Gina

Caroddo


UNIT: THE PLANT LIFE CYCLE

LESSON 2: WHAT IS A SEED?

Introduction
The previous lesson had students comparing and drawing fruits and listing their
properties. This lesson moves on to seeds, another important component in the plant
life cycle. More work will be done on developing observation skills and recording
observations; students will be asked to list as many properties of the seeds they
observe, and also make drawings of the seeds.
I used seeds that were very different from each other: an avocado seed, dill seeds,
chives, lemon seeds, apple seeds, a chestnut, and some beans so that we could talk
about how some seeds are edible. The chives were in a seed packet but the dill seeds
were brought in from my home garden (I saved them from the previous season). Other
edible seeds could include sunflower, pumpkin or squash seeds. I wanted students to
see that seeds can come from different sources: sometimes from a packet, but originally
they come from a fruitthe mature ovary of a flowering plant. This last concept is too
advanced for this grade level but could be used for older children.
Grade level: 3rd grade
Area of instruction: Life science
Time: 2 periods of 45 minutes each
Aim: What is a seed? How are seeds different?

Science Performance Standards
LE 3.1

How are plants alike and different? Identify and compare the physical
structures of a variety of plant parts (seeds, leaves, stems, owers, fruit,
roots)

LE 3.1b,c Describe how plants must be adapted to their environment in order to

LE 5.2a survive
LE 6.1f Structures and their functions (e.g., roots, leaves, owers, fruit etc.)

Adaptations of these structures may include variations in size, shape,
thickness, color, smell, and texture
Source: http://schools.nyc.gov/Documents/STEM/Science/K8ScienceSS.pdf
Objective:
Students will be able to demonstrate knowledge that seeds are different.

Content questions:
Are seeds edible?
What do we use or need seeds for?

How do seeds and fruit relate?

How do seeds contribute to the earth? What would our lives be like without seeds?
(Would animals and humans able to grow or live?)

Materials: A variety of seeds (I used apple and lemon, chives, different varieties of
beans, dill and flower seeds that I had saved from my garden, and a chestnut);
observation worksheets, paper towels. paper plates, paper towels, science notebooks,
whiteboard or chalkboard.

Motivation:
The teacher will have a variety of seeds at front on the science cart. The teacher will
hold up a bean and ask the students if they think it is a seed or not. Why or why not?
The teacher will also ask the students if there are any seeds they eat, or if they know of
any other things we do with seeds (e.g., growing new plants).

Procedure: (20-25 minutes):
1. What did we talk about last week? The teacher will ask students what we did in
science during the last lesson.
2. The teacher will ask students to remind her what it means to observe something (in
science terms) and what a property is.
3. Students will fill out the K (What we know) and W (What we want to know)
sections of a KWL chart as a class.
4. The teacher will model filling out a worksheet on properties of a seed using one of the
seeds provided.
5. The class will be split up into groups of several students each. Students will be
directed to go to specific centers and then to move after a period of several minutes.
One student in each group will be in charge of making sure all students make entries on
their worksheets.
6. When all students have visited each of the three centers (containing two different
types of seeds each on paper plates), they will return to their seats.

Shareout:
Students will return to their desks and be asked to share what they found with the class
(drawings, written entries). Teacher will focus them on sharing their properties, and see
if they notice that different seeds have different properties (appearance, texture, smell,
etc.)
Focus questions:
Why do you think seeds are different? Why do you think some are big and some are
small (avocado, chives)?
How do you think fruits and seeds are related (what is the relationship between them)?

Closure:
Students will return to the KWL chart and complete the What We Learned section as a
class. Key concepts will be reviewed while completing the chart:
Some seeds are edible.
Seeds are alive.
Different seeds have different properties.

Modifications for ELLs and students with special needs:
These students would work with partners. Partners who are empathetic and helpful in
class should be chosen to help any students with special needs. Special-needs students
or any students who have difficulty writing or drawing should be kept in mind while the
teacher models any work or activity, but the teacher will have to be sure to check their
work. Students who cannot draw will do only the written sections or have to get the
help of a para or fellow student to record their entries. Partners who are known to be
responsible may be assigned to be sure the needier student makes entries in their
worksheet, but it is really up to the teacher to check their work during the lesson.

There are no ELLs in this class but if there were I would try to pair them up with another
student who spoke the same language so that they could help each other. Bilingual
charts could also be used to help students who are ELLs.

Assessment:
The teacher will assess students worksheets after the lesson using the attached rubric
for evidence of their understanding of the key concepts listed in the closure.

The teacher will also do informal observation during all parts of the lesson including
independent work, looking for accountable talk and making notes afterwards on
individual students to assess their understanding of the above.

Suggested Additional Activities:
Classroom extensions:
1. The class could go on a walking trip to collect seeds. Students identify the seeds
then bring them back to the classroom and label them.
2. Some good books on seeds include Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert, The
Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss, The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle, and The Magic
School Bus Plants Seeds: A Book About Making Things Grow by Bruce Degen
and Joanna Cole. There is also a FOSS read-aloud on seeds as food as part of the
unit materials for Structures of Life.

RUBRIC FOR ASSESSMENT:

TARGET
SATISFACTORY

UNSATISFACTORY

Score

All work is legible

and organized,
including
worksheet
drawings and
writing.

Worksheet is
mostly legible and
organized,
including drawings
and writing.

Worksheet is
illegible and
disorganized.

Drawings are
mostly accurate

Student listed 4
properties for
each seed.

Student listed 2-4

Student listed from
properties for each 0-2 properties for
seed
each seed

/9

Drawings are
inaccurate

Drawings are all

accurate