THE TINY SEED
By Eric Carle
Second Grade Cyber Lesson
Prepared by Jessica Hovenstine
INTRODUCTION
In the fictional story, The Tiny Seed,
you will learn about a tiny seed that
travels through the seasons on an
exciting journey. You will read about
the dangers it faces and how
it becomes a beautiful flower.
MATERIALS
 A copy
of The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle
 A computer
 Reading
with an internet connection
journal and pencil
 Sequencing
graphic organizer
BEFORE YOU READ
Take a look at the cover and title of the book.
Take a picture walk to predict what you think the
story will be about. In your reading journal, write
one prediction about what you think will happen
in The Tiny Seed.
Go to the link below to learn more about seeds
and plants. Click on the “Helping Plants Grow
Well” activity and then take the quiz.
How to Grow a Plant
DURING READING
The tiny seed travels for so long that it lives
through all the seasons. As you read about the
tiny seed’s journey, you will be using the link to
the sequencing chart on the next slide.
Choose only the important
details from the story
to write in the chart.
DURING READING
After you read each section listed below, stop and
click on the link to type the main events into the
correct box on the sequencing chart.
Chain of Events
Pages 1-12 Autumn
Pages 13-14 Winter
Pages 15-22 Spring
Pages 23-26 Summer
Pages 27-30 Autumn returns
AFTER READING
Look back at your prediction in your reading journal. How
accurate was your prediction? Discuss with a partner the
difference between what you thought was going to happen
and what actually happened in the story.
Then, go to the link below to answer any questions that you
still have about seeds and plants. In your reading journal,
write three new facts that you learned about seeds and
plants from the link. Click Next, at the bottom of the page,
to get to each new web page on the site.
The Great Plant Escape
BEYOND READING
Now that you have read The Tiny Seed, talk with
a partner about the real and make-believe parts
of the story.
Take a look at the video on the link below to
watch real seeds in action.
PBS: The Seedy Side of Plants
Using the book and the video, write three real
and three make-believe parts from the story in
your reading journal and why you think so. Be
prepared to share your ideas with the class.
EVALUATION
2 points
4 points
6 points
Before Reading
The student wrote one
prediction in his/her
reading journal. He/she
did not use many details
from the picture walk to
support the prediction.
The student wrote one
prediction in his/her
reading journal. He/she
used some details from
the picture walk to
support the prediction.
Before Reading
continued
The student visited the
link but did not finish
the activity or quiz.
The student visited the
link, completed the
activity and did some of
the quiz questions.
The student wrote a
detailed prediction in
his/her reading journal.
He/she clearly used
many details from the
picture walk to support
the prediction.
The student visited the
link, completed the
activity and finished the
quiz.
During Reading
The student completed
the sequencing chart
using few details from
the story. The order of
events has some errors.
The student completed
the sequencing chart
using some details from
the story. The order of
events is accurate.
The student completed
the sequencing chart
using many important
and relevant details
from the story. The
order of events is
accurate and clear.
EVALUATION CONTINUED
2 points
After Reading
Beyond Reading
The student discussed
the accuracy of his/her
prediction with a
partner. He/she visited
the link but only wrote
1-2 new facts that
he/she learned about
seeds and plants.
4 points
The student discussed
the accuracy of his/her
prediction with a
partner. He/she visited
the link and wrote 3
new facts, without
many supporting
details, that he/she
learned about seeds and
plants.
The student discussed
The student discussed
real and make-believe
real and make-believe
elements with a partner. elements with a partner.
He/she watched the
He/she watched the
video on the link but
video on the link and
only wrote 1-2 real and wrote 3 real and 3
1-2 make-believe
make-believe elements
elements related to The related to The Tiny
Tiny Seed.
Seed. His/her ideas may
need more details or
may be unclear in some
way.
6 points
The student discussed
the accuracy of his/her
prediction with a
partner. He/she visited
the link and wrote 3
detailed and clear facts
that he/she learned
about seeds and plants.
The student discussed
real and make-believe
elements with a partner.
He/she watched the
video on the link and
wrote 3 real and 3
make-believe elements
related to The Tiny
Seed. His/her ideas are
clearly developed and
include supporting
details when necessary.
CREDITS
Book for Cyber Lesson:
Carle, E. (1987). The tiny seed. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks.
Websites:
The Great Plant Escape
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/gpe/case3/c3facts1.html
PBS: The Seedy Side of Plants
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/plants/
BBC: British Broadcasting Corporation
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/7_8/science_7_8.shtml
Graphic organizer:
Chain of Events
http://www.educationoasis.com
Other thanks:
Becky Caplinger, one of my classmates in RDG 589, helped me develop the
graphic organizers used in this cyber lesson.
Another classmate, Megan Zaba, gave me helpful feedback on this cyber
lesson.
Dr. Kurkjian’s cyber lesson template and student examples were very helpful
in the development of this cyber lesson.
TEACHER PAGE
To begin, ask yourself how you will group your
students based on reading ability. This cyber
lesson can be done independently by students
who are able to read The Tiny Seed. For students
at lower reading levels, you can either pair them
with a student who can read the book, or you can
do the cyber lesson with a small group of
students who need more support. I would
recommend conferring with students when
completing the evaluation so they are able to help
assess their own progress on the cyber lesson.