Where Do Plants Get Their Mass?

Tracey·

Plant Growth

Preview

At a Glance

Grade Level5th Grade

SubjectPlant Growth

Original Prompt

Create an engaging, hands-on lesson plan that helps 5th grade students develop scientific observation and evidence-gathering skills by investigating how plants respond to different environmental conditions. Design direct instruction activities where students can actively manipulate variables like air and water availability while systematically collecting and recording observable evidence of plant growth changes. Focus the lesson on building students' ability to make scientific claims supported b...

This resource focuses on students investigating how plants obtain their growth materials, primarily from air and water. Through the study of the Giant Sequoia, students are encouraged to question traditional beliefs about plant nutrition while learning that the soil contributes only a small fraction of a plant's mass. The resource includes a guided inquiry where students will observe plants under different conditions (Open Air and Restricted Air) and record their observations over a five-day period. Students will engage in sketching their observations, formulating a scientific claim, and supporting it with evidence and reasoning (CER). The exploration aims to help students construct a deeper understanding of plant biology and the fundamental components that contribute to plant growth.