Online Projects, Collaboration Sites, and Publishing Opportunities

Lesson Idea Template

Name: Beth Miller

Grade Level: 2nd grade
Content Area: Science
Standards Addressed:
S2L1. Students will investigate the life cycles of different living organisms.
c. Investigate the life cycle of a plant by growing a plant from a seed and by recording
changes over a period of time.
Title of Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity:
Journey to the Center of the Seed
URL of Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity:
https://www.kidsgardening.org/lesson-plans-journey-to-the-center-of-a-seed/
Describe how you would use the Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity in
your classroom:
I would follow the instructions of the lesson plan provided on the website, but extend the
growth past germination to allow them to see the plant reach maturity. I would ask
permission from administration to allow our students to use a small portion of the school
campus to plant the students plants outside if the plants need it for adequate growth.
Instead of germinating just lima beans, I would like for students to choose a plant of their
choice, such as a flower, vegetable, or legume, and bring in a small package of seeds of the
plant of their choice. Students will then follow the same procedures of the lesson plan on
the website, such as describing what the seed looks like, what it is, any ideas or
predications on how it will grow. Students will research their plant and everything it
needs to survive and thrive: how much sun it needs, how often does it need water, what
type of soil does it need, how much space does it need to have, ect. Students will research
this material with the help of the teachers and parents. Much of this information is
provided in the packaging of the seeds they will need to bring. Students will be allowed to
name their plant. Students will be allowed to watch several videos on how the
germination process works, the characteristics of seeds and plants, and what plants need
to grow. Also during this process, students will be learning about the life cycle of plants
along side with this lesson.

We will begin by following the germination process that is provided during the lesson
plan on the website. Instead of using paper towels, students will use their own little
Styrofoam cups with potting soil. Over the next few days, students will record their
findings for their data: what do they see, what changes have occurred, and provide the
proper care that it may need at the time. Once they reach all the stages of germination,
they will need to be placed in larger pots for their roots to grow and develop. Students will
continuously keep record of the changes made over time every few days until they grow
too big for their containers and need to be placed outside (if needed). As they continue to
grow, students will continue to watch and record changes until it reaches it full maturity.
Students will be responsible for remembering their own plants watering schedules and
keeping track of their data and the dates the data was taken. Once the plant has reached
maturity, the students will gather all their data and create their own booklets with a photo

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 of their mature plant. Copies of their photos will be displayed on the bulletin board
outside the classroom where everyone can see that their hard work and care has paid off
in the form of a beautiful plant. We could also try to post our progress on the websites
blog to show the world our plants we grew all by ourselves. Students privacy will be
protected by posting anonymously with no images of the students, just the plants
What technologies would be required to implement this proposed learning activity in a
classroom?
Videos and internet resources that describe how to care for particular plants. Variations
will be determined by what plants students choose to grow. Here are some links to the
videos that students will viewing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkFPyue5X3Q (How does a plant grow?)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lly75dEbXE8 (Grow your own plants part 1)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kTt4xHHLzk (Grow your own plants part 2)
https://jr.brainpop.com/science/plants/plantlifecycle/
https://jr.brainpop.com/science/plants/partsofaplant/

Describe how the following features are addressed in this learning experience (note: all of them
may not be addressed in the project, but most should be if you are reaching a high LoTi Level.):
a. Collaboration with peers, near-peers, mentors outside their classroom and often
beyond their school: The final products will be photographed and posted on
the kids gardening website blog.
b. Student-centered learning and knowledge creation (collecting original data and or
producing original products as a result of engaging in the project): Students will
grow their own plants of their choosing and conduct their own research on
how to care for their plants. Students will also be collecting their own data
for their plants progress and creating their booklet.
c. Higher-order thinking: Remembering, understanding, analyzing, applying and
creating.
d. Students publishing their original work to others who will use/care about their
product: Their final products can be viewed online at the kidsgardening.org
website blog. Due to students being under the age of 13, their names, school,
classroom, or photo will not be provided.

Blooms Level of Critical Thinking Required (check all that apply):

See http://epltt.coe.uga.edu/index.php?title=Bloom%27s_Taxonomy
Remembering Understanding Applying Analyzing Evaluating Creating
What Level of Technology Implementation best describes this learning activity and Why?
I believe based upon the providing them a choice for picking their own plant, guiding
them to do their own research on their chosen plant, creating a plant from a seed, using
their knowledge and applying it to providing the proper care and maintenance for their
plant, and using other forms of online technology brings this lesson to a LoTi level of 5-
5.5. If we could get posted on the online blog, it could even bring it up to a 6.
How could you implement this proposed learning experience and still comply with your districts
Internet Safety and Student Privacy policies?
Since the students are not using collaborative online sites personally, they avoid any risk
of Internet Safety and Student Privacy Policy violations. The online blog will be summited

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only though the teacher and students information will be left completely anonymous,
which also avoids any risk of Internet Safety and Student Privacy Policy violations.