Science Summer 1 2015 Year 2 Plants
KS1: Year 2 – Plants
Key Learning: (Non-statutory)
 Observe and describe how seeds and bulbs grow into mature plants.
 Find out and describe how plants need water, light and a suitable
temperature to grow and stay healthy.
 Plants are living and eventually die.
(NB: it is important to note that some plants reproduce without seeds but this
more abstract concept will be introduced in UKS2)
Vocabulary:
Words and phrases for making comparisons: e.g. tall/taller/tallest, long/longer/longest,
like, similar to, different from, etc.
Labelling features: root, stem, leaf, flower, seeds, seedlings, plants, branch, twig, trunk,
and weed.
Names for plants e.g. daisy, dandelion, oak tree
Words and phrases relating to living and non-living things and life processes e.g. living, nonliving, alive, not alive, dead, healthy, produce new plants, grow
Compare, describe, because
Working Scientifically:
KS1: Year 2 – Plants
 Observing and recording, with some accuracy, the growth of a variety of
plants as they change over time from a seed or bulb, or observing similar
plants at different stages of growth.
 Setting up a comparative test to show that plants need light and water to stay
healthy.
5 Approaches to Working Scientifically:
Green = done in this unit
 Observing changes over time
 Looking for naturally occurring patterns and relationships
 Identifying and classifying things
 Researching using secondary resources
 Comparative and fair testing
Key Questions:
 How do plants grow?
 Where do seeds come from? (i.e. inside a fruit)
 Which part of the plant grows from the seed first?
 How do we keep plants healthy?
 What do plants need to grow healthily
 What can we ask a garden expert?
On-going scientific observations:
http://gardening.afterschooltreats.com/themes/ Create a children’s garden
ICT RESOURCES:
Lancashire resource: Discovery Dog – Year 1 Disc ‘Perfect Plants’. Can the children help Discovery Dog after Naughty Nora digs up all Kate’s flowers?
Woodland Trust and its partner site Nature Detectives have a huge array of high quality teaching resources to explore nature in the outdoors. Explore the website for relevant
resources to support the key learning. Visit
www.woodlandtrust.org.uk and www.naturedetectives.org.uk
Science and Plants for Schools
http://www.saps.org.uk/primary/teaching-resources/ has a selection of useful teacher information and pupil activities about plants relevant to different age phases.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/ Search this site for ‘Science’ and ‘Plants’ for a variety of short video clips to support this unit appropriate for the key learning and age phase.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/clips/zthxpv4 Compilation clip on plants
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/clips/zyvs34j Plants are alive
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/clips/zc62tfr Growing plants
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/clips/zystsbk Runner bean time lapse
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/clips/zp9c87h Time lapse of a seed growing
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/clips/zv2qxnb What plants need to grow
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/clips/zxdkjxs Why plants need roots
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/clips/ztjd7ty Why plants need water
http://www.kiddiegardens.com/bean_teepee.html Instructions to make a bean pole tepee
Session
1
Learning
Objective
NC
To be aware of
the differences
between
different
habitats.
Main Teaching
LA
What do you know about plants?
How many can you name?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/clips/z
thxpv4 - Compilation clip on plants.
Activity
MA
Resources
Learning
Outcomes
Safety &
Other Info
Nature Walk sheet
Clipboards
Cameras
Drawing paper and
pencils.
L1: Children can
observe plants
growing in 2
different habitats.
Children to stay
with their group.
Wash hands
after lesson.
HA
Nature walk around school comparing the
habitats where plants can be found.
L2: Can identify
which habitat had
the most and least
amount of growing
plants.
What would you like to find out
about plants?
Look at the Nature Walk slides.
Where do plants grow? Introduce
the word habitat.
2
To discover
what a seed
needs to grow
into a plant.
To investigate
seed growth by
doing a fair
test.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/clips/z
p9c87h Time lapse of a seed growing
Discovery Dog (Perfect Plants):
How can we grow the best plants?
Seed germination – compare 2
different growing mediums e.g.
broad bean or mung bean (soak
seeds overnight to achieve better
germination success). Where do you
Groups of 4: decide on 2 environments to grow
beans in: Sand, soil, Filter paper, kitchen
sponge etc.
Draw pictures of what they will need and what
they will do.
Teacher questioning:
What do your seeds need to grow?
Which part of the plant do you think will grow
first (root, leaf, stem, flower)?
P.22 Usborne
Science book Beany
Bags
Beans
Self sealing plastic
food bags
Kitchen sponge
cloth
Soil
Sand
Filter Paper
L3: Can identify
which habitat had
the most and least
amount of growing
plants and explain
why.
L1: Children can
observe plants
growing in 2
different habitats.
L2: Can observe
and describe how a
seed grows into a
plant.
L3: Can explain
think the plant will grow from on
the seed?
Compare soil or sand with paper or
a sponge.
Stress that to make it fair we are
changing only 1 thing.
Plenary
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/clips/z
ystsbk Runner bean time lapse
Show clip and explain this is what we
might see. What conditions will our
seeds need to grow?
How will you make your test fair?
How will you decide which habitat was the
best?
How long do you think we should leave the
seeds? Why?
Set up the investigation. Observations over
time can be recorded as a seedling diary.
As they grow they will then be able to compare
the different stages. Spray the sponge with
water every few days to keep it moist. Hang
the bags on a window with masking tape to
observe their growth. Once all the seeds have
begun growing, they can be compared and then
planted in pots/outside area. Possible to create
a bean pole tepee.
Pots
Water
Sand
how they have
created a fair test
to compare
growing seeds.
Examine different types of fruit and veg and
look for seeds. Talk about how they are
different and how they might grow a new plant.
Teacher questions: Do all fruits contain the
same amount of seeds? Are all seeds the same?
Which is the biggest seed you can find? Which
is the smallest seed? Where are the seeds in a
strawberry?
Peas
Squash
Beans
Stawberries
Apple
Orange
Melon
Hand lenses
L1: Children can
observe fruit and
vegetables for
seeds.
http://www.kiddiegardens.com/bean_teepee.html
Instructions to make a bean pole tepee
3
4
To find out
where seeds
come from.
To decide
what a plant
needs to grow.
Where can we find seeds? Use
photos on board to stimulate
discussion.
What does it look like inside a
fruit? Discuss the children’s
findings.
Planning your outdoor area – A
Wonderful Wildlife Garden
Can you think a good habitat in
school where we could plant some
seeds? What do our seeds need to
grow?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/clips/z
c62tfr Growing plants.
Have a look at the raised beds that the
gardening club use. Identify the different
plants they can see.
Invite the gardening club to talk to the class
about what plants grow well.
Work in small groups to design a small garden.
Decide what they would like to grow and where.
Gardening club
Variety of seeds
Compost
Indoor propagators
Paper pots or seed
trays
L2: Can investigate
if all fruits contain
the same amount
of seeds.
L3: Can explain
how the seeds
might be dispersed
to grow a new
plant.
L1: Children can
observe plants
growing in the
environment..
L2: Can describe
what a plant might
need to grow.
Wash hands
after lesson.
Use the seed packets and information sheets
to plan out garden patch.
5
To find out and
describe what
plants need to
stay healthy.
Show pictures of wilted and dying
plants. What has gone wrong?
What do you think plants need to
stay healthy? What do you need?
Children to investigate with
seedlings (light, water,
environmental conditions). Each
group could decide which of their 3
plants grew the best and apply this
to their own plants for a class
competition.
Plenary
6
7
To compare and
identify
different types
of leaves
To research
about plants
using a range of
sources.
Plant seeds ready to plant in the raised beds
once strong enough.
Each group could test 3 different seedlings
How well do our plants grow if the seedlings
have
 Group 1 - No water, enough water to
moisten the soil, enough water to cover the
soil NB: all in the light e.g. on a windowsill
 Group 2 - No light, some light (shady area),
lots of light (window sill) NB: all with
enough water to moisten the soil
 Group 3 – Outside watered by the rain,
inside watered by hand NB: lots of light
and enough water to moisten the soil
Seedlings (grown by
teacher with a
small group at the
beginning of the
topic)
Camera
Water
Take photos throughout the growing
process.
Sort / Group / Compare /Classify:
The mystery leaves have come from
another planet, but how many
different types of tree/plant does
their planet have? How many
different types of tree can we
identify on our planet? Do you think
there will be other types anywhere
else in the world?
In small groups, explore the school grounds
using the key to identify the leaves.
How many of the leaves do we have on the
school grounds?
Research:
What are the plants like around our
locality?
Which is the largest tree in the
Using books and ICT find answers to questions
posed by Teacher or in their initial ‘what they
would like to find out’.
Leaf identification
key
Hand lenses
Camera
**Leaf collection
bag
Make in a previous
session
www.naturedetectiv
es.org.uk for all
resources
ICT Suite
Plan research books
Range of websites
L1: Children can
observe plants
growing in 3
different
conditions.
L2: Can predict
what might happen
to seedlings
growing in 3
different
conditions.
L3: Can predict
what might happen
to seedlings
growing in 3
different
conditions and
explain their
reasons.
L1: Children can
use a key to name
different types of
tree.
L2: Can explain
what conditions
the tree needs to
grow.
L1: Children can
use ICT to find
simple answers to
questions.
Children to stay
with their group.
Wash hands
after lesson.
world?
Which fruit has the largest seed?
Which plants live in hot areas of
the world?
Can plants live in the Antarctic?
(http://www.exploratorium.edu/gar
dening/control/antarctica/ has a
video about growing plants in the
subzero conditions of Antarctica)
What are the plants like in very wet
parts of the world?
Can plants live in water?
L2: Can use a range
of sources to find
answers to
questions.
L3: Can use a range
of sources to find
answers to given
questions and
create their own.