University of Houston

Science for ELLs

Teachers Name: Maria Rodriguez

Basic Lesson Components

Grade Level: 1st grade

Time Estimate: 45 mins - One (Extended) Class Period

Science Content: Plant Parts

Plants: Plants are living organisms with basic needs. Plants have parts that are adapted to get what
they need to survive. Most roots grow underground and absorb water and nutrients that the plant
needs to grow. Roots also anchor the plant. Some roots, called taproots, are thick. Other roots, called
fibrous roots, are thin and spread out. Stems support a plant’s leaves and flowers and improve the
plant’s ability to absorb water and nutrients. Stems such as tree trunks and limbs are woody. Leaves
make most of the food that the plant needs in a process called photosynthesis. The leaves contain
chlorophyll, which enables them to use light energy to combine water and carbon dioxide to make
the plant’s food. Seed-bearing plants are divided into two main groups: flowering plants and
conifers. In flowering plants, seeds are protected by the fruit. In conifers, such as pines and firs,

seeds are unprotected in cones.

TEKS:

SCI.1.10B Identify and compare the parts of plants.

ELPS:

Listening: C2I: Demonstrate listening comprehension of increasingly complex spoken English by

following directions, retelling or summarizing spoken messages, responding to questions and
requests, collaborating with peers, and taking notes commensurate with content and grade-level
needs.

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Speaking: C3H: Narrate, describe, and explain with increasing specificity and detail as more
English is acquired
Reading: C4E: Read linguistically accommodated content area material with a decreasing need for
linguistic accommodations as more English is learned;
Writing: C5G: Narrate, describe, and explain with increasing specificity and detail to fulfill content
area writing needs as more English is acquired.

Vocabulary: Definition: Cognate (T or F):

Seed are the part of a plant that makes new plants. Semilla (F)

Stem are the part that holds up the plant and moves Tallo (F)
food and water through the plant.

Root are the part of the plant that holds it in the soil Raíz (F)
and takes in water and nutrients.

Flower are the part of the plant that will develop the Flor (T)
seeds.

Leaf are the part of a plant that makes food. Hoja (F)

Fruit holds the seeds of a flowering plant. Fruta (T)

Misconceptions:
1. “Plants take in all substances they need to grow through their roots.” Clarification: Plants take in
air and sunlight through their leaves. Water and nutrients are taken in through the roots.
2. “The leaves take in water.” Clarification: Water is taken in through the roots.
3. “Plants get their energy from the soil through roots.” Clarification: Chloroplasts in the plant
absorb the Sun’s energy for use in photosynthesis. Water and nutrients are taken in through the
roots.

Materials/Resources/Technology Needs:
Materials:

Science notebook
Potted plant
Chart paper
markers
Plant parts samples
• Carrot (root)
• Radish (root)
• Collard greens (leaves)
• Celery (stem)
• Lettuce (leaves)

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• Flower
• Household indoor plants

1 gal plastic bag

plastic containers
hand lens
mat
Parts of a plant poster
Did you know a plant has? (handout)
construction paper
index cards
scissors
crayons or colored pencils
Book: Literature selections are listed to use for further reinforcement of the concept. These books can also be
kept in the classroom during the lesson plan cycle for students to read/review during their free time.

What Is A Plant

From Acorn to Oak Tree by Melvin and Gilda Berger

From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons

What is a Plant by Bobbie Kalman

How a Seed Grows by Helen J. Jordan

The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle

Technology:
- Computer with Internet Access (YouTube)
- Smartboard with projector
- Bean Time-Lapse
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w77zPAtVTuI
- BrainPOP Animated Video of Parts of a Plant
https://jr.brainpop.com/science/plants/partsofaplant/

Safety:
- Students personal belongings should be stored in the appropriate place, keeping the
walkways and aisles clear.
- Students should use walking feet in the classroom
- Students should be aware that they will be working collaboratively with other students and
materials.
- Students should be aware that there is not eating of the science materials they will be using.

5E Instructional Procedures
What Teacher Does What Students Do

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Engage Direct students to participate in a
Think-Pair-Share activity that will
lead to discussion.
Teacher will gather students in whole
group on the carpet. Teacher will show
students a potted plant. She will ask
students to brainstorm what they know
about plants. Teacher will allow
students to think about it on their own,
then share their thoughts with a
partner.
Teacher will ask questions such as:
What are the names of the plant parts?
What does each part do? Think about
what you already know about plants.
Discuss your ideas with your partner.
Student pairs participate in Think-Pair-
Share activity.
Students are sitting in whole group on the
carpet.
Students should take a couple seconds to
think and wait for teachers signal to engage
in a think-pair-share. At the teachers signal,
students are sharing with each other.
Students are actively participating and
answering the teacher’s questions.
Students think about what are some things
they would like to further know about plants
to add to the KWL chart.

Teacher will do hand signal for

students to turn and talk to their
partner.

Teacher will remind students of

expectations such as: raise your hand
quietly if you want to share and wait
for me to call on you. When someone
else if talking we are showing them
respect by being quiet and listening to
them

Have students raise their hands and

share their response.

Teacher will write students thoughts on

an KWL chart to record prior
knowledge. Time: 5 minutes

Teacher will then ask student to think

about what are some things they want
to learn about plants to fill in the KWL
chart.

After the teacher has taken student

responses, she will tell students that as

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 they learn more about plants in this
lesson, they will add additional
information.

The teacher and students will have a

discussion and teacher will then
transition them to the explore activity.

Teacher will use a timer to manage

time.

Explore Direct students to work Students will be working together to

collaboratively in an investigation identify the different parts of plants
regarding the parts of plants. (roots, stems, leaves, flower).

Teacher will cut up the parts of a plant Students should listen to teacher directions
such as: and then ask any questions they may have.

• Carrot (root)
• Radish (root)
• Collard greens (leaves)
• Celery (stem)
• Lettuce (leaves)
• Flower
• Household indoor plants

Teacher will divide the class into

groups of 3-5 students and will each
have a designated area.

Teacher will select a student from each

table to be a materials manager.
Teacher will ask the selected student to
collect the plastic “lab bag” (with the
plant sample) to bring to their table
groups.

Teacher will put the four labeled

containers (roots, stems, leaves, and
flowers) in an open area where students
will be able to access easily. Teacher
Once all directions have been received and
will read the labels on the containers so
that the students know what each label understood, students will be assigned to
groups of 3-4 and may move to their
says.
designated area to work collaboratively once
teacher calls on their group color.

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Teacher will explain to students that
their task is to sort the plants they have
by their parts. Everyone in the group is
responsible for observing the plant. Students should begin their collaborative
Teacher will tell students to use the work by talking about their observations and
hand lens to get an up-close look at the trying to sort the plant samples.
plant part.

Remind students of expectations for
working in groups and handling
classroom materials (i.e. staying in
their group, voice level, respecting one
another, classroom property, walking,
etc.)
After all directions, instructions and
expectations have been given, put
students into their groups. Allow them
to move to their designated area once
their group number has been called.
Once students have decided what plant part
is which one, students will wait for teacher
signal to present to the whole class.
Students will then observe all the plant parts
and see what similarities and differences
they have. Students will record their
observations in their interactive notebook.
Time: 15 minutes

Walk around the classroom,

monitoring student behaviors as well as
listening to student discussion and
collaborative efforts.

Once everyone has sorted the plant

parts in their small groups have them
record their answers in their science
interactive notebook. Students should
draw out each plant they chose for each
group. Then the Teacher will say:
Each group member should hold one
plant part in their hand. When I say the
name of a plant part, the person
holding that part should come up and
place the part in the appropriate
container.

Teacher will say the name of the four

different plant parts, one at a time.
Allow students to place the part into
the container. Teacher will not make
any corrections at this time.

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After all parts have been sorted, have
students sit in the area where they can
observe the contents of the containers.

Teacher will start with the container

labeled Roots. She will empty the parts
from the container onto the mat on the
floor. She will spread out the plant
parts for students to observe. Have
students discuss the similarities and
differences students see among the
roots that they see. Ideas should be
recorded in the classroom science
notebook. Teacher will follow the same
steps with the Stem, Leaves, and
Flower.

After all, four have been observed,

teacher will leave the discussion open.

NOTE: Questioning may be needed to

prompt student thinking if many
groups appear off-task or off-track.
Prompting may include:

• How did you decide to group

the plant parts? Why?
• What parts can you observe and
identify on your plant?
• What do you notice about the
roots? Stems? Leaves?
• What do you observe that is the
same on all of the roots, stems,
and leaves? What is different?
• Where do you see these parts
on the whole plant?
• What questions do you have
about these plant parts?

After the discussion is over teacher will

say: Plants are systems made up of
different parts that help them perform a
job. Each part has a specific job to do.
The parts work together as a system to
help the plant grow.

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 Teacher will use a timer to manage
time.
Explain New discoveries should be made as
the learning objective is introduced,
content information is presented
and/or clarified, and any
misconceptions are explained.
Student groups will offer insight,
observations, and explanations of plant
parts, in a whole group setting through
verbal discussion, prompting instructional
content.

Students will come back into whole group

Teacher gather students on the carpet, setting and each group will explain their
in whole group and will remind observations and discoveries that they made
students of their carpet expectations throughout their previous activity.
and when someone is sharing/talking.

Teacher will distribute one of the pages

of the Handout: Parts of a Plant
Poster to each group. The plant on the
poster is a sunflower. There will be a Students listen carefully to what teacher is
root group, stem group, leaves group, reading and try to identify what group goes
and flower group. Teacher will read the with the corresponding information being
Handout: Did You Know a Plant Has read.
Parts? as a whole class activity. Each
section of the book will introduce a
plant part. After each introduction, the
teacher should ask the class which
group thinks they have that part of the
plant.

The first section is the roots of the

plant. Ask: Which group thinks they
have a picture of roots? Teacher will
select one person from that group to
bring the part of the poster to her.
Teacher should help the student place
the part of the poster to be displayed.

The teacher should discuss with

students the important ideas from the
booklet about that part of the plant and
connect it to their previous activity.

• Root: holds the plant in place and

takes in water and nutrients from the
soil.

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 • Stem: holds the plant up, moves
water and nutrients through the
plant.
• Leaf: makes food for the plant
• Flower: produces new seeds
• Fruit: holds the seeds

NOTE: Guiding questions may be

needed to prompt student thinking if
observation and insight offered by
students is limited. Prompting may
include:

• What are the parts of a plant?

• What is the function of a seed?
Root? Leaf? Stem? Flower?
• How are some plant parts alike?
How are some parts different?

** The teacher states the learning OBJECTIVE: SWBAT Identify and

objective at this point in the lesson. compare the parts of plants.

Time: 10 minutes

Elaborate Direct students to watch the video
and observe what happens.
Teacher will tell students that now that
they have identified the parts of a plant
and their functions, they will now
watch a time lapse video of how a plant
grows.
Students will be observing how a plant
grows and observe and identify the parts
of the plant.
Students will remain in whole group and
should wait for teacher instructions. Once
instructions are given students will transition
to their tables.

Teacher will have students sit back at

their desk and prepare to watch the
video. Teacher will have students to
take their science journal out so that
they can take notes of their
observations throughout the video.
Teacher will tell students to pay close
attention and notice what happens
during the video. What parts can they
identify and what are their purpose.
The students will watch an online video on
the Smartboard. As they watch the video,
students should make observations and
connections about what they see in the video.
Students will also identify the parts of the
plant they observe.
Students should be actively participating and
adding their ideas, input, observations, and
connections they made from the video to

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 have an open discussion and continue to add
The teacher will then display an online to the KWL chart.
video from the computer onto the
Smart Board for students to view. Time: 10 minutes

The teacher should play the video for

students to view and use as a
reinforcement as to what they have
learned during previous activities and
to add to their learning. As the video
plays, the teacher will stop the video to
ask students questions.

0:13 What part of the plant do you

think this is? Why?
0:28 What do you notice is happening?
Why do you think this?
0:41 What do you think is going to
happen next?
1:00 What other part of a plant do you
notice now?
1:44 What do you notice is happening
to the plant? What differences or
similarities do you see?

After watching the video, the teacher

will gather student’s attention back to
the KWL chart and fill out the learned
portion of it.

Teacher will ask students to share what

where somethings they learned from
the lesson.

Evaluate Teacher will direct students to Students will independently complete an

complete an exit ticket to summarize exit ticket.
learning.
Students will have to create a drawing of a
plant with all the parts included and labeled.
Students will be given paper to create a
picture of a plant that include (root,
stem, flower, fruit, and seed) and that is The students exit ticket will be picked up by
labeled. the teacher to check student comprehension
at the conclusion of the lesson.

Time: 10 minutes

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Sample Anchor chart

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