Lesson 1: Plant Structure and Function

Grade level: 4th grade

Standard: 4-LS1-1

Activity 1: Plant structures and functions booklet

Time: 45 minutes
Materials:
Computer/projector
Plant booklet
Pencils
Crayons

*Before beginning this activity print and staple a plant booklet for each student in your
class. You can find the plant booklet attached to the end of this lesson.

1. Explain to the students Today we are going to be discussing the different

parts of a plant and what they do. Can anybody tell me any parts of a plant that
they already know about? Allow the students to respond to this question as you
write the answers on the board.
2. After the students have finished responding, the following plant parts
should be written on the board: root, stem, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds.
When the students are done sharing what they already know, write down any of
the other parts that the students didnt share.
3. Have a student pass out the prepared plant booklets, one per student. As
the student is passing out the booklets draw or project an image of a plant on the
front whiteboard. (Similar to the image found throughout the students plant
booklet)
4. Explain to the students how they will be filling out the plant booklet. I will
be asking you all where the parts of the plant go. As I write/label the plant on the
board, you will label the plant on the first page of your booklet. Ask the students
Does anyone know where these parts of the plant are? Allow the students to
respond with where they believe the plant parts go. Guiding them to the write
answer. When students are done responding finish by labeling the rest of the
plant.
 5. Ask the students Now that we have labeled where the parts of the plant
are, lets talk about what each part does. Please flip your booklet to the next
page, that says ROOTS at the top.
6. Ask the students Where can you find the roots of a plant? Guide the
students answers to: You can find the roots of a plant underground.
7. Ask the students What do the roots do for the plant? Guide the students
answers to: The roots help the plant by absorbing water and minerals/food that
the plant needs.
8. Repeat steps 5-7 about the stem, leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds. The
answers to the Where and What questions can be found on the attachment
labeled Plant Booklet Answer Key.
9. Optional: If the students have time at the end of this activity, have them
color each of the plant structures throughout their plant booklet.

SAMPLE PLANT BOOKLET PAGE:

ROOTS
WHERE are roots found?

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

WHAT do the roots do for the plant?

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

Activity 2: Plant structure and Function Matching Game

Time: 45 minutes
Materials:
Plant structure and function matching game
Fork

*Before beginning this activity, prepare and cut copies of the attached Plant structure
and function matching game. You will need one game per 3-4 students in your class.
 1. Explain to the students We talked about the different parts of the plant
and what each did, when we completed our plant booklet. Today we will be
playing a game where you have to match the structure of a plant with its
function. Do not directly tell the students the definitions of structure and function,
you want them to develop this idea on their own.
2. Before beginning the game give the students the following example of
structure and function. This will help guide their learning if they are able to relate
structure and function to something else. Hold up a fork and ask the students
What are the parts of a fork? Answer: handle, and prongs (tines). After
discussing the parts of a fork ask the students What do those parts do, or help
us do? Answer: the handle allows the fork to be held, and the prongs allow for
food to be picked up. Explain to the students The handle and prongs of the fork
are the structures of a fork, and what the fork helps us do is the function of a
fork.
3. Explain the game to the students.
When you receive your matching game you will need to set it up. There is
one card in the game that says STRUCTURE and one card in the game that
says FUNCTION. You will want to set these two cards at the top of your playing
sheet.
The rest of the cards will go in the draw pile. Taking turns, you will draw
one card at a time. You will read your card aloud to your group, but you will
decide on your own whether or not the card should be placed on the
STRUCTURE or FUNCTION side of the playing sheet.
As you play the game you will want to make sure that the structure
matches with the correct function. In order to complete the game cards need to
be placed on the correct structure or function side (in columns), but also need to
match each other, or be across from each other (in rows).
If a group member thinks someone put a card in the wrong spot they can
ask to discuss it with their group when they get their next turn. As a group you
need to decide to keep or switch a card, when one group member thinks its
wrong.
 4. Explain to the students what to do when they are done.
Once your group has finished placing all the cards on your playing sheet,
raise your hands. I will come around and check your playing sheet with the
answer key. If there is something wrong, I will let you, but I will not tell you what is
wrong. You will get a chance to fix the playing sheet.
5. Put the students into groups of 3-4, and pass out the matching games,
depending on how many matching games you made. Give the students about 15
minutes to play/complete the activity.
6. Have the students review their answers with what they wrote in their plant
booklet on the previous day. Give the students about 5 minutes to review and
make any changes that they need to make. Review the answer key with the
students and have them reorganize their playing sheet if they need to.
7. Have the student flip to the last page in their booklet and record their
results from the game today. At the bottom of the page in their booklet ask them
to write their own definition for structure and function.

PLANT STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION MATCHING PLAY SHEET/ANSWER KEY SAMPLE:

Structure Function
Root Absorbs water and
minerals/food for the
plant
Stem Gives the plant
shape and stores
 water, and food
Leaves Absorbs sunlight to
make food
Flowers Produce nectar and
help plants in
pollination
Fruits Helps protect and
disperse seeds, part
of the flower of a
plant
Seeds Helps the plant
reproduce, part of
the flower of a plant
Lesson 1 Assessment:

Objective 1/2 Draw a line to connect the structure with the function:

Structure Function

Stem Absorbs water and minerals/food

for the plant

Root Gives the plant shape and stores

water, and food

Leaves Helps the plant reproduce, part of

the flower of a plant

Fruits Produce nectar and help plants in

pollination
 Flowers Helps protect and disperse seeds,
part of the flower of a plant

Seeds Absorbs sunlight to make food

Objective 3 Write your own definition for the following:

Structure:

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Function:

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Lesson 2: Animal Structure & Function ,& their senses

Grade level: 4th Grade

Standard: 4-LS1-2

Activity 1+2:
Time: two days, 45 minutes per day
Materials:
Animal booklets
Animal matching game

Follow the same instructions/directions for Activity 1+2 from Lesson 1: Plant Structure
and Function. These lessons focus on animal content rather than plant content, but they
are set up the same way.
*In Activity 1- the animal booklet only asks the student WHAT the function of the
structure is.
*In Activity 2- use the animal set of matching cards

Activity 3:

Time: One week, 45 minutes per day

Materials:
Several various animal books
Computers
Projector
Notebooks
Construction paper
Scissors
Glue
Tape
Pipe cleaners
Cardboard
Index Cards
Other craft materials

*This activity will be not only part of the lesson, but the end project will be
the assessment as well.

Day 1: (45 minutes)

1. Show the students the following clip by Bozeman science. Stop
the video when he begins to talk about the science standard at the
middle school level. Although this is about the standard it shows good
examples of structure and function. https://youtu.be/jHCwYpt5CDw
2. After watching the video ask the students the following questions
did you learn anything new from that video?, did it help you
understand structure and function better?, what is structure?, what is
function?
3. When the students are done discussing structure and function
begin to explain the project they will be working on for the next week
or two.
 4. You will be picking an animal to research and you will be
researching how that animal uses its senses. You will be reading books
and looking the animal up on the computer to learn about it. By the
end of the week you will create a model of the animal sensing
something. Your model will show how/where the information goes in,
and where it goes back out too. For example when we hear a loud
noise, our body reacts by flinching, ducking, or jumping.
5. Pass out the books you have collected for this activity and give
the students about 10-15 minutes to browse through the books and
pick an animal that they are interested in. Have the students sign up
for what animal they pick, limit the number of students per animal
(depending on how many animal options/books you have).

Day 2: (45 minutes)

1. Give the students time to research their animal, the students
should be taking notes as they do their research, this will help them
with their final project. Today you will have time to read the books
about your animals senses, and use the computers to research more.
You will need to take notes on the following information: (you can write
these on the whiteboard or create a worksheet with the following
questions) You will be turning in your notes at the end of the day, so I
can see if you are on track with your research.
*You can use this as a formative assessment*
What is your animal?
What are three senses you learned about?
What do those senses do?
How do those senses work?
What is the structure and function of this animals
senses?
Pick one sense you would like to do your project on.
2. Have the students turn in their notes and review the notes to see
if they answered the questions from above. Students who struggled to
 answer the questions may need more time for research. If so, have
another day of research similar to todays research activity. If the
students seem to have a comprehensive list of notes, move onto day 3
of this activity.

Day 3: (45 minutes)

1. Today the students will be brainstorming ideas to create their
model, and writing the rough draft explanation for the model.
2. Pass out the brainstorming worksheet so students can draw their
ideas. Make sure they label each structure that is included in their
drawing. At the bottom of the page students will write their rough draft
that explains what their animal structure/function is and the senses
that are included.

Day 4: (45 minutes)

1. Today students will create their model and write their final draft
of the explanation of their senses.
2. Before the day begins place all the materials the students will
need on the front table. Pass out one index card per student, these will
be used to write the students final explanations of their animal senses.
The notecard should include what animal they picked, what sense they
picked, and how that sense works.
3. Allow them to come up to the table and gather the materials
they think they will need. Once every student has been up to the table,
students can go back up a second time.
4. The students should use their brainstorming drawing from the
previous day to help guide them while they create their model.
5. If the students do not complete the models within one 45 minute
period, give them another day to complete their models. If they are
able to complete their models, go on to day 5.

Day 5: (45 minutes)

 1. Today the students will be doing a gallery walk around the room
to look at other peoples animal sense models. A gallery walk works by
placing the models around the room. Students have the opportunity to
walk around the room and take notes while looking at their classmates
projects.
2. You can use a worksheet to make sure the students are on task
or ask the students to write about 5 other classmates projects.
Example questions: Which animal did you find most
interesting? Which animal sense did you find more interesting?
Were there any animal senses that were the same throughout
the class? What animal senses were completely different from
human senses? Pick two other classmates projects and explain
their animals structures and functions.
3. Have the students turn in their notes from the gallery walk.
4. Have a discussion with the students asking the following
questions What was the easiest part of this project? What was the
hardest part of doing this project? What was your favorite part of this
project? What was your least favorite part of this project? Overall did
you like or dislike this activity?
5. After the discussion have the students write a paragraph
reflection of what we discussed, and how their project went.
6. This activity will be assessed by the students notes from the
gallery walk, the project reflection and the students end project.