Q.C.A. – 3B

UNIT / Teacher’s Notes
3B
Growing Plants
Linked to PofS
2 – 3c
To know function of roots / The Function of Roots
(Worksheet 1)
This activity requires the children to draw and label the parts of a plant and links to work undertaken at KS1. This can be extended with children providing labels with annotations. The teacher explains the ‘job’ of each part of plant. The second section is a matching exercise where the child needs to match the part of the plant to its functions.
3B
Growing Plants
Linked to PofS
1 – 2f
To make systematic observations and accurate measurements / Measuring plants
(Worksheet 2)
This is a skill focus sheet which should be given before children measure the plants they have grown themselves. The children need to measure to the nearest ½ centimetre (less able nearest cm- level 2).
Cross curricular links: Maths
The problem solving aspect is that plants are not always straight .The children need to consider how they will measure plant E. This worksheet allows the teacher to assess how accurately a child measures length. An answer sheet is provided. This can then be followed up in a science practical with teacher focusing in on children who need further practice on measuring accurately.
Supplementary Worksheet
Making Tests Fair
(Worksheet 3)
This is a teacher discussion sheet with an emphasis on the class recognising aspects of an unfair test. These factors are kept the same:
·  Number of seeds
·  Material of container seeds are grown in
·  Growing medium
·  Position of seeds within container
A level 3 child will be able to say how to make it fair. The only factor which should be changed is type of seeds. A ‘post it’ planner is included for class to plan a fair test.
N.B. A whole AT1 planner is available in QCA 3C if you wished to do this as a whole investigation.


3B - The function of Roots (1)

  1. Draw and label the parts of the plant.

You will need to use the words root, stem and leaf.

  1. Match the parts of the plant to their job:

Takes in water and nutrients
Leaves
Supports (holds up) the plant
Stem
Anchors the plant into the ground
Roots
Makes food for the plant

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3B – Measuring Plants (2)

How tall are the bean plants?

Bean plant / Height (cm)
A
B
C
D
E


3B – Measuring Plants (2) (Answer Sheet)

How tall are the bean plants?

Bean plant / Height (cm)
A / 1.5cm
B / 8cm
C / 5.5cm
D / 3cm
E / 8cm

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3B - Making Tests Fair (3)

Teacher Discussion

Imagine that some of your plants are dying. Your question is, ‘Why are some of my plants dying?’

·  Perhaps you have not been watering them enough.

·  Perhaps you have been watering them too much.

·  Perhaps they are not getting enough sun.

·  Perhaps they are getting too much sun.

To find out if you have not been watering them enough, you will have to give them more water. This is a test. If the plant recovers, you will have answered your question. Your plant was dying because you did not give it enough water.

Tom’s Test

Here is a test that Tom did. He wanted to find out which kinds of beans sprout fastest. He put three different kinds of beans into containers like this:

After a week, Tom noticed that the beans in jar (b) had sprouted first. He decided that this kind of bean sprouted faster than the other kinds.

But Tom’s test was not fair because the beans were not grown in the same way. Can you help Tom by making his test fair for him?

TEACHER PROMPTS

For example:

·  The seeds in (a) were grown on wet blotting paper, but the others were grown in soil.

·  The seeds in (c) were under the soil, the seeds in (b) were on the top.

·  The seeds in (a) and (b) were in glass jars so they got plenty of light. The seeds in (c were in a tin.

Perhaps if the seeds in (b) had been grown under the soil, they would not have sprouted first.

SOLUTION

How could Tom make his test fair?

He would have to keep everything the same except for the kinds of bean seeds. He could set up his test like this:

He should use the same kind of jar, the same number of beans and the same amount of soil.

The only thing different would be the kind of beans in each jar.

This would be a fair test of which bean sprouted first.

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