PLANTS
STEM
Grow a
Plant
Carly and Adam
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Next Generation Science Standards
Grades K-2
2-LS2-1 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
Plan and conduct an investigation to determine if plants need sunlight
and water to grow.
Grades 3-5
5-LS1-1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
Support an argument that plants get the materials they need for growth
chiefly from air and water.
©CarlyAndAdam
GROWING A PLANT
Teacher Instructions
Materials for each group of 2-3 students:
• 1 plastic baggie (quart size)
• 3-5 bean seeds (bush beans)
• 5-7 cotton balls
• water
• permanent marker (to write student names on plastic
baggies)
• tape
• rulers (to measure the plant each week)
Additional Materials For Paper Bag Book:
• 2 paper bags (per student)
• crayons or colored pencils
• glue
• stapler
• scissors
• copies of journal pages
Instructions:
• Show students the parts of a seed and parts of a plant
diagrams and discuss each part and why it is
important.
• Talk with students about what they think plants need
to survive.
• Explain that they will be doing an experiment to see
what plants need in order to grow.
©Carly and Adam
GROWING A PLANT
Teacher Instructions (Continued)
• Give each group of students a plastic baggie, cotton
balls, and seeds.
• Have students wet the cotton balls so that they are
damp, but not soaking. Tell students to place the
cotton balls inside the plastic baggie and place the
seeds on the cotton balls facing the front side of the
bag (see week 1 image).
• Close up baggies, write student names on them, and
tape them to a window.
• While students create their bags or ahead of time
prepare four similar bags. Two of the bags of seeds
will not receive any water and the other two bags will
not receive any sunlight.
• Have students make predictions about whether the
bags without water and the bags without sunlight will
sprout.
• After setting up the experiment have students
assemble their paper bag books, decorate them, and
make their observations for week one.
• Have students record their observations the second
and third weeks as well in their plant journals. For
each week students should be recording their
observations and drawing a picture of the seeds with
the labeled parts that they observe.
©Carly and Adam
GROWING A PLANT
Teacher Instructions (Continued)
• Also have students observe and discuss the bags of
seeds with no water and no sunlight each week.
• At the end of week three talk with students about
what they observed and what plants need to grow.
• Students should come to the conclusion that plants
need sunlight and water to grow.
©Carly and Adam
ASSEMBLING THE PAPER BAG BOOK
Teacher Instructions
Flap on the
front left
side.
Flap on the
back right
side.
Fold in half and staple on the left side. You can also use a hole punch
and ribbon for a more decorative look.
©Carly and Adam
ASSEMBLING THE PAPER BAG BOOK
Teacher Instructions
Front
Cover
Back
Cover
©Carly and Adam
GROWING A PLANT
Teacher Instructions: Week 1 Example
©Carly and Adam
GROWING A PLANT
Teacher Instructions: Week 2 Example
©Carly and Adam
GROWING A PLANT
Teacher Instructions: Week 3 Example
©Carly and Adam
________________’s
Front
PLANT
JOURNAL
Cover
WEEK 1
Directions: Draw a picture of your plant. Label
the parts of a plant that you see.
Page
One
©Carly and Adam
WEEK 1
What do you notice about your plant?
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
Page
Two __________________________________________
__________________________________________
How tall is your plant?
_______________________________
WEEK 2
Directions: Draw a picture of your plant. Label
the parts of a plant that you see.
Page
Three
©Carly and Adam
WEEK 2
What do you notice about your plant?
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
Page
Four __________________________________________
__________________________________________
How tall is your plant?
_______________________________
WEEK 3
Directions: Draw a picture of your plant. Label
the parts of a plant that you see.
Page
Five
©Carly and Adam
WEEK 3
What do you notice about your plant?
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
Page
Six __________________________________________
__________________________________________
How tall is your plant?
_______________________________
MY PLANT FACTS
Directions: Write 3 facts about plants that you
learned.
1.________________________________________
Back __________________________________________
Cover
2.________________________________________
__________________________________________
3.________________________________________
__________________________________________
©Carly and Adam
The Parts of a Seed
Embryo
Endosperm
Seed Coat
©CarlyAndAdam
Name:_______________________
The Parts of a Seed
_________________
_________________
_________________
©CarlyAndAdam
The Parts of a Plant
Flower
Leaf
Stem
Roots
©CarlyAndAdam
Name:_______________________
The Parts of a Plant
_____________
_____________
_____________
_____________
©CarlyAndAdam
Carly and Adam
MORE ENGAGING PLANT ACTIVITIES!
©Carly and Adam
MORE ENGAGING PLANT ACTIVITIES!
CREDITS
©Carly and Adam
Carly and Adam
ABOUT US
Carly is a 3rd grade teacher in Indianapolis, Indiana. Her
professional experience includes: 2nd, 3rd, and 6th grades,
both private school and public schools.
Adam is a bow tie maker and owner of Speicher Tie
Company. He helps with the business side of Teachers Pay
Teachers.
TERMS OF USE
All pages of this product are copyrighted. You may not
create anything to sell from this packet or share any
part of it. This product is licensed for use in one
classroom only. If you would like to share with colleagues
you will need to purchase additional licenses or send them
to Carly and Adam's TPT store.
©Carly and Adam
