Name ______#_____ Learning Style______

Individual Unit Learning Plan Unit: Life Science

State Indicator: S.4.3.1.1 The student observes different organisms and compares and contrasts how similar functions are served by different structural characteristics.

Item Specification: Describe the functions of the primary structures of flowering plants/fruit trees, etc. (i.e. leaves make food, roots take up water and nutrients and anchor plant in place, stem or trunk provide support and transport water and nutrients through the plant, flowers and seeds are for reproduction.

Baseline Activities for Whole Class

P / Activity / Possible
Points / Points
Earned / Notes
Read & Discuss Sections:
1. Plant Needs & Adaptations, pgs. 72-75, w/s 50 Comparing Plants (10pts.)
2.The Functions of Plant Parts, pgs. A78-81,
w/s 52 How do Leaves, Stems, and Roots Help Plants Live? (10pts.)
3. Plant Life Cycles, pgs. A84-87, w/s 58, Vocabulary Review (10pts.) / 30
Investigation: Seedling Growth: Pgs. A82-83, w/s 53 / 20

Assessment

P / Activity / Possible
Points / Points
Earned / Notes
Practice Assessment / 20
Harcourt Science, Chapter 3 Test
Part 1: Vocabulary, w/s AG13
Part 2: Science Concepts and Understanding, w/s AG14-16
Part 3: Performance Assessment: Create a plant to adaptation to a particular environment. Label the plant parts and describe functions. / 100 (%)
Review Test / 30

Individual Activities by LEARNING STYLE / Highlight your choice

·  / Visual / Auditory / Group
Learner / Kinesthetic / Expressive / Individual
Learner
Create a Poster
10 pts.
Create a poster of plant adaptations
1. Look through books and find 3 plants and their adaptations
2. Look and read about these adaptations and how they work.
3. Illustrate and color picture of your plants in their environment.
4. Label the plant parts.
5. Next to each structural adaptation write a couple sentences explaining how it works to help the plant. / Watch a Video
5 pts.
http://www.unitedstreaming.com
Magic School Bus All Dried Up
1.Before watching video-
Discuss the following questions with a partner:
·  What do you know about desert plants and animals?
·  What adaptations do desert plants and animals have to make?
Be listening to the answers to these questions as you watch the video.
2. After Watching Video- discuss what you learned and write down the information you and show the teacher. / Group Investigation
10 pts.
Investigate cactus structure
1. Read together and discuss the book: The Cacuts Hotel by B.Z Zimmerman
Materials:
·  aloe Vera plant
·  paper towels
·  magnifying lens
·  plastic knives
2. Examine a stem of an aloe vera plant. Observe and discuss the following:
a.) cut open the stem of the plant
b.) examine how much moisture there is inside
c.) what does the inside look and feel like?
d.) what does the skin look like?
3. On a separate piece of paper, discuss and write answers to the following questions:
a.)How is a plant able to hold so much moisture?
b.)Why does a plant in the desert need to be able to do that?
c.)Why is the skin smooth, waxy, and spiny?
d.)Why do you think the stem is thick and rounded? / Make A Model
15 pts.
Create your own plant that would survive in a desert climate
1.Read the book: Cactus in the Desert by Phyllis Busch
2. Make a T-chart labeled Water Acquisition/ Water Conservation. Categorize the adaptations
3. Create your own plant that you believe could survive in the desert.
®  a plant that can store water
®  a plant that can compete with other plants for water
®  a plant that can withstand the hot desert sun
®  an other adaptations you feel would be necessary
Materials:
·  clay
·  glue
·  scissors
·  pipe cleaners
·  toothpicks
·  tissue paper / Plant Blog
15 pts.
Share your opinions on plant adaptations
www.classblogmeister.com
Use your science text, library books, or websites as resources.
1. Respond to the following questions on the plant blog:
®  What do you think are the best or most effective plant adaptations and why?
®  What types of adaptations do you think a plant living in Kansas needs and why?
®  What do you think is the most unusual plant adaptation and why?
2. Read other students' blogs. Respond to their blog in the following way:
®  What did you learn from their blog?
®  What questions would you like them to think about?
®  Do you agree or disagree, why or why not? / Play Computer Game
5 pts.
Play The Great Plant Escape game on the computer!
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/gpe/case1/c1facts2a.html
Directions:
1.  There are 6 Mystery Cases to read and solve.
2.  Start with Case 1 and go in order.
3.  At the end of each case there is a quiz and activities to complete.
4.  After finishing each case, write 10 things you learned about plants on notebook paper and turn it in.
Visual / Auditory / Group Learner / Kinesthetic / Expressive / Individual Learner
Watch A Video
15 pts.
Watch The Private Life of Plants: It’s a Jungle Out There
David Attenborough
BBC
As you watch the video:
1. list the different environments
2. the plant(s) that live there
3. how they have adapted to live in the environment
After viewing the video:
1. Illustrate and color pictures of the plants and their environment
2. Label the structural adaptations
3. Write a brief description of how the plant’s adaptations work. / Plant Web Site
10pts.
Explore plants with Zip the Bee!
http://www.bgfl.org/zipsplants
1. With your partner(s) read orally and discuss the different plant topics:
a.) Growth of a plant
b.) Parts of a Plant
c.) Pollination
2. With your partner(s) take Zip's Challenge. Read orally and discuss the questions and answers.
3. With your partner(s)
get a sheet of white construction paper.
Divide it into 3 sections and write the following headings:
a.) Plant Growth
b.) Plant Parts c.)Pollination
Using illustrations, labels, and descriptions, tell what you learned from Zip! / Watch a Video
15 pts.
What is a Living Thing?
http://www.unitedmainstreaming.com
Group Procedure:
1. fold a sheet of notebook paper into four even sections. At the top of each column, write the initials :
K (know), W (what to know), L (what I learned),
Q (questions I still have)
2. I K column, write everything you know about plant structure, adaptations, and life cycle
3. in W section, write down what you would like to learn about plant structure, adaptations, and life cycle
4. Now watch the program.
(skip the segment on classification of animals). In L section, write down what you learned
5. After watching the video, discuss and write down in the Q section, what they would still like to know. Use www.askjeeves.com
or www.Yahooligans.com
to research questions. / Investigation
5 pts.
The Tough Cactus
Materials
Wax paper sponge
Water dropper bowl
1.Read The Cactus Hotel by B.Z. Guiberson
Procedure 1: How the Waxy Skin Works
a.)Squeeze a few drops of water onto the wax paper.
b.)Observe how the water droplets roll around the wax paper and does not soak through.
Procedure 2: How the Spongy Roots Work
a.) Fill one of the bowls full of water
b.)Dip the sponge into the water
c.)Observe how the sponge soaks up the water
d.) Squeeze out the water and measure how much it holds
On notebook paper, explain how the investigation shows the different adaptations desert plants have developed / Create a Plant Wikis
10 pts.
Edit & revise an article on plant adaptations
www.wikispaces.com
You and your classmates will collaborate and create an article on plants and adaptations
1. Contribute information about the following topic:
Plant Adaptaions
2. Check the information other people have provided for the following:
·  correct any spelling, punctuation or capitalization errors
·  add additional information to what has already been written
·  If you see any information you don't agree with, discuss this with the author and come to a decision together on whether to make changes / Plant Life Cycle
15 pts.
http://www.bgfl.org/plants
View the following sections and answer questions on notebook paper:
1. Seed Growth:What are the best conditions for growth
2. Parts of a Flower: Assemble the flower on the computer (click on i to get directions). When finished print your work.
3. Seed Dispersal:
List the types of seed dispersals and write a sentence explaining it.
1. wind
2. bursting
3. shakers
4. water
5. catching a lift
6. animal food
7. drop and roll
4.Print the plant structure worksheet. Using the plant identification picture, describe the biological functions of the plant parts:
1. flower
2. stem
3. leaf
4. roots
Visual / Auditory / Group Learner / Kinesthetic / Expressive / Individual Learner
Investigation on
Leaf Adaptations
5 pts.
Investigate how leaf shape and coating can increase runoff of extra water and keep the plant healthy in damp climates
Materials:
*Leaf Patterns
Scissors
Construction paper
Wax paper
Water mister
Procedure:
1. Trace leaf patterns on construction and wax paper and cut them out
2. First work with the construction paper leaves and mist each with water and observe which one sheds water best. Compare results and record your observations.
3. Repeat with the wax paper leaves and compare with the construction paper leaves. Record your observations.
4. How do leaves that shed water well help the plant to survive? Record your thoughts
*leaf shapes paper / Create a Podcast
15 pts.
Use books or the internet to research the following questions on your podcast script:
Welcome to a Podcast on Plant adaptations
This is: (your name)
1. One type of plant adaptation is______
2. This adaptation helps the plant to ______
3. Another interesting plant adaptation is _____
4. This adaptation helps the plant to ______
Continue the same format with other adaptations
Finally, an adaptation that I found most interesting was ______
This helps the plant to___
I thought it was the most interesting because_____
Thank you for listening to our podcast on plant adaptations / Investigation on Water Loss and Leaf Structure
5 pts.
Explore the roles of succulence and tough outer coverings in preventing water loss.
Materials:
·  4 sponges of different thickness
·  Bowls
·  Measuring cups or graduated cylinders
·  Water
Group Procedure:
1. Place each of the 4 sponges in a bowl of water. Allow the sponges to sit a minute or so.
2. Remove the sponges from water and squeeze them one at a time into a measuring cup and note the amount of water coming form each sponge.
Discuss & Write down your observations to the following questions:
1. Which one holds more water? Why?
2. Which one holds the least amount? Why?
3. Which one would dry out the fastest? Why?
4. In an environment with not much water, what type of leaf do you think would work best?
Why? / Examine Plants
10 pts.
Examine plants for adaptations
( bring in selected plants or allows students to examine preselected plants inside or outside the school building.
Materials:
Magnifying lens
Pencil
Clip board and paper
Ruler
1.) sketch a picture of your plant & label the plant parts
2.) Examine the following parts and tell how the plants adaptations help the plant survive:
Leaves- what shape and size, how do they help the plant get water or sunlight?
Roots- deep or shallow, how do they help the plant collect nutrients and water?
Thorns- are there any types of thorn or spikes to protect the plant from animals?
Skin- is the skin of the plant waxy, hard, or soft and how would that help the plant hold water?
Stems or Branches- are they short, long. Thick, or thin and how do they help the plant get sunlight?
Seeds-how are they spread, how does the plant reproduce
Any other Adaptation? / You Are A Reporter!
5 pts.
You are a reporter for a magazine. You have been sent the desert to write about desert plants and their adaptations.
You will research and write about 5 different desert plants that you find most interesting.
Use books or computer to research.
Include the following:
Article Title
A new paragraph for each plant.
Each paragraph should start with a topic sentence that tells the main idea.
Each paragraph should give details about the plant and its adaptations.
Make sure all your information is factual.
End your article with a conclusion about your desert plants. / Habitat Poster
10 pts.
Show different plants in their habitats
Materials:
1). 3 large drawings of thermometers
2.) 1 large raindrop
3.) 1 small raindrop
4.) 3 large sun cut outs with cello phane over one
5.) 3 background pictures on construction paper of these environments: Desert
Rain forest
Kansas
Use books or comoputer for research
Procedure:
1. Desert picture- glue on thermomenter with very high temperature, sun, and small raindrop. Illustrate and color three desert plants and label their adaptations.
2. Tropical Rain Forest- glue on thermometer with warm temperature, sun with cello phane screen, and large raindrop. Illustrate and color three rain forest plants and label their adaptations.
3. Kansas- (pick a season) glue on sun (screened, covered or full), thermometer (with appropriate temperature), and appropriate raindrop size. Illustrate and color three plants commoly found in Kansas and list their adaptations.
Activity / Points Possible / Points Earned / Grade / Notes
Individual Activity # 1 / 25
Individual Activity # 2 / 25
Individual Activity # 3 / 25