| | Experiments with Plants — Teacher Tips |
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The timetable on p.4 of your teacher's guide gives a helpful view for planning your unit. Note that lessons 12, 13, 14, and 15 may be given at any time, not just at the end of the unit. Also note suggestions for a science center on p. 6 of the TG. There are exciting and unlimited projects, extensions, assessments, homework ideas, and activities that can be added to your unit. You can offer these as you see fit, keeping in mind that a) some students will be absorbed throughout the entire period merely recording detailed observations, b) others will be through in ten minutes, and c) there are periods of time, e.g. period while plants are taken off water, when there will be very little to do.
It is well worth your time to read the Teacher's Guide before you do each lesson. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the concept of a scientific experiment before you begin the lessons.
Collect pre-post information (see TG7). The drawing of a flowering plant will be amazingly revealing to the students as they compare their knowledge at the end of the unit, especially if you teach the following skills with their studies: a) label on the outside of your drawing, not on top of it, and b) always label on horizontal lines.
The first step of a scientific experiment is RESEARCH. The reading selections are important, and you may want to add supplemental information at this point so that the students have in mind what to look for before they begin the actual experiment. You will see from the pretest drawings that the children have very little idea of the reproductive parts of a plant, germination, or functions of roots, stems, leaves, etc.--or even the life cycle of a plant.
Be sure, also, that you have in mind a way to organize the data and information that the students will be collecting. Here are three systems that have been used previously:
1. All information sheets, worksheets, quizzes, data, etc. are kept in binder. Teacher guides students in keeping a running "Table of Contents" sheet so that they can keep all papers in chronological order.
2. An 8 1/2" X 11" spiral workbook is use to hold all work in the unit. All supplementary papers are glued into the workbook in chronological order; all records are written directly on its pages.
3. Daily records are written into old, used spiral workbooks to help keep data together and in order. Supplementary papers are kept in whatever filing system you normally use. At end of unit, students insert torn-out spiral pages and other papers into pocket folders that have three-hole built-in paper fasteners. Papers are organized into sections: Background Information and Notes; Raw Data; and Assessment. A photo of the student's group and presentation poster is affixed to the front.
Do the students know what to look for as they make their daily observations? A helpful "bookmark" can be run off on tagboard to remind them of items to count, measure, observe, and vocabulary to use as they record each day. See TG page 35, figure 3-1 for ideas; use vocabulary from throughout the unit.
Planting Day. It is important that you 1) have lighting and watering systems up and running before you start. and 2) have thoroughly dampened the potting soil before you plant according to directions in the TG. Otherwise, the water will run through or off the soil, your loosened seed coats will dry, harden, and refuse to germinate.
 Experiments
with Plants
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