Sixth Grade Curriculum Project:
Plant Kingdom, Photosynthesis, and
Global Effects
Amy Aieta and Sarah Carter
Day 1: Introduction to the Plant
Kingdom
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Ask students to brainstorm their thoughts on the plant kingdom; what is it,
what makes plants unique from other living things?
Mini-lecture regarding plant life, cell structures, and the different types
(vascular/non-vascular).
In STAD groups.
Vocabulary worksheets on the definitions.
Vocabulary for Day 1
Cell Wall
Cellulose
Chloroplasts
Vacuole
Chlorophyll
Vascular Tissue
Cuticle
Bryophytes
Vascular and Non Vascular plants
Ferns
Shrubs
Trees
Day 2: Non Vascular Plants: Bryophytes
• Notes on bryophytes.
• STAD worksheets on new
vocabulary.
• The students will perform a lab
“Will Mosses Absorb Water?”
shown right.
• Vocabulary for Day 2:
Rhizoids
Bog/Peat
Gametophyte
Sporophyte
• Students will be asked to study
their new vocabulary for the
quiz the next day on nonvascular plants.
Day 3: Vascular Plants, an introduction to
Ferns
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Students will begin the class by
taking a quiz on non-vascular
plants.
Students will take notes on
vascular plants.
Students will perform a lab called
“How quickly can water move
upward?”.
Students will be asked to study for
their vocabulary quiz the next day
on vascular plants and ferns.
Day 4: Compare and Contrast Vascular and Non-Vascular Plants
Photosynthesis; its history and makeup
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A quiz on vascular plants and ferns will
be given.
Venn diagrams will be shown and a
discussion will be held regarding the
differences/comparisons between
vascular and non-vascular plants.
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Second part of the class will be used
to understand how photosynthesis was
historically discovered.
Students will be divided into STAD
groups and will read over the
photosynthesis lab to be performed
the next day.
Day 5: Photosynthesis Lab and an Introduction to
Global Issues Project.
• Lab, “Eye on Photosynthesis”
• There is a 30 minute waiting
period during the lab and
during this time the students
will be introduced to the global
issues research project.
• Students will be shown
different internet search
engines and sites to use and
will be given a library tour to
gain research materials.
• They will finish the lab and
take books or printed internet
resources home to prepare
their global issues project.
Day 6: Global Issues
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In groups of four mixed by race, gender,
and ability students will present the
global issue assigned to them to
research.
Students will be able to choose from:
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global warming
greenhouse effect
clear cutting
Biosphere
Deforestation
Ozone depletion
Students will have research time in
class on Friday afternoon to use
internet connections and the school
library. Over the weekend the
students are expected to create a
presentation to aide them in
teaching the rest of the class their
assigned global issue.
Criteria for Global Issues
Presentations
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Students are asked to answer the
following questions in their
presentations:
– What is your Global Issue?
– Why is it a problem in the
environment today?
– Have any reforms or laws formed
to protect or fix your global issue?
– When was it discovered (realized
to be a problem)?
– Is there anything students can do
to prevent this global issue from
intensifying?
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These questions will be expected
to answered in the presentation
given.