Plants

Plants
INTRODUCTION 
This book is available at three reading levels, as indicated by the one, two,
or three dots beside the Science AZ logo on the front cover. In this unit,
the low level book is intended for developing readers.
This guide offers general instructions that can be used with any or all
of the leveled books. When appropriate, tips are provided for modifying
the instruction for a specific level. The dots in this guide indicate elements
of the instruction that are only applicable to certain book levels.
can only be used with low level
can only be used with middle level
can only be used with high level
can be used with low and middle levels
can be used with middle and high levels
can be used with all three levels

BOOK SUMMARY The book Plants introduces several important concepts about plants.
These include what plants need to grow and survive, plant parts and their
functions, where plants live, and how humans and other animals depend
upon plants. Labeled photographs and diagrams support the text.
The low level book explains the similar needs and diverse traits of plants.
Topics include where plants live, their sizes, their needs, their parts, and
the functions of their parts.
The middle level book begins by explaining what plants need to live and
the parts of a plant. It proceeds to explain what the parts of a plant do,
how plant parts can differ, how plants grow, and how animals and humans
depend upon plants.
The high level book begins by explaining the parts of a plant and what
plants need to live. It proceeds to explain what the parts of a plant do, plant
parts that humans use for food, how plants grow, and where plants grow.
This book provides elements of nonfiction text, including a table of contents,
section heads, bold-faced glossary terms, and a glossary.

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NONFICTION BOOK GUIDE PlantsPlants

BEFORE
READING

Preview the book title, cover, and table of contents (high level only) with
students. Ask them to predict what the book will be about. Invite students
to preview the remainder of the book, looking at pictures and captions, as
well as special features, section heads, and the glossary (high level only).
Encourage them to use this information to continually make and revise
their predictions while reading. Invite students to name any plants they
recognize in the book.
This book is most appropriate for students who need more guidance
with reading. You may want to read the book together in a reading
group, and discuss the concepts together. Guide students to look at
the pictures and make connections with the text as they read along
with you.

These books are most appropriate for developing and successful

readers. You may want to have these students read the book
independently, in pairs, or in small groups. Then have students
discuss the concepts and reinforce the content with associated
resources, including vocabulary activities.

Vocabulary
PLANTS

UNIT OVERVIEW

The world is full of many types of plants. Plants have common needs and
parts, but they also differ in many ways. The unit Plants helps students
explore what plants require for survival, how plants grow, how people and
other animals use plants, special types of plants, where different kinds of
plants can be found, and other plant-related topics.

THE BIG IDEA

Many aspects of our lives are affected by, or dependent upon,

plants. In addition to learning about plants, students may gain an
appreciation for the amazing diversity of plant life on Earth and the
extensive roles plants play in their lives.

All books and Quick Reads are available at three reading

levels to facilitate differentiated instruction.
lower reading level
middle reading level
higher reading level

Other topics

Instruction for the units vocabulary terms can be found in the Unit Guide.
It defines core and other key science terms, and suggests resources you
can use to teach vocabulary before, during, or after the reading.

This unit also addresses topics such as: plant-related careers, plant defense
mechanisms, and dangerous plants.

SPARK

This unit spark is designed to get students thinking about the topic and to
generate curiosity and discussion. Throughout the unit, good places to refer
back to the spark are identified with this symbol:

Materials

one living plant

art paper
coloring materials

Activity
Display a plant for all students to see. Invite the class to describe as many
things about the plant as possible. Record responses on butcher paper or
the white board. Once the list is complete, ask students whether there is
anything they would like to learn about the plant. Record their questions to
use for possible future investigations. If desired, you can repeat this activity
with other plants or trees near the school. As an extension, you may wish to
have students compare two or more plants.
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Stage 1

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These terms are found in the glossary of the high level book.


cactus flower 
leaves

roots

seed

stem

Reading Strategy
Ask and Answer Questions
Explain to students that good readers ask questions as they read. Sometimes
they dont quite understand something, or they are curious to learn more
about a topic.
Think-aloud: Asking questions as I read makes me want to keep reading
to find answers. If I find the answers as I read, it makes me feel good.
I might even come up with new questions. If I dont find the answers,
it makes me want to read more or look in other places.
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NONFICTION BOOK GUIDE PlantsPlants

Model asking questions. Read to the whole class from page 7 of the high
level book, and pause to ask the following questions:


Do all plants have roots?

What happens if there is no water in the soil?

What kinds of plants only have one large root?

You may also want to read aloud from the middle and low level books
and continue to model asking similar questions as you read.
Think-aloud: As I was reading, I had a lot of questions. I dont think
this page answers all of them, but now I want to keep reading to see
whether I can find out some of the answers. I know that I may have to
look in other places to find my answers.

Ask and Answer Questions

Name________________________________________ Date_____________
Title or Topic: _______________________________________________________

What I want to know

What I found out

Directions: Before reading, have students draw or write what they want to know about the book or
topic. After reading, have them draw or write what they learned from the text.
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Discuss other ways students can find their answers. But emphasize that
asking questions in their mind makes the reading more interesting, even
if they dont find all the answers.
Download and print the Ask and Answer Questions Graphic Organizer.
The Graphic Organizer can also be used with each of the Quick Reads.

DURING
READING

You may want to review the key science terms in each section before students
read. Encourage students to read one section at a time, and then discuss in
pairs, in groups, or as a class what was read. (See Discussion Questions.)
Using tangible models can help explain concepts and terms. You can bring
in live or artificial plants to have on display as students read. As plant
parts are explained in the text, have students identify them on the plants.
You may wish to have students read the special features in the book to
build on the concepts within each section. Some vocabulary terms can
be reinforced in these features.

Comprehension Skill Focus

Main Idea and Details
Explain to students that authors have a main idea in mind when they write
a book. In many nonfiction books, the title states the main idea. The text
explains more about the main idea. To help readers understand the main
idea, authors include details that give information about the main idea.
Encourage students to identify the main idea (plants) of the book. As
students begin reading, have them pause to point out supporting details
about the main idea, using picture clues as well as by reading the text.
While students read the remainder of the book, encourage them to continue
identifying details and to explain how they relate to the main idea.

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NONFICTION BOOK GUIDE PlantsPlants

Download and print the Main Idea and Details Graphic Organizer. Students
should write plants as the main idea, and then fill in supporting details
from the book.
As students read, they should use other comprehension skills in addition
to main idea and details.

Discussion Questions
Use the Discussion Cards during or after reading. The cards are structured
so they can be used for whole-group discussion, or assigned to individuals,
pairs, or groups. Choose the activity that best serves your purposes. It
may be helpful to allow students to use their books and completed Graphic
Organizers as they try to answer the questions. Here are some suggested
activities:
Divide the class into groups and have each group discuss the questions
from a section of the book. Then have groups report their responses to
the class.
Have all groups discuss all the questions, and then discuss the
similarities and differences among the groups answers.
Place discussion cards at centers and have groups talk about or write
their responses as they rotate through them.
Have each student choose a card and write an answer on the back.
Collect and review these with the whole class.
Assign certain questions to groups or individuals for homework.
Each question can be answered with certain book levels, as noted with
dots in the upper left corner. You may want all students to think about
all the questions, even if their book level is not noted on certain cards.
The book section or topic most closely related to the question appears
on each card. Question types are noted in parentheses.

All questions can be answered with all

three book levels, except where noted.
Only the high level book separates the
content into sections.
Introduction
What
makes all plants the

same? (understanding)
Plant Parts
Name
the parts of a plant.

(remembering)

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the parts on one

Identify

plant pictured in the book.
(applying)
What
are some parts that

make a plant different from
an animal? (analyzing)
What Plants Need
Do
 all leaves look alike? Why
or why not? (analyzing)
How
do plants get water?

(remembering)
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NONFICTION BOOK GUIDE PlantsPlants

What
is the purpose of the

stem? (understanding)
How
do plants get air?


(understanding)
Do trees have stems?

(understanding)
What do plants use

to make their own
food? (remembering)

How can seeds travel from


place to place? (remembering)

Food from Plants

Which plant parts do
people sometimes eat?
(understanding)

Where Plants Grow

What are the best conditions for

plants to grow? (remembering)

Name
three foods that come

from plants. (applying)

AFTER
READING

From Seed to Plant

Why
do plants grow seeds?

(analyzing)
Where
can seeds be found

on a plant? (remembering)
What do seeds need in order

to sprout? (remembering)

What
could be special about

a plant that grows in a cold
or hot place? (analyzing)

Encourage students to reread the book for reinforcement of the content

and for reading fluency.

Reflect on the Reading Strategy: Ask and Answer Questions

Review the strategy of asking and answering questions. Invite students
to share how this strategy helped them understand what they read.

Enduring Understanding
In this book, students have read about the parts of plants, and what plants
need to grow and survive. Discuss the following question with students:


How can you use what you know about plants to grow a vegetable garden?

Home Project
Have students draw a picture of a plant in or around their home. Below
the picture, have them describe how their family takes care of the plant
to give it what it needs.

Assess
Download and print the Unit Quiz.
Use the Nonfiction Retelling Rubric to assess understanding.
Quick Check: For individual or group assessment, have students respond
orally to the following question:

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What are the parts of a plant and what is the purpose of each part?

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