Botany Unit Lesson Plan

Lesson Title: Basic Plant Anatomy & Photosynthesis

Grade: 7th_

Goals or Objectives:
1) Students will be able to identify parts of a plant on a worksheet.
2) Students will be able to explain the process of how plants receive nutrients with their vascular system.
3) Students will be able to discuss the process of photosynthesis and explain in written form using the
terms learned in the lesson.
Grade Level Guide: Content Standards
NGSS Content Curriculum Focal Common Core State
Points
Standards
LS1.C: Organization for Matter
and Energy Flow in Organisms
PS3.D: Energy in Chemical
Processes and Everyday Life

Interdisciplinary Connections

RST.6-8.3: Follow
precisely a multistep
procedure when carrying
out experiments, taking
measurements, or
performing technical tasks.

Language Arts- Students will be

able to compare and contrast the
different functions of plant
organelles to animal organelles by
using a Venn diagram and then be
able to write a short journal entry
explaining these differences.

WHST.6-8.2: Write
informative/explanatory
texts, including the
narrative of historical
events, scientific
procedures/experiments, or
technical processes.

Chemistry & Math- Although this

is a biology lesson, this connects to
chemistry by its focus on
stoichiometry. The balancing of
equations also relates to math due
to the simple addition of molecules
and counting the right amount for
both the reactants and products of
the chemical equation.

Academic Language: Anatomy, physiology, vascular tissue, xylem, phloem, stomata, photosynthesis,
chloroplast, chlorophyll, oxygen, hydrogen and carbon dioxide.
Students Needs: Students should have already studied the function of cell organelles for both plants
and animals. Students should also have been introduced to atoms and molecules in sixth grade.
Therefore allowing me to explain the photosynthesis equation. Students should also be familiar with the
scientific method.
English Language Learners

Special Needs (can be a

group such as struggling
readers or individuals)

-ELLs will be able to learn

terms from the video that I
will play to introduce the
lecture. If Spanish is the
native language of any of

-Children with any reading

disorder, such as dyslexia
will benefit from me
reading the instructions
aloud. I can even provide a

my students, I will be able

to speak and translate for
them. For the experiment
portion of the period,
pairing the ELL students
with a buddy will allow
them to receive help from
fellow classmates and these
smaller groups will allow
for me to give personalized
and individualized help if
needed.

Materials:
- 8 white daisies or carnations
- 6 beakers
- water
- worksheets
glasses)
- projector

recording of me reading
instructions for the lab
portion to further aide the
student(s).
-Students that have bad
vision or are going blind
will benefit from having the
big to read from and to
have a close up of the cell
structure that may be
difficult for them to see
with a microscope.
-Besides my verbal
direction, students will
have written directions with
visuals if they have a
hearing impairment.
-Assignments during
lecture will be brief and
short to aid to any child
with ADHD/ADD. Besides
shorter assignments, the
ability to work on an
experiment will allow those
children to move around
and have a break during the
transition period.
-

8 celery sticks
food coloring
5 lab coats
- 5 goggles (2 specialized for students w/

MAC projector converter

Risk Management: Due to the fact that this experiment involves glass (beakers and test tubes) the
students will be required to wear goggles and lab coats to protect themselves from glass shards that may
occur in the case of broken glass. Students will be reminded of certain protocols pertaining to
experiments involving glass. I will pass out the beakers and test tubes at the beginning of the experiment
to maintain order and avoid any chance of broken glass. Students will be given freedom to work with
glass and eventually carry their test tube to the test tube rack in the front of the class, however if I feel
that they are not capable of this, I will do it for them.
Language Function: Throughout the class period I will be the example of proper terminology and
English. Before, during and after the experiment I will review the scientific method with the students
and ask them to give me examples of each step pertaining to the experiment. While the students are
answering the questions they will have to incorporate the new terminology from lecture. During the

class period I will ask questions incorporating the academic language such as: What is a hypothesis?
Can someone give me an example of a proper hypothesis that corresponds to our experiment? How
does a plant use vascular tissue to get nutrients? What is the photosynthesis equation? What is the
job of the stomata?
Lesson Plan
Before: At the beginning of class I will ask the children, Do you ever wonder how plants get their
food? We know how we get our nutrients, but do you ever see a plant drinking water or eating its food?
Well today we are going to learn exactly how plants work to get their water and food. And yes this is
important, you will be tested on it, but more importantly, there are treats if you answer a question
correctly. This is where I begin the lesson about plants and their basic anatomy and review their
previous knowledge on plant cells by introducing the Big Book and reviewing the organelles. Then I
will be begin the Prezi and use the Big Book and Prezi together at the proper times.
During: Due to the fact that I will be using a Prezi and I will have treats, I expect to have captured the
students attention. I will begin the lesson by reviewing the parts of a plant, more specifically showing
them a plant cell and reviewing certain functions of a plant cell by asking them What exactly does the
chloroplast do? I will also teach them some basic anatomy of a plant. First by asking them to define
anatomy. Can you name the organs? This is when I will have the students begin part one of the
experiment, in order to allow enough time for results to show. Part one of the experiment will be the
students filling beakers with water and food coloring, then placing a celery stem inside. After this is
finished I will have the students place the celery sticks to the side and will introduce a lesson on
photosynthesis with a video to capture their attention again. So what is the fundamental process we will
be covering today? After the lesson on photosynthesis we will return to the experiment to see the
results and complete their observations.
After: After my lesson about photosynthesis the students will be required to complete the observation
and make a conclusion. Once they are done with the post lab I will ask them, What were you able to
observe in this experiment? Can anyone tell me while using terms from the lesson? Did the
experiment work the way you hypothesized? Why or Why not? Due to the fact that I have treats, I
expect that they will want to answer. Students can think-pair-share (TPS) due to the fact that they will
have worked with a lab partner and can fill out a TPS graphic organizer. There is also another packet
that I will hand out to my students for them to work on as homework which will ask them to make a
Venn Diagram and compare and contrast animal cells and plant cells. This also includes a diagram of
both cells that we will correct the next day so that they can use it as a study guide for the test at the end
of the chapter.
Assessment:
Type of assessment
(formal or informal)

Description of
assessment

Informal/AuthenticIndividual
experiment and

Students are to
complete a lab
packet throughout

Modifications to the
Evaluation Criteria- What
assessment so that
evidence of student learning
all students could
(related to the learning objectives
demonstrate
and central focus) does the
learning
assessment provide?
Students will be
The assessment allows for
able to complete the students to demonstrate their
worksheet due to the knowledge of the material

completion of a lab
packet.

the class period as

we complete the
experiment.

fact that they will be

working in pairs. As
the students are to
be completing the
worksheet I will be
asking them
questions to help
them realize the
correct answers and
I will give them an
example of what I
wrote in my lab
packet. If there is
still confusion the
student can ask their
lab partner or the
teacher.

covered. Students will be able to

put the scientific method into
practice. Lastly, this lesson will
force students to remember
previous knowledge such as plant
cell organelles and their functions,
atoms and molecules and the
ability of energy to change.

Resources:
Lab worksheet (celery experiment):
http://www.teachersnotebook.com/product/traceyschumacher/osmosis-the-colorful-celery-experiment
Photosynthesis WS: http://www.education.com/worksheet/article/photosynthesis/
Youtube Videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=C1_uez5WX1o&feature=share&list=PLln48OYZV9kYfEwR38yuqlXaG6dph6rBI
(extra videos if there is free time)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eo5XndJaz-Y&list=PLln48OYZV9kYfEwR38yuqlXaG6dph6rBI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zafJKbMPA8&list=PLln48OYZV9kYfEwR38yuqlXaG6dph6rBI&feature=share&index=2
Analyzing Teaching: To be completed after the lesson has been taught
What worked?
What didnt? For whom?
Adjustments
What instructional changes do you need to make as
you prepare for your next lesson?

Proposed Changes

Whole class:

If you could teach this lesson again to this group of

students what changes would you make to your
instruction?

Groups of students:
Individual students:

Justification
Why will these changes improve student learning?
What research/theory supports these changes?