Title: Plants and Seeds

Math

Grade Level:Third

INTRODUCTION:

1. Summarize the content to be present in abstract form-

For many students science has no real meaning if materials is covered by the read and discuss method. A hands on approach is a constructivist way to teach a concept. Different kinds of plants form different amounts of seeds. Some plants form only a few seeds, while others form many seeds. The fruit is a part of the flowering plant that contains seeds.

2. Teacher background knowledge-

Before teaching this lesson, the teacher must be familiar with flowering plants. Fruits are a uniquely angiosperm feature: part of the pollinated flower ripens and becomes the fruit. Two types of fruits with a generally different mechanism of seed distribution exist: dehiscent and nondehiscent fruits. Dehiscent fruits set the seeds free by opening of the fruit that remains itself with the mother plant. In contrast, nondehiscent fruits and their seeds is a dispersal unit. Dehiscent fruit types are follicles, pulses, pods and capsules. Nondehiscent fruits are berries, drupes and nuts. Seeds are normally surrounded by a tough shell, the testa, which is derived from one or more integuments. It contains the endosperm, which is a nourishing tissue. Seeds are dispersed either by self-dispersal, or by extern factors that are involved. Extern modes are dispersal by wind, water or by animals. A fruit is the state that the flower turns to during the ripening of the seeds. The seed is organized into three layers: the skin, the often-fleshy middle, and the membranous. The fruits produce gadgets for the protection and the dispersal of the seeds.

This lesson focuses on flowering plants that produce berry seeds that are enclosed in fruit. The three kinds of fruit are berries, drupes, and pomes. The pericarp of berries becomes fleshy and juicy in all its parts and is often colored. A berry would be a tomato, an orange, or grapes that contain many seeds. The outer layer of drupes differentiates into a stone that sums up usually to only one seed. The outer layers of the fruit are, just like with berries, fleshy. Well-known examples are cherries, plums, peaches, olives, and walnut. Berries and drupes have adapted to being eaten by animals along with the seeds. The seed is excreted without being digested and is thereby scattered. The whole pericarp of nuts becomes hard and develops a thick wall, which includes as a rule only one seed. An example would be a hazelnut or an acorn. Teachers should be aware that different kinds of plants form different amounts of seeds. Some plants form only a few seeds, while others form many seeds. The whole idea of this lesson is to reinforce the fact that the fruit is the part of the flowering plant and that it contain seeds.

3. Prerequisite knowledge needed by students-

Students already know how to work in cooperative groups.
Students know that plants have seeds
Students should be familiar with the seed life cycle.
Students should be familiar with the parts of a plant.
Students should be familiar with the different fruits that will be used, such as apples, grapes, tomatoes, peaches, and plums.

4. Connections to other subjects-

This plant and seed lesson plan can be connected to a math lesson. The students can fill in a bar graph that will help them sort the data into a more understandable method. The students can then compare the bar graphs with other classmates and describe his/her findings after inspecting the various different fruits from flowering plants.

5. Connections to the rest of the lessons in the series-

The other lessons in the series also reflect upon plants and their life cycles. This lesson allows students to understand the kinds of berry fruits that are within the flowering plant. This lesson also permits the students to use real life fruits to explore the seeds in depth.

OBJECTIVES:

Students will be able to:

observe and identify the placement of the seeds in each piece of fruit.
determine that fruits vary from having one seed to many seeds.
record the observations of each fruits seed.

Standards/Benchmarks

State: Pennsylvania-33.4 A

Know that some organisms have similar external characteristics and that similarities and differences are related to environmental circumstances.

Philadelphia CF3

Explain some of the many ways animals and plants can be sorted into groups.

Procedure

Materials

Student Materials:

-3 pieces of fruit/per group

-1 plastic knife/per group

-1 plastic mat/per group

-1 prediction/conclusion sheet/per group

-1 graph worksheet/per group

-Glue/per group

-Pencils/per group

-Markers per group

Teacher Materials:

-1 chart with the berry fruit on it with a definition.

-Book: A Fruit is a Suitcase for Seeds By: Jean Richards ISBN:0-7613-1622-1

-Homework sheet

-Chart paper with group tasks on it

Classroom Climate:

1. Classroom Arrangement:

Anticipatory set: on blue carpet

Lab: at assigned tables with group members

Closure: individual

2. Student Groupings:

Anticipatory set: whole class

Lab: cooperative groups

Closure: individual

3. Special needs considerations:

None

4. Safety precautions:

The students will be instructed not to point the plastic knife or any other sharp objects towards themselves or others in the classroom. For their safety, any student(s) found not listening to directions or harming themselves or others will be pulled away from the group setting and will be required to complete the activity on his or her own. Also for safety reasons, the students will be instructed not to eat the lesson materials.

Step By Step

Anticipatory set/ motivation

The students will begin on the blue carpet with their assigned groups. I will begin by showing the students two kinds of fruit. I will ask the students, “What are these called?” I am expecting some students to give me the specific names of the fruit. I will then prompt the students by saying, “can you think of one name that tells what these are?” I will continue with the questioning until I get the answer, “FRUIT.” I will then ask the students to name other kinds of fruit. I will write on the chart paper labeled “fruit” I will write the names of the different fruits that the students provide. I will explain to the students that we will return to the list later and make corrections and additions. I will then take out a piece of fruit that was previously cut and ask the students, “What is inside these pieces of fruit?” I will write the student responses on the chart labeled “What is inside the fruit?” I am expecting to hear answers like seeds, and the part we eat. I will then have the following questions posted for the students to think about during the lesson:

“Do all fruits have seeds?”

“Are the seeds the same in every fruit?”

“Do all the fruits have the same number of seeds?”

I will then introduce the book called A Fruit is a Suitcase for Seeds by: Jean Richards. I will ask the students to look for what makes a fruit different from a vegetable. When I am finished reading the book, I will ask the students what makes a fruit different from a vegetable? The answer that I will be aiming for is that a fruit is a part of a plant that holds seeds while vegetables are mainly a leaf, root or a flower. Even though some vegetables hold seeds like fruit the following vegetables should be looked upon as being both a fruit and a vegetables to cause less confusion. These vegetables/fruits are: cucumbers, tomatoes, corn, green peas, eggplant, olives and green peppers.

Body of the Lesson

The students will still be sitting on the blue carpet. The teacher will explain the activity that will take place during the lesson.

Teacher:

Today we will be working with paper knifes. Are we supposed to point or stab others or ourselves with the knife?

Responses: NO

Each group will have an apple, a pear, and an orange.
Each group will have a paper plate with all three fruits on it.
Everyone in the group is to make a hypothesis as to how many seeds you think you will find in each whole fruit and record it on your forms. The teacher will show everyone the worksheet.
Group Member # 1- takes care gluing the sees onto the worksheet.
Group Member # 2- is in charge of cutting open the apple, pear, and an orange.
Group Member # 3- is in charge of recording the data on the worksheet that says “How many Seeds?”
Group Member # 4 – is in charge of graphing the data onto the worksheet. and the reporter.
Group member # 2 is to cut open the apple and everyone in the group is to count how many seeds are in the apple and Group member # 3 is to record the results in the 2 row next to the question, “how many seeds we found.”
Group Member # 1 is to take one seed and glue it to the worksheet. Where it says “glue a seed here.”
Group Member # 4 is to graph the most and least seeds in each fruit.

When the students have completed this activity, I will call each group over to the blue carpet. Each group will need to bring over their worksheet. I will ask each group the following question:

“Did all the fruits have the same number of seeds inside?”

I am expecting the response from each group to be NO.
When each group has responded to my question, I will then ask the entire class, “Can you tell how many seeds are inside by looking at the outside of the fruit?” Again, I am expecting the class to respond by saying, “NO.”
I will then explain to the class that we need to come up with a definition for the word FRUIT.
I will be guiding the students towards the following definition: A FRUIT is: the part of the plant that contains the seeds.
I will then show the class a kiwi and a banana. I will ask the class if soft fruits like these have seeds?
I will then cut open each fruit to verify that they do in deed have seeds. I will have my assistant teachers walk around to show the students the seeds in these fruits.
I will then refer to the chart labeled: Fruit is and point to each item on the list and ask, “Is this a fruit?” “Does it have seeds?” I will then make corrections and additions if needed.
I will have a list of item that are not commonly called fruit on the board. These items will be, pea pods, squash, tomato, peppers, cucumbers, and olives. Through careful questioning I will ask the students about these items. I will ask the students if each item has a seed. What do we call something when it contains seeds? I am expecting the students to say, fruits. I will further explain to the students that even though we call these items vegetables, they are also considered fruits because…. And I will ask the students for the response of, they contain seeds.
Each student will be instructed to go back to his/her desk. I will then pass out the final worksheet, which is to be done independently. I will go over the directions with the students.
This worksheet is to further assess their understanding of fruit.

Closure

I will ask the students the following questions to reassess their understanding of what makes a fruit a fruit.

What is a fruit?

Possible response: it is a part of the plant that contains seeds.

I will then ask the students to hold up their yes/no cards and tell me if they agree with that individuals answer. If there is someone holding up the NO card, I will ask that individual why he/she disagrees with the answer. I will direct the students’ attention to the board where the chart of the fruit definition will be located.

Is a cucumber considered a fruit?

Possible response: Yes

I will then ask the students to once again hold up the YES/NO cards to tell me if they agree with the individuals answer. If all the YES cards are in the air I will select a student to explain to me why a cucumber is considered a fruit?

Response that I am looking for is: because a fruit is the part of the plant that contains seeds and a cucumber contains seeds.

Finally, I will instruct the entire class to answer the last question together:

What is the part of the plant that contains seeds?

Possible response: Fruit

I will repeat myself, what is the part of the plant that contains seeds?

Response: Fruit

Extension/enrichment Activity

If there is more time, I will have a Fruit word search that the students will be able to complete. It consists of 17 words that have to do with flowering plants that contain seeds.

Assessment

Short term Assessment

The students will be required to work independently to complete the worksheet described as “which are fruits?” The students will also need to answer the following questions:

What is a fruit?

Possible response: it is a part of the plant that contains seeds.

Is a cucumber considered a fruit?

Possible response: Yes

Response that I am looking for is: because a fruit is the part of the plant that contains seeds and a cucumber contains seeds.

Finally, I will instruct the entire class to answer the last question together:

What is the part of the plant that contains seeds?

Possible response: Fruit

I will repeat myself, what is the part of the plant that contains seeds?

Response: Fruit

Intermediate Assessment

I will briefly go over the homework assignment with the students stating exactly what I am expecting from each one of them. The homework sheet is titled “Seed Search.” Each student will need to look for 4 different kinds of seeds at home. Each student is to write what kind it is in the space provided in each box and where he/she had found it. Each student is to attach the seed into the appropriate box with the correct description of the seed. If the seed is too large, the student can place the seed in a labeled plastic baggie and attach it to the homework sheet.

Long Term Assessment:

The students will be asked specific questions from the lesson on the post assessment test. There will be four different questions on the post assessment, which covers what the entire lesson was about.

Define what a FRUIT is.
Do all fruits have seeds? Explain your answer.
Are the seed the same in every fruit? Explain your answer
Do all the fruits have the same number of seeds? Explain your answer.

Assignment

Homework:

The homework sheet is titled “Seed Search.” Each student will need to look for 4 different kinds of seeds at home. Each student is to write what kind it is in the space provided in each box and where he/she had found it. Each student is to attach the seed into the appropriate box with the correct description of the seed. If the seed is too large, the student can place the seed in a labeled plastic baggie and attach it to the homework sheet.

Bibliography

1. Moore, Jo Ellen Plants Science Works for Kids Series: Evan Moor Corp. California. 1998. ISBN: 1557996873

Richards, Jean A Fruit is a Suitcase for Seeds: The Millbrook Press, Inc. Connecticut. 2002. ISBN: 0-7613-1622-1

How Many Seeds Graph

Apple Pea PodOrange

Answer the following questions using the data that you graphed.

Which type of fruit had the most seeds? ______

Which type of fruit had the least seeds? ______

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