Francine C. Coss
My photosynthesis curriculum unit will be used in my own classroom as I use all my other planned curriculum units. One month or more will be devoted to the study of photosynthesis. All classroom subjects (i.e.: Language Arts, Mathematics) will be integrated into the science subject matter. Full days will be spent discussing and actively participating in the topics of photosynthesis. A specific section of each day will be devoted to science experiments and activities. Concept awareness will be shared with the entire student body and encouraged future study will begin.
With hope, the science void will disappear as other students notice the new-found knowledge displayed by fourth grade students in their own school. Other teachers will become more interested in studying science topics with their own classes simply due to the enthusiasm shown by my grade four students.
The appropriate resources and curriculum will then be available and easily located. Primary (and possibly even secondary) teachers will no longer opt to avoid science subject matter; they will encourage its use and implement the activities found in the science unit(s) available to them. The science void will be filled, the neglect will disappear and all interested teachers will feel at ease teaching science in their classroom.
Lesson 1: Growing Plants
Experiment A: Plants Need Water
Materials:
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two potted plants
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masking tape
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marker
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water
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1.
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Take two potted plants.
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2.
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Use masking tape and a marker to label one potted plant 'watered regularly' and the other 'not watered regularly.'
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3.
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Put them next to one another on a windowsill.
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4.
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Water the plant labeled 'watered regularly' every three days. Water the plant labeled 'not watered regularly' very rarely and very little.
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5.
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After several weeks, ask children to describe what happened. Then have children draw a conclusion. (Plants need to be watered regularly to grow well).
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@2H(after1H):Lesson 2: Growing Plants
Experiment B: Plants Need Light
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two potted plants
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masking tape
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marker
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water
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closet
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1.
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Take two potted plants.
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2.
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With masking tape and a marker, label one plant 'in light' and the other 'no light.'
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3.
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Put the plant labeled 'in light' in a sunny window.
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4.
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Place the other plant in a closet.
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5.
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Water them both regularly.
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6.
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After two weeks, ask children to describe what happened and then come to a conclusion. (Plants need light to grow/plants need light to make chlorophyll).
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Lesson 3: Where Does the Water Go?
Experiment C: Colored Celery
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tall, clear glass or jar
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water
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red food coloring
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knife
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celery stalk with leaves
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1.
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Fill a tall, clear glass or jar half full with water.
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2.
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Add a few drops of red food coloring and mix well.
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3.
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Trim the bottom edge of a large stalk of celery. Leave the leaves on.
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4.
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Put the celery stalk in the glass or jar. Leave overnight.
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5.
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The next morning, observe what has happened. Let the children tell you where the water has gone.(The water has been absorbed into the celery stalk, tinting the stem and leaves red).
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6.
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Ask: Does the whole plant get water for food? (Yes). Why does the color move to the leaves? (Water flows up the stem to replace water evaporated from the leaves).
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Follow-up Activity:
Take a celery stalk that has leaves. Trim the bottom. With a knife, make aslit up the middle of the celery stalk, stopping an inch below the leaves. Fill two tall, clear glasses or jars half-full with water. Add a few drops of food coloring to one glass or jar. Place several drops of a different food coloring in the second glass or jar. Mix the food coloring in each glass or jar well, and place the glasses next to each other. Put one half of the celery stalk in one glass or jar, and the other half of in the other glass or jar. Leave overnight. Observe what happens. (Each half of the celery stalk will have absorbed the colored water, and two colors will have blended together as they moved up inside the stalk).
