Mini-Unit Plan Katie Holmes

Grade 4 Science: Plant Growth and Changes Mini-Unit Plan

Katie Holmes
November 6th, 2019

Program Description and Rationale

The purpose of the science program of study is to encourage and stimulate student curiosity
by encouraging students to investigate their surroundings in our rapidly changing world.
Learning about science provides students with the confidence to ask questions, seek answers,
define problems, and find solutions. By engaging in scientific inquiry and problem solving
through technology, students will learn to understand and interpret the world around them. 20
years from now, my former students may not necessarily remember the exact facts they
learned, but rather the strategies used to interpret the world around them and continue to use
these strategies to understand everyday science. These strategies are the two skills emphasized
by the science program of study; scientific inquiry and problem solving through technology. The
science program of study is important because it provides a framework for the natural curiosity
of students to guide them in their exploration and understanding.

The “big ideas” associated with the Plant Growth and Changes unit are recognizing the
purpose of plants, what parts they are comprised of, what they need to survive, and what they
can be used for. The Plant Growth and Changes unit in grade 4 science holds importance for
students because not only are we surrounded by nature, but plants are a topic of study that is
greatly built upon from grade 1 until post-secondary studies. Grade 4 students learning this unit
will already have a basic understanding of concepts from the Needs of Animals and Plants unit
from the first grade. Students will be familiar with the requirements plants need to maintain life
and the ways in which plants and animals depend on each other; these concepts will directly tie
into the specific learner outcomes 4-10.11 relating to seed distribution and 4-10.4 relating to
requirements for growth. Both of these outcomes are addressed and assessed in my lesson
plans to follow. It is my intention to bring the Plant Growth and Changes unit to life for fourth
grade students by connecting the concepts to relatable things in their own world. In the three
lesson plans I designed, I make an effort to give students ownership over the plants they will
nurture, emphasize the ways in which we rely on plants for items we use every day, and
encourage students to research the plants they are surrounded by, like Alberta crops. These
relevant learning activities support engagement through a variety of modalities including hands-
on investigations, research using educational technology, speaking, listening, and representing.
As opposed to the Building Devices and Vehicles that Move unit in grade 4, which is primarily
focused on problem solving through technology, the Plant Growth and Changes unit emphasizes
science inquiry, the process of finding answers to questions. I recognized the importance of this
skill while creating my lesson plans by using investigative and experimental strategies to engage
students in their learning.

For this mini-unit plan, I consulted a few sources. Primarily, I used the Alberta 1-6 science
program of study. The program of study allowed me to choose my grade, unit topic, and the
Mini-Unit Plan Katie Holmes

general learner outcomes and specific learner outcomes I wanted to address. I also looked at
the Plant Growth and Changes resource written by the Edmonton Public Schools District, solely
for inspiration in my activities. The book “Flip, Float, and Fly. Seeds on the Move” by JoAnn Early
Macken and the whiteboard resource interactive activity “Where do Plants Live?” by Caroline
Hutchinson were both located in the University of Lethbridge curriculum laboratory. Finally, I
found the idea of ‘Message in a Bottle’ exit slips from The Owl Teacher and adapted it as my
own while giving the source credit.

Essential Question: What importance does the structure and function of plants hold for both
the environment and humans?

Three lesson plans

Plant Growth and Changes Lesson Plan #1

Date
Teacher Name Ms. Katie Holmes 3/11/2019
(DD/MM/YYYY)
Subject Area Science Grade 4
45 minutes
(classroom Garden
Topic Plant Growth and Changes Time/Duration
ongoing until end of
unit)
General Learner 4-10. Demonstrate knowledge and skills for the study, interpretation, propagation
Outcome(s) and enhancement of plant growth.
Taken from Alberta
Program of Studies

2. Identify and describe the general purpose of plant roots, stems, leaves and
flowers.

4. Recognize that plant requirements for growth; i.e., air, light energy, water,
nutrients and space; vary from plant to plant and that other conditions; e.g.,
temperature and humidity; may also be important to the growth of particular
Specific Learner plants.
Outcome(s)
Taken from Alberta 9. Nurture a plant through one complete life cycle – from seed to seed.
Program of Studies

10. Describe the care and growth of a plant that students have nurtured, in
particular:
• identify the light, temperature, water and growing medium requirements of the
plant
• identify the life stages of the plant
• identify the reproductive structures of the plant
Mini-Unit Plan Katie Holmes

Students will be able to: (one key verb in each objective)

Learning 1) Label various plant parts including plant roots, stems, leaves, and reproductive parts.
Objectives 2) Describe the purpose of all plant parts.
What do you want your 3) Care for a plant throughout its life cycle, from seed to seed.
students to learn? 4) Hypothesize outcomes of plant survival in environments lacking requirements for growth.
5) Explain conditions necessary for plant growth including temperature, sunlight, and water.
1. Discussion about significance of plants in our lives. (formative)
Assessment 2. Appropriate labelling of plant parts. (summative)
How will you know your
3. Observation logs (concrete hypothesis, daily drawing and observation notes) (summative)
students have learned?

 44 Seeds (22 basil and 22 mint)

 Soils
 Water
 Oxygen
 22 plastic cups
 20 Observation logs
 Ruler
 Pencils
Materials  Fully grown basil plant
What resources will you
need?
 Fully grown mint plant
 Drawn basil plant with parts labelled
 Drawn mint plant with parts labelled
 One piece of bread
 A cotton shirt
 A Banana
 A piece of paper
 Aspirin

Teacher Actions:
I will bring in 5 items that are made from plants (a piece of bread, a cotton shirt, a banana, a piece
of paper, and aspirin). During a 7 minute class discussion, I will identify and confirm the plant
origin of each item and discuss the ways we use plants every day.

Ex. “This aspirin pill is often found in a medicine cabinet. Some adults take Aspirin to prevent heart
attacks. Did you know Aspirin is extracted from the bark of willow?”

Ask students if they can point out any items in our classroom that are derived from plants.
Introduction
(8 minutes) “So many things that we use and eat everyday are made from plants. They play an important role
in our lives. Please raise your hand if you can spot anything in our class that is made from plants.”
Ex. Wood furniture made from maple or oak trees.

*Confirm plant origin of items students suggest in classroom*

Student Actions:
-Students will actively engage in class discussion regarding plants in our lives.

Transition Details:
Mini-Unit Plan Katie Holmes

“Now that you recognize the importance of plants in our lives, we will be taking a closer look at
our classroom garden to see what is important in the lives of plants. Our classroom garden consists
of basil and mint plants – both are plants you can eat!”
Classroom Garden: Observation Logs
Teacher Actions
1. Dump some soil in each of the plastic cups and plant 2 seeds (of the same type, either 2
basil or 2 mint) per pot to make sure they grow. Plant basil seeds in half the pots and mint
seeds in the other.
2. Label the cups with the correct plant name (basil or mint)
3. Put all the plastic cups together in a room under a light and water them for 2 weeks to
allow them to germinate and start growing (allow students to observe this process to
demonstrate importance of germination stage).
4. After 2 weeks, measure the vertical growth of the plants with a ruler *by now, the plants
should be ready to use with the students*.
5. Record starting measurement of each plant and label each plant with their starting
vertical height.
6. Divide the cups into four groups (5 without sun, 5 without water, 5 outside, 5 inside).
7. Keep two “class plants’ aside in ideal conditions (exposure to sunlight, room temperature,
watered daily)
8. Assign a plant to each student to be responsible for watering (students assigned to the no
water group can take turns watering the ‘class plants’ living in ideal conditions.
9. Continue to water all plants daily (except the no water group).

“I have set up a classroom garden made of basil and mint plants. The plants have just past the
Body germination stage and are entering the growth stage. To recognize the importance of
(Activity #1 - 12 requirements for plant growth, I have split the plants up into 4 groups – one group will not be
exposed to the sun, one group will not be watered, one group will live outside, and one will live
minutes)
inside by the window. For the duration of our Plant Growth and Changes unit, we will spend 5
Observation logs minutes each day recording our observations about the plants.”
are ongoing
throughout unit) “What do you think is going to happen to each group of plants? Write a hypothesis using the
‘if_____, then____” format and predict the survival and growth of each plant group”.

-Explain observation log books

“In your log books, I will be looking for 3 things – a pencil drawn picture of one plant from each
group, the measurement of each plant you’ve drawn, and a few written observations about
anything that stands out to you. If you notice the stage of life changing perhaps from growth to
reproduction, this is something that should be recorded. Please give me a thumbs up if you
understand”.

*students give thumbs up* if any student gives a thumbs down, answer any questions they have
about the observation log book for clarification.

Student Actions:
-Write a hypothesis on what you think is going to happen to the plants lacking survival
requirements (using if______ , then_____ format).
-Continue watering plants each day (except one without water) and once a day measure the size of
the plant with a ruler, and also the angle from vertical at which the main stalk of the plant is
growing.
-Record observations in observation log each day (observations will include a 2-3 visual
observation jot notes and a picture drawn with pencil only)
Mini-Unit Plan Katie Holmes

Assessment Evidence
-Ability to write a concrete hypothesis (using If_____ , then______ format)
-Detailed and thoughtful observation logs (including daily picture drawn in pencil, daily
measurement, and daily observation jot notes)
-Ability to care for plants by watering each day.

Transition Details
Once students have all written their predictions, I will show them what the healthy basil and mint
plants will look like after they are fully grown.

“Now we will be looking at two healthy basil and mint plants to see what purpose each of their
parts holds.”

Plant Parts Labelling

Teacher Actions
-Present the fully grown basil and mint plants to the students.
-Ask students to draw picture of the plant in their observation logs and label parts. (roots, leaves,
stem, reproductive parts etc.)

Body “Here I have a two fully grown mint and basil plants. Please choose one plant you would like to
draw with pencil in your observation log and correctly label each part of the plant including the
(Activity #2 - roots, leaves, stem and reproductive parts.”
20 minutes)
Student Actions
-Draw picture of plant (in pencil).
-Label plant parts correctly.
-Write the purpose of each plant part (no more than one sentence).

Assessment Evidence:
-Plant drawing is correctly labelled and the purpose of each part is correctly described.
Assessment -Following completion of their plant parts drawing, I will present to the students my drawings of
Evidence / the mint and basil plants with their parts correctly labelled. I will review the correct labelling and
Closure / purpose of each part with the class.
Consolidation of
Learning -At the end of the unit, the students will have completed their observation logs. As a class, we will
have a discussion about what we noticed among the 4 plant groups exposed to different
(5 minutes) conditions and I will explain the importance of oxygen, sunlight, water, and appropriate
temperature for plants.
Mini-Unit Plan Katie Holmes

Roots: Supports plant and takes in water and nutrients soil.

Stem: Supports leaves and transports water and nutrients from soil.
Leaves: Absorbs sunlight, gives off oxygen.
Seed: Produces new plant.

Lesson Plan #1 Rationale:

Inquiry Question: What does a plant require for the enhancement of its growth?

For this lesson, I chose to address SLO’s 4-10.2, 4-10.4, 4-10.9, and 4-10.10. These
outcomes emphasize the purpose of plant parts and what plants require for survival. To begin
the lesson, I wanted to pique student interest by addressing the important role plants play in
our lives, specifically how plants contribute to the foods we eat and the items we use. I will
show the students 5 items (cotton shirt, aspirin, piece of paper, piece of bread, and a banana)
and discuss the plant origin of all the items to demonstrate the significance of plants in our
lives. This is a good leeway into our ‘Classroom Garden’ consisting of basil and mint, both edible
plants. The classroom garden will be examining 4 variables, sunlight, water, and temperature.
Students will have the opportunity to strengthen their scientific inquiry skills by forming
predictions through a well-structured hypothesis. In student observation logs, students will
include measurements, jot notes, and a drawing of their daily observations. The drawing and
writing modalities provide differentiation for students who can better demonstrate their
knowledge with a drawing. Students will demonstrate ability to care for a plant from seed to
seed by watering the plants each day and further recognizing the importance of sunlight, water,
oxygen, and appropriate temperature – this provides students with a sense of ownership and
responsibility of their learning, in turn creating a positive learning environment. I will assess
Mini-Unit Plan Katie Holmes

students on their scientific inquiry skills in making a well-structured hypothesis, and their
thoughtfulness and accuracy in their observation logs. In addition, correct labelling of plant
parts and their purpose is also a way I will perform summative assessment. Formative
assessment during this activity includes participation in the discussion about the importance of
plants in our lives and checking for understanding before moving forward.

Plant Growth and Changes Lesson Plan #2

Date
Teacher Name Miss Holmes 03/11/2019
(DD/MM/YYYY)
Subject Area Plant Growth and Changes Grade 4
Topic Seed Dispersal and Plant Propagation Time/Duration 45 minutes
4-10. Demonstrate knowledge and skills for the study, interpretation, propagation
General Learner and enhancement of plant growth.
Outcome(s)
Taken from Alberta
Program of Studies

8. Describe ways that various flowering plants can be propagated, including from
seed, from cuttings, from bulbs and by runners.
Specific Learner
11. Describe different ways that seeds are distributed; e.g., by wind, by animals;
Outcome(s)
Taken from Alberta and recognize seed adaptations for different methods of distribution.
Program of Studies

Learning Students will be able to:

Objectives 1. Classify the 4 ways of seed dispersal
What do you want your 2. Design a model to spread seeds around the classroom
students to learn? 3. Describe ways plants and animals depend on each other
1. Design of model (whether it effectively transports seeds or not, I will address that not all
Assessment experiments are effective the first time around) (summative)
How will you know your
2. Active participation in discussion and collaboration with partners. (formative)
students have learned?
3. Message in a bottle exit slips (formative)
 ‘Flip, Float, and Fly. Seeds on the Move’ by JoAnn Early Macken picture book
 Sunflower seeds (no shell, 200+)
 Burrs
 Paper flower
Materials  Stuffed bear
What resources will you  Paper plates (20)
need?  Popsicle sticks (40)
 Pipe cleaners (40)
 Felt strips
 Feathers
 Paper cups
Mini-Unit Plan Katie Holmes

 Yarn
 Message in a bottle exit slips (20)
Read: ‘Flip, Float, and Fly. Seeds on the Move’ by JoAnn Early Macken. (this book will take 7
minutes to read)

Hold class discussion regarding ways students have observed seed distribution and ways
Introduction “Think about the ways the book described how seeds are distributed. Do people plant dandelions?
(10 minutes) How do animals play a role in the moving of seeds? Discuss your thoughts with a partner.”

- Write student ideas on the whiteboard and list alternative ways not discussed yet. Here I will start
a chart on the whiteboard so all students can refer back to it indicating the 4 ways of seed
dispersal (wind, gravity, water, and animals) and fill in this chart throughout the lesson.
Demonstrating How Seeds Travel
Teacher Actions
- Prior to introducing the model design, I will provide students with an example of a fake flower
(with sunflower seeds inside) model I created. I will blow on the flower as I move around the
classroom and let the seeds fall to the ground to represent wind dispersal. I will also stick
burrs onto a stuffed dog and let them fall as I move the stuffed dog around the classroom to
represent how animals move seeds.

I will encourage students to think about how plants and animals depend on each other.
- “Can you think of any ways other animals move seed for plants? How do seeds travel without
the help of animals?”
- I will continue to fill in the whiteboard chart throughout the discussion.
Body
(5 minutes) - Student Actions
- Actively engages and participate in classroom discussion about how seeds travel by wind, water,
animals, and gravity.

- Assessment Evidence
- I will listen for correct suggestions regarding relationship between plants and animals and
examples of the 4 ways of seed dispersal.

- Transition Details
- Check for understanding – “Give me a thumbs up or a thumbs down depending on how
confident you feel in building a model for seed transport”
- I will visit any students who gave me a thumbs down to clarify their understanding.

Creating a Model to Transport Seeds

- Teacher Actions
o Place students in pairs
o Provide each group of students with pipe cleaners, popsicle sticks, paper plates, sunflower
seeds, felt, feathers, etc. I will place an emphasis on using recycled materials.
o Remind students that effective models require planning. “Each pair will have 5 minutes to
Body
create an oral plan as to how you will build your model”.
(25 minutes)
- Student Actions
o Discuss how they will build they model and what materials are required
o Determine how their model will transport seeds (mechanically, by wind, by water, or by
animal)
Mini-Unit Plan Katie Holmes

- Assessment Evidence
o Students use a variety of materials to create their model – models must move seeds either by
wind, water, mechanically, or by animal.
o I will walk around the room while the students are building their models and have
conversations with them to determine how their models will transport seeds.
o As a class, students in pairs will gather at the front of the room to test their model in its ability
to transport seeds.

- Transition Details
-Congratulate students on their creativity.
-Remind students whose models failed to transport seeds that not all experiments are effective
the first time.
Assessment  Message in a Bottle Exit Slips: students will complete a “message in a bottle exit slip” – it reads,
Evidence / “Messages in bottles are often used to transport messages via bodies of water. You just
received a message in a bottle regarding todays lesson on seed dispersal. It is asking you to list
Closure /
the four ways seeds are dispersed?”
Consolidation of  I will review student responses looking for the 4 correct answers (wind, water, animals, gravity)
Learning  Any student responses evidently lacking understanding will be addressed individually.
(5 minutes)

Lesson Plan #2 Rationale:

Inquiry Question: What role do the methods seed dispersal play in the environment?

The purpose of this lesson was to effectively address SLO’s 4-10.8 and 4-10.11. The
primary focus of these SLO’s is seed dispersal and plant propagation. I chose to introduce this
topic by reading a book called ‘Flip, Float, and Fly. Seeds on the Move’ written by JoAnn Early
Macken and illustrated by Pam Paparone. This book covers a variety of seeds from different
plants and the various ways they can travel for plant reproduction. This activity will encourage
students to start thinking about seed dispersal and will cater to visual and auditory learners.
One of the main reasons I chose this book is because of it’s detailed, life like illustrations of
seeds. Following the read-aloud, I will record any seeds mentioned in the book and record it on
a chart identifying the 4 ways of seed dispersal (wind, water, gravity, animals). This ongoing
visual reminder in the form of a chart, serves purpose for students who require guidance in
their learning. In my lesson plan, I mentioned that I will ask students to discuss the ways they’ve
observed seeds travelling and discuss with a partner. I will record any observations the students
Mini-Unit Plan Katie Holmes

suggest to the class. Following my introduction, I will show students a fake flower that releasing
sunflower seeds as I blow on it and a stuffed bear covered in burrs. These examples of seed
dispersal by wind and animals are good visual and kinesthetic examples of the models the
students will soon be asked to create. Before moving on to the activity that involves building a
model for seed dispersal, I plan to ask students to give me a thumbs up to show that they are
confident in their knowledge of the topic before moving on. Checking for understanding allows
me to know that all students are on the same page. I will then place students in pairs, creating
an opportunity for relatedness and collaboration, and provide each pair of students with a
variety of materials to make a model for seed transport. I am placing a major emphasis on using
mostly recycled materials to demonstrate the importance of environmental conservation, as
Waste in our World is another important unit in the grade 4 science program of studies. Using
the recycled materials listed in the lesson plan, students will build a model to disperse seeds
using one of the four ways. By giving students choice with what materials they can use and
what method they want to demonstrate, students will feel a greater sense of autonomy in their
learning. Students who prefer more of a challenge have the opportunity to create a detailed
model. I will assess students on their effort and ideas while creating the model. I won’t assess
students on whether their model is effective or not as a reminder that not all experiments are
effective the first time around. Making predictions and conducting experiments is linked to the
scientific inquiry skill in the science program of study. Finally, students will complete “message
in a bottle” exit slips to conclude the lesson. Here students will recall the four ways seeds are
dispersed. I can use this exit slip as a tool for formative assessment to ensure all students are
ready to move on to the next lesson.

Plant Growth and Changes Lesson Plan #3

Date
Teacher Name Miss. Katie Holmes 03/11/2019
(DD/MM/YYYY)
Subject Area Science Grade 4
Topic Plant Growth and Changes Time/Duration 45 minutes

General Learner 4-10. Demonstrate knowledge and skills for the study, interpretation, propagation and
Outcome(s) enhancement of plant growth.
Taken from Alberta
Program of Studies

1. Describe the importance of plants to humans and their importance to the

natural environment. Students who meet this expectation should be able to give
Specific Learner examples of plants being used as a source of food or shelter, and be aware of the
Outcome(s) role plants play in the environment; e.g., preventing erosion, maintaining oxygen.
Taken from Alberta
Program of Studies
3. Describe common plants, and classify them on the basis of their characteristics
and uses
Mini-Unit Plan Katie Holmes

6. Recognize that a variety of plant communities can be found within the local
area and that differences in plant communities are related to variations in the
amount of light, water and other conditions.

Students will be able to:

Learning 4. Describe the significance of local crops to humans and the environment
Objectives 5. Compare and contrast local crops based on characteristics and uses
What do you want your 6. Express the importance of suitable conditions for plant growth.
students to learn?
7. Identify the importance of local plants to indigenous ways of knowing .
Assessment 8. Research of assigned crop (formative)
How will you know your
9. Presentation – must correctly address all 3 questions (summative)
students have learned?
 Computer access for each student
 Smart board
Materials  ‘Where Do Plants Live’ by Caroline Hutchinson
What resources will you
need?
 White board
 Dry erase marker
 Internet
Use whiteboard resource ‘Where do Plants Live?’ by Caroline Hutchinson
-Play interactive story on smartboard and read it aloud with class. Hold discussion about the
various types of plants in different areas (ex. Lotus flower grows on water, bamboo plant grows on
Introduction land)
(7 minutes)
“In Alberta, we are surrounded by many crops including wheat, barely, rye, oats, canola, special
crops such as corn or sugar beets, and forage crops. What importance do these crops hold for us
and our environment? We will be conducting some research on this topic to find out.”
Researching Crops
o Teacher Actions
o Place students in 7 groups of 3.
o Assign a crop to each group (rye, barley, wheat, oats, canola, corn, and forage crops
(grasses/legumes).
o “Each group will have 20 minutes to conduct research on their assigned crop. You have access
to the internet. After the 20 minutes is up, each group will do a 1.5 minute oral presentation
on their crop. No visuals are necessary, this presenting is just oral”.
o Your presentation will consist of 3 main aspects: where and what conditions (temperature/
soil) does your crop grow best in? What is your crop used for? (food/materials/role in
environment). What importance does your crop hold for indigenous peoples? Use these
Body
questions to guide your research. TIP: assign one question to each member of your group and
(22 minutes) remember that Wikipedia is not a reliable source. Instead, check the references at the bottom
of the Wikipedia page for more reliable sources.”
o I will write the 3 research questions on the whiteboard to guide students during their
research.
o Check for understanding: “Does everyone understand what they will be presenting on? Give
me a thumbs up if you’re ready to research”.
- I will remind students of the time throughout the 20 minutes so they stay on track.

Note: This activity must be performed in a computer lab or a classroom with laptop access so
every student can access the technology.
- Student Actions
Mini-Unit Plan Katie Holmes

- Students will actively engage in the research process using the three questions I provided as a
guide.
- Students will gain knowledge of the conditions their crop grows best in, describe the
importance of the crop to humans and the environment, and relate their knowledge of the crop
to indigenous ways of knowing.
- Assessment Evidence
- I will look for collaboration during the research process
- I will check that students are using reliable websites to conduct their research
- I will make sure students are following the three research questions and taking notes
- Transition Details
o At the 15 minute mark, I will remind students that the presentations will begin in 5 minutes. I
will ask the students to start putting the laptops away if we are in the classroom or if we are in
the computer lab, I will tell students that we are leaving soon.
Farmer Friends: Presenting the Importance of Crops
- Teacher Actions
o I will assign a presentation order for each group to present (1. Rye, 2. Barley, 3. Wheat, 4.
Oats, 5. Canola, 6. Corn, 7. Forage)
o I will remind students that they have 1.5 minutes to present and they must cover each of the
three research questions we discussed previously.
o “Make sure that you are writing jot notes about each crop when they are being presented on
so you can see the similarities and differences between them.
- Student Actions
o Each group will spend 1.5 minutes presenting on their crop indicating its ideal conditions for
Body
growing, what importance it has to humans and the environment, and how it relates to
(15 minutes) indigenous ways of knowing
o Any students not currently presenting will be listening and taking notes on each presentation.
- Assessment Evidence
o Presentation covers the 3 research questions in detail
o Presentation content shows evidence of correct information
o Students take jot notes on each crop presentation
- Transition Details
- Following the last presentation, I will encourage students to briefly look over their notes and
compare and contrast the various crops discussed.

Assessment  I will pose a question for further consideration

Evidence /  “As you think about the purpose of the crops in our province, continue to various ways we use
Closure / these crops and why each crop is important. Based on what you’ve learned during today’s
Consolidation of presentations, think about the ways indigenous peoples uses for crops are similar or different to
Learning farmers.”
(1 minute)

Lesson Plan #3 Rationale:

Inquiry question: What role does the nature of the land around us play in the lives of our
community and environment?

For this lesson, I wanted to focus on incorporating technology and indigenous ways of
knowing to the grade 4 Plant Growth and Changes unit. With SLO’s 4-10.1, 4-10.3, and 4-10.6 in
Mini-Unit Plan Katie Holmes

mind, I thought it would be an engaging way to pique students interest in the topic of the
importance of plants in our community by playing a short, interactive smartboard story/activity
that highlights plants around the world and the differing conditions in which they grow. I feel as
though this is a good way to start a conversation about the plants in our area – more
specifically the crops in Alberta. As I have learned in EDUC 3503, students respond better to
topics that relate to their lives, and for students living in Alberta, many are familiar with
agriculture. Following my introduction, I placed students in groups of three to research an
assigned crop. I provided the students with 3 three questions to guide their research. I feel as
though the questions I provided, “where and what conditions (temperature/soil) does your
crop grow best in? What is your crop used for? (food/materials/role in environment). What
importance does your crop hold for indigenous peoples? “, effectively align with the SLO’s and
is just enough to tackle for a group of three students in 20 minutes. Grouping the students to
give them an opportunity for collaboration was purposeful as I understand that not all students
are comfortable presenting alone and working in groups will increase a sense of relatedness.
Students will practice their technology navigation skills during the research process. I made the
presentations only 1.5 minutes so students can provide a short, straightforward answer and/or
examples for each of the three questions in relation to their crop. By keeping the presentations
short, students will be able to focus their research in the 20 minutes they have. In addition,
students will have no trouble writing jot notes on each crop presented. Having students
become the bearers of their own knowledge will increase a sense of autonomy in their learning
as well as a positive learning environment. In terms of assessment, I chose to assess students
research and presentations, not on the skill level, but on solely content and ability to answer
the 3 research questions. By assessing only their presentation content and their knowledge of
the importance of the crop based on what they researched, this will increase validity. Following
conclusion of this lesson, students learning will have been enhanced by educational technology
and the importance of plants to indigenous ways of knowing will have been addressed.