Gold Seal Lesson:
Plant Growth Research

Copernicus Education Gateway

 

Subject:

Science

Grade:

 

 

K-4

 

 

ICLE Standards:

 

 

Science as Inquiry: Develop an understanding about scientific inquiry.

Life Science: Develop an understanding of plants and their environment.

 

 

Performance Task:

 

 

Science research is a learning activity that adds to your understanding. It gets you involved in solving problems that interest you and that may benefit your community.
You, as a human being, have basic needs to grow and survive. For example, eating fruits and vegetables provides you with necessary vitamins and minerals required by your body. Plants also have basic needs. Three of these basic needs are air, water, and light. You will each receive two plants for this experiment. These plants have been grown under the same conditions, getting all of their basic needs. Your task is to conduct the following experiment.

Experiment:

  • Label the two plants "Plant A" and "Plant B."
  • Use Plant A as your control plant. Continue to give it sufficient air, water, and light to survive and grow.
  • Use Plant B as your experimental plant. Eliminate or alter one of the three basic needs of this plant.
  • Keep a data log of your two plants for 2 weeks. Each day, record the height of both plants and note any changes in either of them. At the end of 2 weeks, make a graph accurately displaying your data.
  • Write a report of your experiment, explaining what you did and what your results were. State any conclusions or inferences that you can make from having conducted this experiment.

Notes to the teacher: Each student will need 2 plants for this experiment. These will require two or three weeks of advanced preparation. If you want to decrease the number of plants you need to grow, you could have students work in pairs, or you could have the students themselves plant the seeds two to three weeks before starting the experiment. You may want to pose the following question: "Does eliminating or altering a basic need of a plant change the plant in anyway?"

 

 

Knowledge / Skills:

 

 

Know and apply the principles of scientific inquiry.  (s114)

Understand the nature and purpose of a variety of technical formats such as business letters, memos, instructions, policy statements, technical proposals, user manuals, lab reports, etc.  (ela30)

Know the survival requirements of the human population and the history and implications of population growth.  (S40))

 

 

Rubric:

 

 

Score each of the following characteristics on a 4 to 0 basis, where

  • 4 = Surpasses Expectations

  • 3 = High Quality Performance

  • 2 = Satisfactory Quality Performance

  • 1 = Minimum Quality Performance

  • 0 = Does Not Meet Expectations

Characteristic Criteria  Score
Setup of experiment  _____
Control plant labeled "Plant A." _____
Experimental plant labeled "Plant B." _____
Variable for the experiment is clearly stated. _____
Data Log Data log reflects daily plant growth changes. _____
Data gathered are accurate. _____
Log is neat and organized. _____
Graph Graph showing the growth of the two plants is accurately and neatly constructed. _____
Axes are labeled and title for graph is stated. _____
Experimental Report Inquiry process is presented in a clear and appropriate manner. _____
Conclusions/inferences are clearly stated. _____
Results are supported with data gathered from the experiment. _____
Summary statements are clearly supported by data (logs, graph, report).  _____
Task Management Skills Strives for accuracy _____
Turns work in on time _____

 

 

 

Keywords:

 

 

LIFE SCIENCE
PLANTS
SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

 

 

Grades:

 

 

Kg [x] - 1 [x] - 2 [x] - 3 [x] - 4 [x] - 5 [] - 6 [] - 7 [] - 8 [] - 9 [] - 10 [] - 11 [] - 12 []

 

 

ICLE Application:

 

 

D

 

 

 

 

 

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