clean up area when finished, etc.
o The teacher will briefly walk the students through the dissection
steps before they begin.
o During the dissection, the students will have a printed version of
the PowerPoint to refer back to. A Sciencesaurus book or science
textbook can also be used.
Step 1: Stem
o Cut off a piece of your stem.
o Cut it in half vertically, exposing the inside workings of the stem.

o Describe what you see use your hand lens to get a closer view.
o Tape the exposed part of your stem to the lab sheet.
Step 2: Sepal
o How many petals does your flower have?
o Using your sense of touch to make observations.
o Use your hand lens to observe both sides. Describe your
observations.
o Hold up one of the sepals to the light to observe the veins.
o Tape a sepal to the lab sheet.
Step 3: Petals
o How many petals does your flower have?
o Hold one petal up to the light to observe the veins.
o Describe the color and fragrance.
o Why do you suppose flowers have a color and a scent?
o Tape a petal to the lab sheet.
o Was there a difference between the sepals & petals? Similarities?
Step 4: Stamen
o How many stamen does your flower have?
o Draw and label a stamen.
o Use your hand lens. What do you see on the anther?
o Don't tape the stamens to the lab sheet until after the next
section.
Step 5: Pollen
o On top of the stamen is the anther. Pick off an anther and rub the
pollen grains between your fingers and across the paper.

Describe how it feels and what it looks like.

o Now use the index card and tape to make your own slide.
o Use a hole puncher to make a hole in your index card.
o Place tape on one side of the opening, leaving the other side of
the opening sticky.
o Take a new anther and tap it on the sticky opening until you can
see pollen has stuck to the tape.
o Take another piece of tape and cover the pollen.
o Take your slide over to the microscope and then draw and
describe what you see in the box below.
o Now tape a stamen with its filament and anther attached back
on step four.
Step 6: Pistil
o Carefully pull your pistil off the receptacle and ovary.
o Observe it with your hand lens, taking special care to check the
stigma for the sticky substance that catches the pollen.
o How many prongs does your stigma have?
o Describe what you saw and touched.
o Tape your pistil to the lab sheet.
Step 7: Ovary
o Using scissors, cut the ovary in half vertically.
o Use your hand lens to draw and describe what you see.
o Label your drawing.
o What do fertilized ovules turn in to?
o Tape your ovary with the ovules exposed to the lab sheet.

Explain:
o The teacher will review each flower part to ensure the students
found them correctly.
o The teacher will dissect his/her own flower and fill in his/her own
lab sheet for the students to reference.
o The students can also reference the teacher-made Pen Cast to
compare their parts to the flower on the SmartBoard Lesson.

Elaborate:
The students will go back to the probe and make any corrections or
additions as needed. The students will be able to compare their
drawings and labels to the pen cast made by the teacher (see
attachment).

Summative Assessment
o The students will dissect a native flower, for example a
Plumbago, from the store and compare it to the first flower they
dissected.
o Both flowers will be provided to the students. (Another originally
dissected flower and the Plumbago.)
o The students will provide the similarities and differences
between the first and second flower using a T Chart or Venn
Diagram.
o The students will then be asked to identify any patterns found in
nature using their comparisons. ( For example: number of petals,
number of stamen, number of prongs on the stigma, number of
leaves, number of sepals, etc.)

Formative Assessments
The students will draw and label their own typical flower in their
Science Journal. The teacher will use a PowerPoint to introduce each
flower part and its role in the process of pollination.

Feedback to Students

The teacher will monitor the steps taken by each student by walking around,
asking probing questions, and facilitating to ensure that students are finding
the correct flower parts

Title of the Lesson: Flower Power

Lesson Logistics/Materials:
Flower Power Lab Sheets
Probe Flower Parts
Flower Power Understand/Remediate/Extend Sheet
PowerPoint/Smart Board - Parts of a Flower

Engage/Opening/Hook/Initial Focus/Work Session:

Teacher will have the flowers for dissection large bunches of them
out in the classroom for the day prior to the beginning of the lab.

The teacher will introduce and access prior knowledge using the
PowerPoint presentation, stopping to introduce each part of the slide.

The students will take Cornell notes for their investigate activity in
their Science Journal and drawing their own flower and writing down
pertinent parts.

Pertinent parts include: stem, sepals, ovary, ovules, style, pistil,

stigma, filament, anther, stamen, petals.

The teacher will remind the students that it is important to understand

the role of each part of the plant to completely grasp how pollination
works.
o First slide: Parts of a Flower - The teacher will point out each part
of the flower the students will be exploring today. The teacher
can refer back to this slide as often as he/she needs.
o Second slide: Petals, Stalk/Stem, and Nectary The teacher will

quickly read the definitions of each part pointing out what they
look like and provide some background knowledge. The teacher
can use the provided pictures or go back to slide one.
o Third slide: Ovary and Ovules/Egg Cells - The teacher will quickly
read the definitions of each part pointing out what they look like
and provide some background knowledge. The teacher can use
the provided pictures or go back to slide one.
o Fourth slide: Receptacle and Sepals - The teacher will quickly
read the definitions of each part pointing out what they look like
and provide some background knowledge. The teacher can use
the provided pictures or go back to slide one.
o Fifth slide: Pistil, Style, and Stigma - The teacher will quickly read
the definitions of each part pointing out what they look like and
provide some background knowledge. The teacher can use the
provided pictures or go back to slide one.
o Sixth slide: Stamen, Filament, Anther, and Pollen - The teacher
will quickly read the definitions of each part pointing out what
they look like and provide some background knowledge. The
teacher can use the provided pictures or go back to slide one.
o Seventh slide: Students will take one more look at the flower
parts as a hole and the teacher will once again review the
directions for the investigation.
Explore/ Focus/Work Session:

The students will dissect a flower provided by the teacher with a partner following the dissection/lab sheet
instructions step by step.

Remind the student of the classroom Science Rules, ie...don't eat anything, no running or horseplay, no
extra investigations, keep are clean, clean up area when finished, etc.

The teacher will briefly walk the students through the dissection steps before they begin.

During the dissection, the students will have a printed version of the PowerPoint to refer back to.

A Sciencesaurus book or science textbook can also be used.

Step 1: Stem
o

Cut off a piece of your stem.

Cut it in half vertically, exposing the inside workings of the stem.

Describe what you see use your hand lens to get a closer view.

Tape the exposed part of your stem to the lab sheet.

Step 2: Sepal
o

How many petals does your flower have?

Using your sense of touch to make observations.

Use your hand lens to observe both sides. Describe your observations.

Hold up one of the sepals to the light to observe the veins.

Tape a sepal to the lab sheet.

Step 3: Petals
o

How many petals does your flower have?

Hold one petal up to the light to observe the veins.

Describe the color and fragrance.

Why do you suppose flowers have a color and a scent?

Tape a petal to the lab sheet.

Was there a difference between the sepals & petals? Similarities?

Step 4: Stamen
o

How many stamen does your flower have?

Draw and label a stamen.

Use your hand lens. What do you see on the anther?

Don't tape the stamens to the lab sheet until after the next section.

Step 5: Pollen
o

On top of the stamen is the anther. Pick off an anther and rub the pollen grains between your
fingers and across the paper. Describe how it feels and what it looks like.

Gently shake an anther, or rub it on your lab sheet to remove some pollen.

Place tape to cover the pollen.

Now tape a stamen with its filament and anther attached back on step four.

Step 6: Pistil
o

Carefully pull your pistil off the receptacle and ovary.

Observe it with your hand lens, taking special care to check the stigma for the sticky substance
that catches the pollen.

How many prongs does your stigma have?

Describe what you saw and touched.

Tape your pistil to the lab sheet.

Step 7: Ovary
o

Using scissors, cut the ovary in half vertically.

Use your hand lens to draw and describe what you see.

Label your drawing.

What do fertilized ovules turn in to?

Tape your ovary with the ovules exposed to the lab sheet.

Explain/Work Session:
o

The teacher will review each flower part to ensure the students found them correctly.

The teacher will dissect his/her own flower and fill in his/her own lab sheet for the students to
reference. This can best be done with a camera attached to the SmartBoard. This will also help
students requiring more differentiated support.

Elaborate/Work Session:
The students will go back to the probe and make any corrections or additions as needed. The students will be able to
compare their drawings and labels to the pink flower model from PowerPoint made by the teacher.

Evaluate/Formative & Summative Assessments

Summative Assessment: The teacher may take the lab as a summative assessment and/or have the students dissect
a native flower, for example a Plumbago, and compare it to the first flower they dissected.
o

Both flowers will be provided to the students. (Another originally dissected flower and the
Plumbago.)

The students will provide the similarities and differences between the first and second flower
using a T Chart or Venn Diagram.

The students will then be asked to identify any patterns found in nature using their comparisons.
( For example: number of petals, number of stamen, number of prongs on the stigma, Fibonacci
numbers, number of leaves, number of sepals, etc.)

Formative Assessment
The students will draw and label their own typical flower in their Science Journal. The teacher will use a PowerPoint
to introduce each flower part and its role in the process of pollination.

Feedback to Students
The teacher will monitor the steps taken by each student by walking around, asking probing questions, and
facilitating to ensure that students are finding the correct flower parts.

Extensions:
The teacher can cut open an orange or apple exposing the seeds and give it to students - point out the end where it
was attached to the tree. Pointing out that the fruit is actually the swollen ovary protecting the seeds inside. The
students can examine the fruit and seeds.

Modified from http://www.cpalms.org/Public/PreviewResourceLesson/Preview/28965