I. Curricular Framework

Concept:

Neighborhood Habitats

Essential Question:

Why is it important to study the seeds of our neighborhood habitats?

Bridge:

Guided Imagery of Dispersion

Content:

Outcomes:

II. Standards Aligned

III. Instruction and Assessment

1. Connect: Connecting to the Concept Experientially

Objective: Students will be introduced to how seeds are dispersed.

Activity: Brainstorm the neighborhood animals (dog, cat, raccoon, opossum, mouse, etc.). Each student chooses an animal s/he would like to be. Give each student a large sock (or two if there are enough). The sock represents the animal's fur. Students will put socks over their shoes. Tell students to think about what might happen as they walk around the playground field. Go outside and take a five minute walk.

Assessment: Students will actively and appropriate engage in walking around the playground.

2. Attend: Attending to the Connection

Objective: Students will develop an understanding of how seeds are dispersed.

Activity: Carefully take off the socks and bring back into the classroom. Students will take off the seeds collected from tehir socks and put them onto a piece of paper. Discuss experience. How is a sock like the fur of an animal? How does this help plants? Are there other ways that seeds can be moved?

Assessment: By discussing the experience, students will show an understanding of the dispersal of seeds.

Assessment, Phase One, Level of Engagement, Fascination:

3. Image: Creating a Mental Picture

Objective: To further knowledge and understanding of seeds through literature.

Activity: Teacher reads students a story about seeds. Teacher conducts a guided imagery while students imagine they are seeds in the cycle of dispersal.

Assessment: Students' active listening and engagement in the story. Involvement in the imagery experience.

Assessment, Phase Two, Seeing the Big Picture:

4. Inform: Receiving Facts & Knowledge

Objective: To give background knowledge about seeds and their importance to plants.

Activity: Teacher led lecture on vocabulary and functions of seeds. How do seeds become a plant? What do seeds need to grow? What kinds of seeds are there? (apple, peach, etc.).

Assessment: Teacher checks for understanding throughout lesson.

Assessment, Phase Three, Success with Acquiring Knowledge:

5. Practice: Developing Skills

Objective: By exploring and experimentation, students will further their understanding about the similarities and differences of seeds.

Activity:
1) Using the seeds collected from the sock walk, students will sort seeds. This can be done individually, with partners or in cooperative groups. 2) Look at seeds through a magnifying glass. Compare shape, size, color and texture. Discuss how these characteristics relate to the movement of seeds. (Older students might write about this.) How might other types of seeds (fruit seeds, heavier seeds, etc.) be dispersed?
3) Plant some of the seeds collected. 4) Grow lima beans. Give each student a clear plastic cup, a paper towel, and three lima beans. Put the paper towel inside the cup. Pour enough into the cup to get the towel damp. Place the lima beans between the paper towel and the side of the cup so that the bean can be observed. Keep the paper towel damp (but not wet to discourage mold).

Assessment: Students will express at least two characteristics about seeds and how this affects their dispersal. Example: Because the seed is flat and light, the wind can move it.

Assessment, Phase Four, Success with Acquiring Skills:

6. Extend: Extending Learning to the Outside World

Objective: Through experimentation and observation, students will determine the best growing conditions for their plant.

Activity: Using the lima bean, sprouts from 3L or other seeds such as mung, pumpkin, corn, grass, elm, maple, marigold, radish, or scarlet runner bean plant in a variety of growing conditions--sun vs. no sun, water vs. no water, light vs. dark, hot vs. cold, etc. Keep a log of what happens to the seeds. Illustrate the log and write down questions, observations, predictions, etc.

Assessment: Quality of the content in the log.

7. Refine: Refining the Extension

Objective: Students will show their understanding of seed concepts through a language arts project.

Activity: Review and synthesize the previous lessons about seeds. Remember to incorporate the part animals play in seed dispersal, other ways seeds are dispersed, characteristics of seeds, how seeds grow, the needs of seeds, etc. Younger students will create a storyboard of the life of a seed, including seed dispersal, seed needs and growth. Older students will incorporate the seed concepts into a written story or play.

Assessment: Projects will reflect student's understanding of the stages of a seed.

8. Perform: Creative Manifestation of Material Learned

Objective: To allow students to share completed projects.

Activity: Students will read stories, act out plays, or show storyboards.

Assessment: Quality of presentations.

Assessment, Phase Five,Performance, Creative Use of Material Learned: