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Session 1: Space to GrowScience curriculum area: Plantsi. explore the requirements of plants for life and growth (air, light, water, nutrients from soil, and room to grow) and how they vary from plant to plantWorking Scientifically (LKS2)i. asking relevant questions and using different types of scientific enquiries to answer themii. setting up simple practical enquiries, comparative and fair testsTeaching ObjectivesTo set up an enquiry to test our theories on what plants need to grow and thrive.To research plant facts using books and the Internet.Key Vocabulary: Plants, growth, light, warmth, air, soil, water, investigate, seedlings, researchResourcesA variety of age appropriate non-fiction books on plant function, growth, structure, etc., access to computers for research, 6 word cards (20 x 6 cm approx.), chunky permanent marker, a few trays of seedlings (beans are ideal – see Teachers’ Notes), compost, 18 medium flowerpots, sticky labels, permanent marker pens, a calendar (to help chn calculate the number of days on the investigation), a copy of the 2 task sheets each and some display shapes if you want to create a display, pens, pencils, felt pens, pencil crayons, scissors, chunky display pens, green photocopy paper and different shades of green tissue paper (if you want to display your plant facts as a beanstalk).Weblinks - A short compilation clip of plants growing that may give chn ideas on what they need to be strong and healthy; – Zinnia’s first message.Whole Class: Before the session read the Teachers’ Notes. You will need to play Zinnia’s first message in a way that leads the chn to think that it has been strangely intercepted by your laptop. Contrive to be doing something else on the computer as the chn settle for the start of the lesson saying something like – Sorry everyone, my laptop is really playing up, I’ll just shut it down so we can begin the lesson. Well that’s strange – what’s this? Play clip. Wow! That is the strangest message I’ve ever heard! If I’m not mistaken we’ve just agreed to become Plant Researchers for an alien! Am I dreaming? Hopefully the chn will reassure you that it was real! So let’s recap on what we know. Gather information from the chn and make notes on the flip chart – something like - Alien called Zinnia from distant Planet Dock 5, wants to set up human hotel on their planet. She needs to know: what plants need to grow strong and healthy; what parts of the plant humans eat; a list of food plants. How can we find out these things? Hopefully chn will suggest different ways they can research, e.g. looking at how plants grow naturally on Earth, setting up investigations/ fair tests, reading books, researching on the Internet. Note all the different research techniques on the flip chart too. Well luckily we were going to begin a science topic on plants today so instead let’s change it into our research project for Zinnia! Let’s begin with Zinnia’s 1st question – What do plants need to become strong and healthy? Write this on a fresh page of the flip chart. Underneath write – We think they need. Has anyone got any ideas? Make a list of suggestions, e.g. water, soil, air, light, space to grow, warmth. Here is a film clip of plants growing –it might help to give us ideas. Show link. If some of the requirements are not forthcoming you could prompt with questions (see Teachers’ Notes). Write each requirement on a separate piece of card so you have 6 cards in all (Light, warmth, soil, air, water, space.) Divide the class into 6 roughly equal mixed ability groups and give each a card. Explain that each group will help Zinnia by setting up an investigation to find how important (or unimportant) their requirement is in the growth of healthy, strong seedlings. As it would be hard for us all to work on the investigation at the same time, half the groups will set up their investigation whilst the other groups do some research into plants. Then we will swap round.Activities:All chn to do both tasks. Support 3 groups on the teacher led investigation then swap round. Bean Seedling Investigation– See Teachers’ Notes for adviceWhat can we do to find out how important your requirement (e.g. light, water) is? Gather ideas. Yes we will need to see if plants can grow without that requirement over a length of time. Discuss how you can control your requirement. How will you know whether it is the lack of light/warmth/soil, etc. that has affected it? Yes, you will need to grow other seedlings to compare it to. You could compare seedlings with plenty of your requirement, a little of it and none at all. Suggest that each group plants 3 seedlings setting up each with a different amount of their requirement. They should label each one with their requirement and also the word None, Some, or Plenty. They should complete a task sheet showing their investigation plan (session resource).Teacher supervisionPlant ResearchIf we are going to give Zinnia advice about growing plants in space, we will need to find out a lot more about them. Use books and the Internet to help you discover interesting facts. Why not make a Did you know…? display Give chn a task sheet to help them get started. IndependentPlenaryGather chn together and share their “Did you know …?” facts. Praise the chn for their outstanding investigational and research skills. Plants are simply amazing aren’t they? What is the most surprising plant fact you have learnt today? Share ideas.OutcomesChildren willBecome Planet Earth plant research experts for an alien called ZinniaDiscuss and decide all the requirements we think plants need to grow strong and healthySet up a plant growth investigation to test our theoriesBegin to take measurements of height and make notes on observationsResearch some interesting plant facts from books and the InternetCreate a display of “Did you know …?” facts ................
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