Primary Type: Lesson Plan
Status: Published
This is a resource from CPALMS (www.cpalms.org) where all educators go for bright ideas!
Resource ID#: 71695
Four Major Plant Groups
Students will explore, identify, and collaborate to find and gain a better understanding of the four major plant groups.
Subject(s): Science
Grade Level(s): 9, 10, 11, 12
Intended Audience: Educators
Suggested Technology: Document Camera,
Computer for Presenter, Computers for Students,
Internet Connection, Interactive Whiteboard, LCD
Projector, Overhead Projector, Assistive Technology,
Adobe Flash Player, Microsoft Office, Computer Media
Player, Microsoft Silverlight, Java Plugin
Instructional Time: 3 Hour(s)
Resource supports reading in content area: Yes
Freely Available: Yes
Keywords: plant types, bryophytes, pteridophytes, ferns, gymnosperms, angiosperms, ferns, moss, lichen,
classification, flower, pine, seed, leaves,
Resource Collection: FCR-STEMLearn Diversity and Ecology
ATTACHMENTS
GYNOSPERM table 4 plant types.docx
Comparison of major plant groups Table.docx
Plant Repro Pre Asssessment test n key .pptx
Plant Category Cards.docx
LESSON CONTENT
Lesson Plan Template: General Lesson Plan
Learning Objectives: What should students know and be able to do as a result of this lesson?
1. Students will be able to list the characteristics of the four major types of plants.
2. Students will be able to define the following key terms: vascular, non-vascular, roots, stems and leaves, sexual reproduction and asexual reproduction.
3. Students will classify plants in the four main groups as it relates to the major characteristics.
Prior Knowledge: What prior knowledge should students have for this lesson?
1. Students should know that plants make their own food through photosynthesis.
2. Students should be able to distinguish between asexual and sexual reproduction.
Guiding Questions: What are the guiding questions for this lesson?
1. How are plants classified?
2. What types of plants do we have in our school yard environment?
Teaching Phase: How will the teacher present the concept or skill to students?
1. Have sample plants on display in the room (cactus and any other flowering plant (angiosperm), fern (pteridophytes), moss (bryophyte), and Norfold Island pine
(gymnosperm) --These are all small for indoor use, can be purchased and housed inexpensively, and will give students a hands-on experience with them.
2. Teacher will assess the students at the start of class with a pre-test (attached). The pre-test will cover the four types of plant groups (Angiosperm, Bryophytes,
Gymnosperm, Pteridopyhyts "ferns").
page 1 of 3 3. Teacher will use the following link to retrieve images of the four major plant groups on an active/Smartboard:
http://www.occc.edu/biologylabs/Documents/Plants/Plant_groups.htm
4. Teacher will present information about the major plant groups on the board and discuss while students fill-in a comparison worksheet (provided).
5. It may be helpful for the teacher to write some basic information about the four major plant groups that pertains to the comparison worksheet on the board (the
teacher can use the link provided to access most of this information).
6. During the discussion, students should be thinking of plants they observe througout the day and what type it might be.
7. At the end of Day 1, students should review their findings as a class.
Guided Practice: What activities or exercises will the students complete with teacher guidance?
1. At the beginning of Day 2, the teacher will assign students into groups of two to four to begin activity.
2. Hand out comparison worksheet. (attached) See resources link below for suggested websites.
3. Teacher could then ask the probing question, "what are the similarities and differences in these samples/pictures?"
4. After students have had a chance to fill out the worksheet, they will move on to the next activity:
5. 'Yesterday we reviewed the main plant groups. Today we are going to try to find some out in nature. In your group you will try to find samples of each type of
plant.' Hand out the scavenger hunt directions.
6. Students will go outside in their groups and take a class walk. They should use their cell phone cameras (or ipads or other device acceptable to the teacher) to take
pictures of various plants to try and classify. Ask students to look for different types of leaves and blades. Ask students to select at least 10 various plants. (You can
adjust this based on the various plants around your school campus).
7. At the end of day 2, students may discuss what they found.
8. Day 3: The teacher will instruct the students to go on computers and plant classification books to try and identify their photos of the plants they took on their walk.
The point is to try and classify their plant into one of the four main groups.
Independent Practice: What activities or exercises will students complete to reinforce the concepts and skills developed in the
lesson?
1. Continuing on Day 3, the teacher will have the students identify and describe the four major groups of plants on the category cards worksheet provided.
2. Students will work in groups of two to four. Each group will select a plant category card and complete the information for that group on the worksheet provided.
Teacher will circulate and provide feedback to students.
3. Students will form expert groups by joining with the other small groups that selected their plant type and will create a poster with their plant characteristics, which
will be displayed as a gallery.
4. Students will view all four gallery posters and complete their worksheets (fill out the information on the remaining cards).
**Please see Formative Assessment for more detail on both Independent Practice activities.
Closure: How will the teacher assist students in organizing the knowledge gained in the lesson?
1. Teacher will provide a summative assessment (pre-test as post-test)
2. A final class discussion could be added to clear up any lingering misconceptions.
Summative Assessment
Teacher will provide a summative assessment which will be the same pre-assessment given at the start of the lesson. This will determine if the students mastered
the science content on the four major plant groups. The PowerPoint and answer key are attached.
Students can use their notes and gallery questions to complete test assessment questions (based on the teacher's discretion).
Formative Assessment
Students will take a pre-lesson assessment (Plant Repro Pre-Assessment Test Key - attached), which will be graded after the lesson. Teacher will distribute a copy
of the pre-assessment to each student at the beginning of the class. Teacher will encourage students to answer all the questions based on prior knowledge.
Teacher will inform students that they will not know all the answers and it's acceptable to guess. After 15 minutes, teacher will collect assessments to be student
graded after the lesson.
Students will work individually to complete a comparison of the four groups worksheet based on the teacher's presentation from the link below and additional
internet research. Teacher will provide a display of examples of the four major plant groups on a white board using the following link:
http://www.occc.edu/biologylabs/Documents/Plants/Plant_groups.htm.
Students will turn in worksheet as an exit pass.
On Day 2 the teacher will give back worksheet exit passes. Teacher then puts students into groups of two to four to compare answers. Teacher will provide
feedback.
Each group will then select a plant category card and complete the information for that group on the worksheet provided (attached).
Teacher will circulate around each table and provide feedback to students. Students will create a poster with their plant characteristics which will be displayed as a
gallery (for example, all pairs that are researching angiosperms will construct the angiosperm poster).
Students will view all four gallery posters and complete the remaining part of the worksheet (the other plant type cards). Teacher will conduct a whole class review
on the major plant groups.
After the gallery walk, students will work individually to complete the plant classification scenario document (attached).
ACCOMMODATIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
Accommodations:
Picture dictionaries
Translation computer Software
Heterogeneous ability groups
Students could be grouped for both of the independent practice activities
Extensions:
Teacher may allow students to take samples of various types for leaves to bring to the classroom and conduct further STEM lab activities/observations.
STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) lab activities such as:
page 2 of 3 identifying the type of leaf;
measuring the circumference and diameter of the leaf;
look to see the relationship between the leaf's size to its petiole and veins.
Suggested Technology: Document Camera, Computer for Presenter, Computers for Students, Internet Connection, Interactive Whiteboard, LCD Projector, Overhead
Projector, Assistive Technology, Adobe Flash Player, Microsoft Office, Computer Media Player, Microsoft Silverlight, Java Plugin
Special Materials Needed:
Camera device (classroom iPads, digital cameras, or student cell phones)
4 types of house plants to have on display
fern
flowering plant
moss
pine (such as Norfolk Island Pine)
Further Recommendations:
The teacher should take a walk around the school campus prior to identify any particular good examples for students to observe.
Try to find at least one good example of each plant group.
If not, that is why it is important to have at least one of each type in the classroom for the discussion and for students to observe.
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Plant database resource: http://plants.usda.gov/java/stateSearch
Background Information: http://www.nybg.org/science/plant-groups.php
Botanical Scavenger Hunt: http://budburst.org/documents/871408/879751/PBB_scavhunt.pdf/87109a3a-8c21-44fc-88dd-2c481894692a
SOURCE AND ACCESS INFORMATION
Name of Author/Source: Anonymously Submitted
Is this Resource freely Available? Yes
Access Privileges: Public
License: CPALMS License - no distribution - non commercial
Related Standards
Name
SC.912.L.14.53:
Description
Discuss basic classification and characteristics of plants. Identify bryophytes, pteridophytes, gymnosperms, and
angiosperms.
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