In the Limelight LoTi Teachers Website

Tony Silva  Early Childhood Teacher

People Need Plants

Grade Levels
(select all grade levels applicable)Pre-KK

LoTI Role: Teacher
Subject: Math

Validity

Challenge

The task asks students to show their “know how” on something important and challenging, not just their knowledge. (Students develop the focus of the task by building on their own experiences to determine the problem and to look for possible solutions.)
Essential Question/s or Engaging Questions
What do you think is the most important part of the plant?
If you could be any part of a plant which part would you be and why?
What would happen if we didn't have plants?
What do we need plants for?
Are you helping or hurting the environment?
What can we do to help keep our environment clean?

Feasibility

The task is worthy of the time and effort required to complete it. (The amount of time devoted to completing the task is very consistent with the complexity of the task or the embedded content standards)

Time Frame: Week

High Level Processes
The task requires complex thinking skills (critical/ creative thinking, decision- making, problem solving). (Students are operating at the synthesis/ evaluation levels involving one or more complex thinking strategies (e.g., problem-solving, decision-making, scientific inquiry) involving integrated concepts and big ideas.)
Bloom's Taxonomy:

List or describe activities that support the selected Bloom's Level(s):
Knowledge-Look at plant chart. List the parts of the plant.
Read One Bean and list what a plant needs
Write a fact chart about what we know about plants.
Comprehension-After reading One Bean, student will sequence planting bean steps.
Make a chart with different parts of plants. Have students cut out pictures of parts of
plants and place under correct heading.
Retell The Tiny Seed story. Draw pictures of what happen to the seeds and place in order.
Illustrate a picture of what plants need to survive.
Discuss why a plant is a living thing.
Application-Go outside and collect different kinds of plants. Take apart each plant into
parts and examine with magnifying glass.
Plant a bean, illustrate the plant as it grows.
Construct a chart to illustrate what we think will happen to each plant in different
conditions.
Analysis-Compare the plants left in different conditions-no water/sun, no water/no sun, sun/
no water, sun/water. Illustrate findings of own plant
Measure with ruler and record the height of each plant.
Order plant by height.
Synthesis-Predict what will happen to each plant in different conditions.
Create a picture of what it would look like if we did not have plants.
Develop a plan for what we can do here at school to help our plants.
Invent a new plant-What would you name it and what would it do?
Evaluation-Pick a part of the plant and justify why you think it is the most important part
the plant.
Select a part of the plant you would like to be and explain why.
Process Skills

Reliability

The assessment is likely to elicit consistent scores over time. The scores on the task will reflect true achievement of the content standard not variance in testing conditions. (The criteria are explained clearly with measurable expectations. Criteria are consistent across all dimensions, and lend themselves to self-monitoring)
Assessment(s):
The student will draw a plant with all it different parts, name them and also draw what is needed to have it survive. Name parts of plant that we eat.
The class will evaluate each plant drawing with smiley faces demonstrating if we understand the different parts of the plant and what plant it represents.

 

Important Content

The task incorporates the content standard and the big ideas and essential concepts of the discipline. (The culminating task is directly related to a well- defined and articulated set of content standards and essential concepts.)

Concepts/Topics: 
The student will be able to name specific needs of plants-sun, air, water, and soil.
The student will be able to identify the major parts of a plant-root, stem, leaves, flower and seed.
The student will be able to name the uses of each plants.
The student will be able to state why plants are important to us and what we can do to keep plants growing in our school.

Authenticity

The task reflects what people might actually do in the real world- real life issues, themes, problems.
(The culminating task is relevant to students and involves creating a product that has a purpose beyond the classroom that directly impacts the students.)

Activities
Focus Activities-We will go for a nature walk and also check on the tree we adopted at the
beginning of the year to see how it has changed. We will take a picture of the tree so we
can compare it to the rest of the picture we have take once a month all year. We will go
for a nature walk and look at the plants. Once we get to the room there will be a bouquet
of flowers that was delivered while we were gone. Ask What would happen if we didn't have
plants? What do plants need to survive? Are you helping or hurting our environment.
Current Conditions Activities- Write what we want to learn about plants. Make a WKL chart.
We will research plants. Find the parts of the plants, what's there job and what they
need.
Personal Involvement Activities-Dissect one of the flowers from our bouquet. Plant a bean in
different environments. Make a plan for what we can do to help keep our environment clean.
Taking Action Activities-Record finding from experiment as to what do plants need. Follow
plan do keep our playground and home pretty.
Feedback Activities- 

Clarity of Task and Assessment Criteria

It is clear from reading the task that the student will know exactly what they are to do to complete it, including required products and scoring criteria.  (The culminating task is clearly defined; the assessment criteria are given so that students understand the expectation of excellence throughout the process.)

Culminating Performance Task:
The student will pick a part of the plant that he/she would like to be and tell why. They can make a costume out of paper to wear while explaining why he/she chose that part and is it the most important part of the plant.

Technology Use
 

Technology (computers, handhelds, software applications, peripherals, Internet) is used in a seamless fashion to promote student learning. (Technology use is directly connected and needed for task completion involving a broad variety of applications.)
Technology Applications /How is technology integrated into your lesson?
We will research plants on internet. Use a graph on the laptop to plot our observations of the plants at different stages. Draw a diagram of our plant part costume before we draw it on large paper.
Technology Applications Network Click here to find many technology resources

Differentiated Instruction

Instruction is tailored to the learning readiness, cultural background, interests, talents, and learning profile of the students

(Differentiation is clearly articulated and involves significant adjustments or alterations to the culminating task and surrounding
activities based on the interests, readiness, and learner profiles of the students.)
Differentiation:

Describe your method of differentiation:
We will use graphic organizers to make a KWL chart about plants, graph our finds about the growth of the different plant conditions and sort plant parts.
Learning centers will be set up so student can plant their own seed, look up information about plant on the computer and disect plants, cut out pictures of different parts of plants and put under right column.
Differentiation Power Point

Other Resources (textbook, teacher materials, teacher)
Previous pictures taken of adopted tree throughout the year, plants, soil, beans, computer,
laptop