BEAD 10:
Plants Grow on Land
M AT E R I A L S ( S TA N D A R D )
•
•
•
•
Copies of the 1-page list of 28 events (for each child to use during class)
The Storyboard Box
Beads Box that contains labelled bags of the extra beads from prior weeks
Clear tape for affixing the bead to the first square in the matrix
M AT E R I A L S
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Big chart of the Nitrogen Cycle that was used in lesson for Bead 8.
Scarves for the Seaweed character (bright green) and Fungus (brown).
Possibly recruit 3 older students to act out “Lucky Little Seaweed” scripts.
2 sets of scripts of each of the 3 characters: Narrator, Seaweed, Fungus. Keep 1 set yourself.
Download scripts at: http://thegreatstory.org/seaweed.pdf Separate the 3 and staple.
Print out enough copies of “Seaweed Rap” (last several pages of this Lesson Plan) for kids to use
in class and take home. (Decide whether you want to pass out both versions or just one.)
Drawing and coloring materials.
FOR NEWCOMERS:
The 1-page list of 28 events (to take home)
Blank Storyboard with the 28-event Matrix already glued on (write their name on it)
Beads Box containing beads for all the events discussed thus far.
ETHICAL
•
FOR THIS SESSION:
Beads in a Sock chosen to represent early plants, eg. fern (they can all be the same).
M AT E R I A L S
•
•
•
F O R E ACH CLAS S :
OR
W OR L D VI EW L EA RNI NG S :
The value of cooperation and that even “enemies” might be better off working together.
P R E PA R AT I O N N OT ES :
The dramatic script, “Lucky Little Seaweed,” in this lesson (as well as the script in the next lesson,
“Ozzie and the Snortlefish”) were written primarily for adult audiences, although both have been used
well in the primary grades. For those reasons, you might want to recruit 3 older kids to spend 10
minutes in class performing the scripts this week, and a different 3 for next weekʼs script.
Even if you have good readers in your class, the authorʼs experience is that their peers often tune out
and get bored if it is obvious that their only role is to watch the best readers perform — if there is no
audience interaction. So recruiting older students is recommended. All children will be very
interested to watch the story unfold. Give the volunteer readers their scripts several days in
advance to read, but tell them there is no need to rehearse and that you have scarves as “costumes”.
Have an extra set of scripts in your classroom, in case any of the volunteers forget theirs.
My Universe Story, by Connie Barlow, version 9/20/10, Lesson Plan for Bead 10
page 1
R E V IE W
OF PR I OR W EEK ( PA RT I C I PATO RY ; CI RCL E RE CO MM E NDE D ):
Who was here last week?
Who wants to help us remember what we talked about and did last week?
Encourage discussion (animals evolve in ocean, giant jellyfish)
Does anyone remember the Jellybones Chant?
Jel-ly fish and Star . . . fish
Nei-ther one is real-ly fish
May-be fish are jel-ly bones!
Did anyone do any extra research to tell the rest of us about? (Did comets really
bring water to Earth?)
NEWCOMER
AND
A B SEN T EE C AT C H - U P
TIME
1. If you have ANY NEWCOMERS, everyone begin by sitting in circle. Then ask for
volunteers (“Which Earthling will volunteer . . .”) to bring these things to circle center:
Storyboard Box, extra storyboards, Beads Box, clear tape, marker pen.
2. Ask another volunteer to pass out a copy of the 28-events list to everyone in the circle.
3. Introduce the Newcomer children.
4. Assign the least-participatory children each of these tasks, in sequence:
• Give [NEWCOMER NAME] a blank Storyboard.
• Help [NEWCOMER NAME] select a bead for the event(s) they missed.
• Show [NEWCOMER NAME] an example of a Storyboard with bead(s) taped on, so they
can see where to tape their new bead(s) on.
• Give [NEWCOMER NAME] a marker pen so that they can write their name on the
Storyboard.
Note: Because there are so many beads to catch up on, encourage the newcomer to do
beads selection and taping to board while they half-listen to what is going on in class. Then
next session they can fully participate. Absentee kids will probably want to catch up by
coming to class early and selecting a bead from the prior week and taping it on even before
class begins.
My Universe Story, by Connie Barlow, version 9/20/10, Lesson Plan for Bead 10
page 2
S TO RY T E L L I N G ( PA RT I C I PATO RY ;
CI RCL E RE CO MM E NDE D ):
TEACHER: [Ask the kids what event we are learning about this week.]
Answer: “Plants begin to grow on land when algae [AL-gee] (seaweed) evolves ways to
survive in dry air. ”
TEACHER: Scientists have discovered that all the seaweeds in the world fall into 3 groups.
There are green algae, red algae, and brown algae. You might also have heard of
something called “blue-green algae.” But “blue-green algae” is really not algae. It is a form
of bacteria called “cyanobacteria” [sigh-AN-oh-bacteria]. Cyanobacteria may have been
the original group that invented photosynthesis way back before the first kind of algae
evolved.
TEACHER: For the story today about exactly how the first land plants evolved, 3 older
students have volunteered to perform the story for us. This story is called, “The Lucky
Little Seaweed,” and it was written by a scientist in Massachusetts whose life work is to study
how land plants first evolved.
[Invite the 3 students into class to perform.]
P E R F O R MA N C E : “T H E L U C K Y L I TTLE S E AW E E D ”
You already downloaded the scripts at: http://thegreatstory.org/seaweed.pdf
(Performers exit the room after the applause.)
A C T IV IT Y : D I SC U SSI O N
I N C I RCLE
TEACHER DIRECTIONS:
• Ask, “Was this story about the Lucky Little Seaweed a true story?” Encourage the kids
to distinguish between the science underlying the story and having the characters talk.
• Ask, “Do you think land plants still depend on fungus to survive? [Answer: Yes. All
pine trees and many other trees depend on the thread-like hyphae of fungi attached to their
roots to get nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, from the soil. In return, the trees
give the underground fungi sugar that they make above-ground by photosynthesis, just
like the Lucky Little Seaweed did. So whenever you see a mushroom under a tree, it is
probably attached to a whole network of threadlike hyphae underground. The mushroom
is the way the fungus spreads, by sending spores out into the wind.]
My Universe Story, by Connie Barlow, version 9/20/10, Lesson Plan for Bead 10
page 3
• Hold up the Nitrogen Game chart, from the lesson plan of Bead 8, and point to the word in
red, “Symbiosis.” Ask, “Does anybody remember what this word, Symbiosis, means?
[Answer: Two different kinds of life forms that cooperate together in ways that allows both
to be better of. Bacteria cooperate with plants by changing nitrogen into a form that
plants can use, while the plants feed the bacteria sugar.] “The word symbiosis is going to
appear in what we do next, so I wanted to be sure you all remembered what it meant.”
S O N G : “S E AW E E D R A P ”
TEACHER DIRECTIONS: Pass out copies of “Seaweed Rap.” Direct the class to organize
themselves during the next 10 minutes to perform this as a poem or a rap. They can make
this happen however they wish, but make sure that everybody who wants to participate is
included — either reading a piece of the poem or acting or dancing. Help each other out
with pronouncing the words. So 3 things:
1. Be ready to perform in 10 minutes!
2. Everybody who wants to gets to have a role to play.
3. Help each other out.
TEACHER DIRECTIONS: When 10 minutes is up, announce that they can either perform it
in the front of the class or with having us all in a circle.
A C T IV IT Y :
C H O O SI N G T H E B E AD
(P LANTS G RO W
ON
L AND )
TEACHER DIRECTIONS: Pass around the sock with the Plant beads in it. Let the kids
know if the beads are all the same. If there are a variety of beads, then instruct the kids to
choose a bead by feel — no peeking!
A C T IV IT Y :
A D D I N G T H E N E W B E A D TO T H E S TO RY B O A R D
TEACHER DIRECTIONS:
1. Stay in circle and ask for a volunteer to go to the circle center to the Storyboard Storage
Box and one-by-one pull out a Storyboard and read aloud the name. Ask for another
volunteer to carry each Storyboard to its owner.
2. When all Storyboards are handed out, instruct the kids to go to a table or stay on the floor
to tape their bead onto their storyboard: their choice.
My Universe Story, by Connie Barlow, version 9/20/10, Lesson Plan for Bead 10
page 4
C R A F T A C T I VI T Y : D R AW
T H E S TO RY O F
T HE L U C K Y L I TTLE S E AW E E D
TEACHER DIRECTIONS: Use any remaining class time for kids to draw the story of green
algae and fungus coming together to become the first land plant.
AT CLASS END: Request children to put their storyboards into the storage box.
“So what event will we be doing next week?” . . . . [look at list]
“Amphibians (like salamanders) evolve from fish who learned to crawl and breathe
air.”
Did anyone volunteer today to research a question and report back next week
[or later this week]?
TEACHER NOTE: For Closing Song, if you have forgotten the tune, click here to listen to
AUDIO.)
http://thegreatstory.org/audio/child-of-the-universe.mp3
C LO S ING S O NG
I am a child of the Universe.
You are a child of the Universe.
We are all one.
My Universe Story, by Connie Barlow, version 9/20/10, Lesson Plan for Bead 10
page 5
“SEAWEED RAP”
“I'm a sad little seaweed getting crowded near the shore
It's becoming really hard to earn a living anymore.”
“Along comes a fungus gonna eat me alive
Thank goodness there's geology to shake and to jive.”
“So we're tossed up on the beach and the beach stays dry
In the hot noon sun we'll die of thirst or we'll fry.”
“Hey fungus,” I say, “get it over with quick.
Insert your hyphae, suck my sap like a wick.”
“Well, no!” fungus say, “at least not today.
You're tasting kind of sweet, so I think I will delay”
“Your final demise, cuz it seems unwise
To let a good thing go, when I can easily grow”
“My hyphae underground; it's there can be found
All the water we'll need — so let it be agreed”
“We'll do the symbiosis dance and we'll each take a chance
That working as a team will fulfill both our dreams.”
“So let's dance . . . . . . let's dance.
Let's dance symbiosis, let's dance.”
(ALL:) Let's dance . . . . . . let's dance.
Let's dance symbiosis, let's dance.
My Universe Story, by Connie Barlow, version 9/20/10, Lesson Plan for Bead 10
page 6
“Yeah, working as team will fulfill all our dreams
And maybe even more — hey who knows what's in store?”
“For the spores we make together and eventually the seed
Might thrive on rock and air, if I just can halt my greed.”
So that's how it happened, how the land plants arose
Blue Marble of a planet got some green on cheeks and toes.
The lesson for you humans is too obvious to preach
You can solve a lot of problems if you just begin to teach
This story 'bout a seaweed near an ancient ocean shore
That got lucky one day when an earthquake rocked the floor!
(ALL:) . . . when an earthquake rocked the floor!
“So let's dance . . . . . . let's dance.
Let's dance symbiosis, let's dance.”
(ALL:) Let's dance . . . . . . let's dance.
Let's dance symbiosis, let's dance.
(ALL:) Let's dance . . . . . . let's dance.
Let's dance symbiosis, let's dance.
____
Lyrics by Connie Barlow, 2010
Listen to audio of rap-style singing of it at http://thegreatstory.org/songs/seaweed-rap.html
My Universe Story, by Connie Barlow, version 9/20/10, Lesson Plan for Bead 10
page 7
“SEAWEED RAP”
[with emphasized syllables in ALL CAPITALS]
“I'm a SAD lit-tle SEA-weed get-ting CROWD-ed near the SHORE
It's be-COM-ing really HARD to earn a LIV-ing any-MORE.”
. . . “A-LONG comes a FUN-gus gon-na EAT me a-LIVE
. . . Thank GOOD-ness there's ge-OL-og-y to SHAKE and to JIVE.”
“So we're TOSSED up on the BEACH . . . and the BEACH stays DRY
In the HOT . . NOON . . SUN we'll die of THIRST or we'll FRY.”
“Hey FUN-gus,” i SAY . . . “GET it O-ver with QUICK
. . . IN-sert your HY-phae, suck my SAP like a WICK.”
“Well, NO!” fun-gus SAY . . . “at LEAST not to-DAY.
You're TAST-ing kind of SWEET, so i THINK i will de-LAY”
“Your FI-nal de-MISE . . . cuz it SEEMS UN-WISE
To let a GOOD . . THING . . GO when I can EAS-i-ly GROW”
“My HY-phae un-der-GROUND, it's . . THERE can be FOUND
All the WA-ter we'll NEED . . so . . LET it be a-GREED”
“We'll do the SYM-bi-o-sis DANCE . . . and we'll EACH take a CHANCE
That WORK-ing as a TEAM will ful-FILL . . . both our DREAMS.”
“So let's DANCE . . . . . . let's DANCE.
Let's DANCE sym-bi-O-sis, let's DANCE.”
(ALL:) Let's DANCE . . . . . . let's DANCE.
Let's DANCE sym-bi-O-sis, let's DANCE.”
My Universe Story, by Connie Barlow, version 9/20/10, Lesson Plan for Bead 10
page 8
“Yeah, WORK-ing as TEAM will ful-FILL all our DREAMS
And MAY-be even MORE — HEY who KNOWS what's in STORE?”
“For the SPORES we make to-GE-ther and e-VEN-tually the SEED
Might THRIVE on ROCK and AIR . . . if i JUST can HALT my GREED.”
So THAT’S how it HAP-pened, how the LAND PLANTS a-ROSE
Blue MAR-ble of a PLAN-et got some GREEN on CHEEKS and TOES.
The LES-son for you HU-mans is too 0B-vi-ous to PREACH
You can SOLVE a lot of PROB-lems if you JUST be-GIN to TEACH
This STOR-y 'bout a SEA-weed near an AN-cient O-cean SHORE
That got LUCK-y one DAY . . . when an EARTH-quake ROCKED the FLOOR!
(ALL:) . . . when an EARTH-quake ROCKED the FLOOR!
“So let's DANCE . . . . . . let's DANCE.
Let's DANCE sym-bi-O-sis, let's DANCE.”
(ALL:) Let's DANCE . . . . . . let's DANCE.
Let's DANCE sym-bi-O-sis, let's DANCE.”
(ALL:) Let's DANCE . . . . . . let's DANCE.
Let's DANCE sym-bi-O-sis, let's DANCE.”
____
Lyrics by Connie Barlow, 2010
Listen to audio of rap-style singing of it at http://thegreatstory.org/songs/seaweed-rap.html
My Universe Story, by Connie Barlow, version 9/20/10, Lesson Plan for Bead 10
page 9