University of Houston

5E Lesson Plan

Teacher’s Name: Dahlia Chandrahasan

Basic Lesson Components

Grade Level: 1st Grade

Time Estimate: 45 Minutes

Science Content: Identification of basic plant anatomy and function of plant parts. The students will
be able to identify the roots, flower, stem, leaves, seeds, and soil when looking at a picture of a plant.
The student will be able to understand each plant part’s function. The student will know that the
plant grows because of seeds that are either planted in the soil or are transported by wind or water.
The student will know that the plant is rooted in the
soil for support and also nutrients. The student will
also understand that the roots absorb nutrients and
water from the soil. The student will understand that
the stem transports the water the roots uptake to all
of the parts of the plant. The student will understand
that leaves are responsible for photosynthesis. The
students will understand that a plant comes to
maturity when the flowers are bloomed. The
students will know that the flower produces seeds of
the plant so they can grow into new plants.

TEKS: (10) Organisms and environments. The

student knows that organisms resemble their parents
and have structures and processes that help them
survive within their environments. The student is
expected to: (B) identify and compare the parts of plants;

ELPS: (c) Cross-curricular second language acquisition essential knowledge and skills. (1) Cross-
curricular second language acquisition/learning strategies. The ELL uses language learning
strategies to develop an awareness of his or her own learning processes in all content areas. In order
for the ELL to meet grade-level learning expectations across the foundation and enrichment
curriculum, all instruction delivered in English must be linguistically accommodated
(communicated, sequenced, and scaffolded) commensurate with the student’s level of English
language proficiency. The student is expected to: (E) internalize new basic and academic language
by using and reusing it in meaningful ways in speaking and writing activities that build concept and
language attainment;

Vocabulary: Definition: Cognate (T or F):

1. environment 1. where a person, animal, or plant lives 1. el otorno (F)

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 2. root and operates 2. la raíz (F)

3. stem 2. the part of a plant that holds the plant 3. vástago (F)
in the ground and takes in water and
4. flower 4. flor (T)
nutrients from the soil
5. leaf 5. la hoja (F)
3. a plant’s main stalk that rises above
ground and carries water from the roots 6. la semilla (F)
6. seed
to the rest of the plant
7. el suelo (T)
7. soil
4. the brightly colored part of a plant that
holds seeds

5. part of a plant that hangs off of a larger

stalk and absorbs sunlight and air that
the plant needs to live

6. the reproductive part of a plant in

which new plants can grow from

7. what the plant lives in and where the

plant gets its nutrients from

Misconceptions:
There are some common misconceptions regarding teaching plants and the parts of plants. For
example, many students believe that a plant’s flowers and leaves are how the plant takes in water
and sunlight. While the leaves do absorb sunlight, the flowers do not have that much of a hand in
this. The roots are also what take in water and transport the water and soil nutrients to the stem to be
transported to different parts of the plant. There is also a misconception that the sole purpose of soil
is to hold a plant in place. While soil provides a sturdy foundation for a plant, soil also contains lots
of nutrients and minerals that a plant needs to survive. Soil can also be enriched for the benefit of the
plant by adding compost and fertilizer.

Materials/Resources/Technology Needs:
Materials: dry erase board and markers, six small plants planted in clear cups, construction paper, scissors,
markers, felt, stickers, glitter glue, and glue, plant function paper “cards” (for evaluate)

Safety:
The teacher will make sure that the plants are being observed appropriately and that none of the
students are mistreating them. The teacher will also make sure that during the activity the students
are not misusing the materials (scissors, glue, markers) to hurt themselves or others.

5E Instructional Procedures
What Teacher Does What Students Do
Engage The teacher will bring in two to three The students will sit on the carpet and look

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 potted flower plants. The teacher will at what the teacher is holding. As the
gather the students on the carpet and say, teacher asks questions, students will raise
“Look at these, can anyone raise their their hands and answer the questions when
hand and tell me what these are?” they are called on. The students will
When a student answers with plant or participate in the activity where they stand
flower, the teacher will say “Yes, this is up like a plant. The students will respect
a plant. There are different parts of each other’s space and follow classroom
plants, just like you and I have directions. The students will wait to be
different body parts.” The teacher will dismissed and follow instructions to go
say, “We can even try to look like these back to their tables and sit quietly.
plants! Everyone stand up.” The
students will stand up on the carpet and
the teacher will say, “Give each other
some room to stretch. Reach your
arms out like a ‘T’. Your arms are like
the leaves of a plant and your body is
like the stem! Your feet are standing
really strong on the ground, just like
the roots of the plant. Your faces all
look so lovely and wonderful just like
flowers!” The teacher will have the
students sway like flowers and then
instruct them to sit back down on the
carpet. The teacher will say, “At each of
your table groups there is one plant in
a clear plastic cup. Do not touch the
plants until I give you instructions. I
will now dismiss you all back to your
tables, wait until your name is called.”
The teacher will dismiss the students
back to their tables.

Explore At each table, the teacher will put a small
potted plant in the center. The teacher
will say, “In your table groups, I want
you to all look at the plant with your
eyes only. I have placed on your tables.
What do you see? Talk about it with
your table mates.” The teacher will
allow a few minutes for the students to
observe and talk about the plant. The
teacher will walk around to ensure the
students are all on task and following
directions. The teacher will ask questions
such as “What are the shapes you see?
What are the colors? How tall or small
The students will go back to their tables
and look at the plants first. They will
discuss with their table mates what they
see. They will talk about the colors,
shapes, and size of the plant at their table,
and discuss other observations they have
made. “The plants are green” or “This
part is round”. After observing the plant
with their eyes, the students will use their
index finger, as instructed, and feel the
plants. They will discuss how the plant
feels with each other “The plant is cold
and this part is smooth but this other
part feels prickly.”

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 is the plant?” When the time is up, the
teacher will say, “Alright class, now
that you have looked at the plant with
your eyes, I want you all to be able to
feel the parts of the plant. Can
everyone hold their index finger in the
air?” The teacher will hold her index
finger in the air to model for the students.
The teacher will say, “Very good. I
want everyone to use only their index
finger to touch the plant. Talk to your
table mates about what you feel.” The
teacher will continue walking around the
classroom to monitor the children while
asking questions such as “Is the texture
of the plant smooth or rough? Is it
cold or hot? Does it feel wet or dry?
Do all of the parts of the plant feel the
same way?” When the time is up, the
teacher will say “Now that we have had
a chance to look at and feel the plant,
we are going to learn about the
different parts of the plant.”

Explain The teacher will get the students’ The students will watch the teacher draw
attention. The teacher will draw a model an unlabeled model of the plant on the
of a plant on the board with the seed, board. When the teacher asks, the students
roots, stem, leaves, and flower all will raise their hands to guess what the
unlabeled. The teacher will say, “I have parts of the plant are called. Once the plant
drawn a model of the plant on the parts are all labeled, the students will go
board here. I am going to point to a over the plant parts with the teacher and
part of the plant and I want someone call them by name. The students will listen
to raise their hand and guess what the to the teacher explain the roles of the
part is called.” The teacher will point to plants to them.
the different parts of the plant and have
students try to guess each part until the
parts are all correctly labeled. If the
students are having trouble with labeling
the parts of the plant, the teacher will
identify the part for the students and
label the part on the board. Once the
parts are all correctly labeled, the teacher
will say “Very good, class! Now, let’s
say the parts of the plant when I point
to it all together.” The teacher will point
to the roots and say, “Roots,” then the

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 seed and say, “seed,” then the leaves and
say, “leaves,” then the stem and say,
“stem,” and finally the flower and say,
“flower. Very good job!” The teacher
will begin to explain the role of the
different parts of the plant in order. “The
plant starts from a little seed in the
ground. From this seed, the roots grow
into the soil and the plant grows out of
the soil. The roots are at the very base
of the plant. They hold the plant into
the ground so the wind does not carry
it away. The roots are responsible for
taking in nutrients and water from the
soil. After the roots take in the water
and nutrients from the soil, it goes to
the stem. The stem is the long, stalky
part of the plant. The stem is
responsible for distributing the
nutrients and water to all of the
different parts of the plant. Another
thing that plants need to live is carbon
dioxide. As humans, we breathe in
oxygen and carbon dioxide is what we
breathe out of our noses. Plants do the
opposite for us by breathing in carbon
dioxide and producing oxygen, which
is why they are so important! The
leaves of a plant are responsible for
absorbing sunlight and carbon dioxide
so the plant can make its own food to
survive. Finally, the last part of the
plant is the flower, which I think is the
prettiest part of the plant. The flowers
are the part of the plant that holds the
seeds that will grow into new plants.”

Elaborate The teacher will say “Now we are going
to do an activity. I have materials for
you all to create your own flower
gardens with construction paper. The
table manager can come get the
materials when I call your table
number. When you get the materials,
do not start working until I give you
instructions.” The teacher will call the
The students will create their own flower
gardens using construction paper. They
will be able to talk quietly with their table
mates and ask their peers and the teacher
for assistance. The students will have about
twenty-five minutes to create their gardens.

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 table numbers until all of the students get
their materials. The teacher will erase the
labels on the model of the plant on the
board, leaving just the plant. The teacher
will also pin a model of the activity to
the board to show the students. The
teacher will say, “Your table managers
have collected construction paper,
scissors, felt, stickers, glitter glue,
regular glue, and markers. With these
materials, you will make your own
flower garden. You can add as many
flowers as you want to your garden,
but they all must include the parts of
the flower that we talked about. What
are those parts again? Let’s say them
together: root, seed, stem, leaf, flower.
Very good.” The teacher will gesture to
the model of the activity and say, “I used
a light blue piece of construction paper
for my background, and glued some
brown construction paper down for
the soil. I also made three flowers and
included seeds, stems, leaves, and
roots. I also used markers, stickers,
and glitter glue to add details to my
picture, such as birds in the sky, a sun,
and little bugs in the soil. You can use
whatever color you want for the
background, and the color of your
flowers, but your soil must be brown
and your stems and leaves must be
green. You can decorate your gardens
however you like. Before you start
cutting and gluing things to your
garden, make sure you write your
name on the back of the paper! You
will have about twenty-five minutes to
create your garden, and then we will
move on to something else. I will come
around if any of you need help.” The
teacher will instruct students to begin
working and walk around to monitor and
assist students.

Evaluate The teacher will warn the students when The students will put away the glue,

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they have five minutes left to complete scissors, and trash when the teacher
their gardens, and count down the last ten instructs them to do so. Afterwards, the
seconds. The teacher will say, “Alright students will go back to their tables and
hands up!” to get the students to stop wait for instructions. The students will be
their work and pay attention. The teacher asked to label one of their flowers with the
will say, “I see a lot of really awesome parts they learned that day. The students
gardens, good job, class! Now, we need will also be asked to glue cards with each
to clean up our work areas. One plant part’s function to the corresponding
person from each table needs to collect label. The students will be evaluated based
the glitter glue, one person needs to on whether or not their plants are put
collect scissors, felt, and stickers, and together correctly and if the plant labels are
two people need to collect trash. I will correct. The students will also be evaluated
call for scissors and trash collectors to based on whether or not they were able to
come put the materials away. Leave match the function of the plant part to the
the gardens you made on the table. I correct label.
also want you to keep the glue sticks
and markers because we are going to
use them in just a bit. Please wait for
further directions.” The teacher will
have the students put up the materials by
calling for each thing at a different time.
The teacher will have the students sit
back at their tables and have them wait
for instructions. The teacher will say,
“You are all left with your markers,
glue, and your gardens on your tables.
I am going to pass out some paper
cards to you. On the cards, I wrote
what each part of the plant does, but I
did not write the part of the plant on
the card. I want you all to use markers
to label the parts of one of the flowers
on your garden. Remember that we
went over the parts of a plant today.
After you label the parts of the plant, I
want you to glue the cards to your
garden under the labels you made. For
example, if you read a card and it tells
you what the stem of a plant does,
where will you glue it?” The teacher
will wait for the students to respond by
answering that they would glue the card
under the stem label. The teacher will
continue, “You must do this on your
own! When you are done with labeling
the parts of the plant and gluing the

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 cards to your garden, double check
that your name is on your garden
somewhere and bring it to my desk to
turn in. You may get a book to read
until everyone is done.”

Activity Example:

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