Lesson 2: The Garden Problem
• Have you ever
grown a garden, or
known someone
who has?
Challenge: Why won’t plants grow in the school garden?
Introduction: Garden Scenario
Vocabulary: Celsius (°C), data, evidence, observation,
opinion
• Why do people
have gardens?
Materials: √
Procedure:
Data:
Analysis:
√
Student Sheet 2.1: K-W-L
Student Sheet 2.2 Evidence or Opinion
AQ 1, AQ 2, AQ 3,
Introduction
It was the beginning of the school year. Chris
was nervous about starting at a new school. His first
class turned out to be science. His science teacher,
Ms. Clayson, told the class that they would begin
the year by trying to solve a problem with the school
garden. Most of the garden plants were dying, even
though they had been planted recently.
KWL Analyzing the Garden Problem
Before the Reading
What I know about the garden
There is a garden on school property
There is a problem with the garden
New plants died after they were
planted
The science class is going to study the
garden
After the Reading
What I want know about the garden What I learned about
the garden
Student Sheet 2.2 Evidence or Opinion
Statement
1. observed that the
soil felt dry and sandy
Evidence
X
Opinion without support;
no plants have survived
yet
Evidence based on
limited measurements
(5 days)
X
4. The old farm used
up everything in
the soil.
5. The best plants
for a garden are
flowers.
Reason
Evidence based on
direct observation
X
2. Ms. Clayson is sure that
plants can grow and
survive in the school
garden.
3. The average
temperature in the
garden is 21°C (70°F).
Opinion
X
X
Opinion; one parent states
this opinion but does not
provide measureable
evidence.
Opinion without factual
support; some people prefer
other plants
Statement
6. Based on the class
data, there is enough
sunlight in the garden
for most plants
to grow.
7. The soil next door
looks different from
the garden soil.
8. A student points out
that the dry soil means the
soil doesn’t have enough
water for plants to grow
Evidence
Opinion
Reason
Evidence based on limited
measurements (5 days)
X
Evidence based on
direct observation
X
X
Opinion; likely to be true
for some plants, but not
based on particular plant
requirements vs.
measurements of soil
Analysis Question 1a and 1b
The reading gave evidence and opinions about the garden.
a. Complete Student Sheet 2.2, “Evidence or Opinion?”
b. What is the difference between scientific evidence and an opinion?
Scientific evidence is unbiased data or information that is gathered by direct
observation and is reproducible, meaning that someone else could gather similar data in
similar circumstances.
In some cases, reputable sources can provide such evidence, since it is assumed that the
evidence is independently reproducible.
Opinion is the view someone takes about a certain issue based on his or her own
judgment, often without the support of any factual evidence. An informed opinion may
be based on evidence; however, another person may have a different opinion based on
the same evidence.
Analysis Question 2
Your aunt tells you that she gets cold when the temperature
falls below 60 degrees.
Does she mean degrees Celsius or degrees Fahrenheit?
How do you know?
She is referring to degrees Fahrenheit. If she were
referring to degrees Celsius, the temperature would
be over 20 degrees higher than normal human body
temperature (too hot for someone to even survive).
Scoring Guide
LEVEL
DESCRIPTION
Level 4
Above and beyond
Student accomplishes Level 3 and goes beyond in some
significant way, such as: questioning or justifying the source,
validity, and/or quantity of evidence.
Level 3
Complete and correct
Student identifies key evidence with the appropriate facts, data and
observations.
Level 2
Almost there
Student includes some, but not all, relevant evidence
BUT student omits key evidence OR provides an insufficient number of
facts, data, and observations.
Level 1
On your way
Student states opinion as facts
Level 0
Student’s response is missing, illegible, or irrelevant.
X
Student had no opportunity to respond.
OR student uses incorrect or irrelevant evidence.
Analysis Question 3
Why do you think plants won’t grow in the garden at
Chris’s school?
Support your ideas with evidence from the reading.
Level 3 Response
I think that the problem with the garden is
that there is not enough water. The soil felt dry
and sandy to the class. Chris saw someone
watering the plants next door and they looked
healthy. There is no evidence that anyone
watered the plants in the garden before. The
class observed that there is enough sun. One of
the parents thinks the soil is good, but that is
just an opinion.