OVERVIEW

Students study how plant growth changes with the seasons. To do this they collect plant height measurement data every two weeks, make observations and eventually graph the data they collect. Scientists that study plants are called botanists. They will also observe plant growth and the real-life effects of seasonal changes in light and temperature on plants. Students will learn that plants have different rates of growth over the year, growing most rapidly in early fall and spring and slowing in Winter. This will tie in with their First grade project where they learned about seasons.

In this project, students collect measurement data of milkweed over time to see if the plants grows at a constant rate. If the line graph shows a straight line at a constant angle the plant is growing at a steady rate. If the lines change angles then the growth changes over time. They learn that plant growth rates change from season to season. Plants grow better in certain seasons.  For more information on long term project, click on the Teacher Button.

DOCENT LESSONS AT A GLANCE:

The introductory lesson for the class will cover the long-term project and an overview of plant growth and plant needs. The 6 docent lessons support the long-term project and cover the following topics in depth below. For detailed lessons click on the Docent Button.

Lesson 1. WHAT IS MILKWEED? -
Students learn about the milkweed plant, including varieties of milkweed and what organisms they support. Students compare their flowering parts, seeds and leaves.

Lesson 2. PLANT CLASSIFICATIONS –
Students learn to group different tree types by characteristics, particularly flowering plants (angiosperms) and non-flowering plants (gymnosperms). Students learn about what a plant needs to survive and thrive, what tree rings mean, and seed and leaf variation. They practice counting tree rings and observe and compare leaf parts from gymnosperm and angiosperm varieties. They make a gymnosperm/angiosperm booklet with collected leaves.

Lesson 3. FLOWERS AND POLLINATION –
Students learn names and function of flower parts and fill in a worksheet. They dissect real flowers, identify their parts and explore pollination and seed production.

Lesson 4. DESIGNING A POLLINATOR GARDEN –
Students learn more about the wide variety of pollinators and the kind of flower shapes and colors they each prefer. Students use this information to make a pollinator garden model.

Lesson 5. NUTRIENTS IN THE SOIL –
Students learn that nutrients in the soil are important to plants in order to survive.  They look at elements and investigate which elements are used by the plants from micro to macronutrients. 

Lesson 6. HABITAT ENHANCEMENT FOR POLLINATORS –
Students plant their milkweed plants around the school to provide additional habitat for monarch butterflies and other animals. They learn about garden tools, planting and watering. They add extra nutrients to the soil (compost from the 4th grade project) to encourage their milkweed to grow.