Rockaway Township Public Schools
Science Literacy Unit Plan
Life Science:
Grade 2 – Plant Life
Unit Title:
Plant Life
21st Century Theme:
Time Frame:
4
th
Marking Period
9.1 - Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
Communication
Accountability, Productivity, and Ethics
Standard:
5.1 Science Practices: Science is both a body of knowledge and an evidence-based, model-building enterprise that continually
extends, refines, and revises knowledge. The four Science Practices strands encompass the knowledge and reasoning skills that
students must acquire to be proficient in science.
5.3 Life Science: Life science principles are powerful conceptual tools for making sense of the complexity, diversity, and
interconnectedness of life on Earth. Order in natural systems arises in accordance with rules that govern the physical world, and
the order of natural systems can be modeled and predicted through the use of mathematics.
Strands:
(5.1) A. Understand Scientific Explanations:
Students understand core concepts and
principles of science and use measurement and
observation tools to assist in categorizing,
representing, and interpreting the natural and
designed world.
(5.1) B. Generate Scientific Evidence Through
Active Investigations: Students master the
conceptual, mathematical, physical, and
computational tools that need to be applied
when constructing and evaluating claims.
(5.1) C. Reflect on Scientific Knowledge:
Scientific knowledge builds on itself over time.
(5.1) D. Participate Productively in Science:
The growth of scientific knowledge involves
critique and communication, which are social
practices that are governed by a core set of values
and norms.
Cumulative Progress Indicator Number(s):
5.1.4.A.2 - Use outcomes of investigations to build and refine questions,
models, and explanations.
5.1.4.C.1 - Monitor and reflect on one’s own knowledge regarding how
ideas change over time.
5.1.4.D.1 - Actively participate in discussions about student data,
questions, and understandings.
5.1.4.D.4 - Handle and treat organisms humanely, responsibly, and
ethically.
5.3.2.B.1-Describe the requirements for the care of plants and plants
related to meeting their energy needs.
5.3.2.B.3 - Explain that most plants get water from soil through their
roots and gather light through their leaves.
5.3.2.C.1- Describe the ways in which organisms interact with each other
and their habitats in order to meet basic needs.
5.3.2.C.2- Identify the characteristics of a habitat that enable the habitat
to support the growth of many different plants and plants.
5.3.2.C.3- Communicate ways that humans protect habitats and/or
improve conditions for the growth of the plants and plants that live
Rockaway Township Public Schools
Science Literacy Unit Plan
Life Science:
Grade 2 – Plant Life
(5.3) A. Organization and Development:
Living organisms are composed of cellular units
(structures) that carry out functions required
for life. Cellular units are composed of
molecules, which also carry out biological
functions.
(5.3) B. Matter and Energy Transformations:
Food is required for energy and building
cellular materials. Organisms in an ecosystem
have different ways of obtaining food, and
some organisms obtain their food directly from
other organisms.
(5.3) C. Interdependence: All plants and most
plants depend on both other organisms and
their environment to meet their basic needs.
(5.3) D. Heredity and Reproduction:
Organisms reproduce, develop, and have
predictable life cycles. Organisms contain
genetic information that influences their traits,
and they pass this on to their offspring during
reproduction.
(5.3) E. Evolution and Diversity: Sometimes,
differences between organisms of the same
kind provide advantages for surviving and
reproducing in different environments. These
selective differences may lead to dramatic
changes in characteristics of organisms in a
population over extremely long periods of
time.
there, or ways that humans might harm habitats
5.3.2.D.1- Record the observable characteristics of plants and animals to
determine the similarities and differences between parents and their
offspring.
5.3.2.D.2- Determine the characteristic changes that occur during the life
cycle of plants and animals by examining a variety of species and
distinguish between growth and development.
5.3.2.E.2- Describe how similar structures found in different organisms
(e.g., roots, leaves, stems) have similar functions and enable those
organisms to survive in different environments.
Rockaway Township Public Schools
Science Literacy Unit Plan
Life Science:
Grade 2 – Plant Life
Rockaway Township Goals:
Living Organisms:
o Exchange nutrients and water with the environment.
o Reproduce
o Grow and develop in a predictable manner.
A source of energy is needed for all organisms to stay alive and grow.
Plants obtain water and produce their own food.
Most plants have roots to get water and leaves to gather sunlight.
A habitat supports the growth of many different plants by meeting their basic needs.
Humans can change natural habitats in ways that can be helpful or harmful for the plants that live there.
Plants often resemble their parent plant.
Organisms have predictable characteristics at different stages of development.
Variations exist within a group of the same kind of organism.
Plant life cycles have different characteristics for each stage of growth.
A source of energy is needed for all organisms to stay alive and grow.
This source is the sun.
Essential Question
What do all living things have in common?
How is matter transformed, and energy
transferred/transformed in living systems?
In what ways do organisms interact within
ecosystems?
How do organisms change as they go
through their life cycle?
In what ways are organisms of the same
kind different from each other?
How does this help them reproduce and
survive?
Enduring Understandings
Living organisms have a variety of observable features that enable them to
obtain food and reproduce.
All organisms transfer matter and convert energy from one form to another.
Organisms reproduce, develop, have predictable life cycles, and pass on some
traits to their offspring.
Sometimes differences between organisms of the same kind give advantages
in surviving and reproducing in different environments.
Rockaway Township Public Schools
Science Literacy Unit Plan
Life Science:
Grade 2 – Plant Life
Unit Learning Targets:
The Students will be able to…
Observe a variety of plants and identify
how each plant obtains food and water.
Identify those unique physical features
that allow certain plants to survive.
Observe and compare properties of
seeds and fruits.
Investigate the effect of water on seeds.
Observe, describe, record properties of
germinated seeds.
Compare different kinds of germinated
seeds.
Grow plants hydroponically and observe
the life cycle of a bean plant.
Determine which conditions can affect
the way plants obtain their energy needs.
Explain how human actions (both positive
and negative) can affect the survival and
health of plants.
Observe a variety of plants interacting
with their environment and journal the
experience.
Engage in a scientific discussion, during
which they explain the role of the features
or traits that help the plant survive.
Suggested Activities:
Including Differentiated Strategies (DI)
Target Activities:
FOSS: Structures of Life
o Investigation 1, Parts 1-3
o Investigation 2, Parts 1-3
Brain Pop Jr.: Background guide & activities:
http://www.brainpopjr.com/science/plants/plantlifecycle/grownups.weml
Brain Pop Jr.: Plant Life Cycle:
http://www.brainpopjr.com/science/plants/plantlifecycle/
Brain Pop Jr.: Parts of a Plant:
http://www.brainpopjr.com/science/plants/partsofaplant/preview.weml
Optional Activities:
Experiment with needs of plants online
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/gamesactivities/plantsgrow.html.
Conduct a variety of experiments to determine how plants obtain water and
light.
View animated plants and seeds:
http://www2.bgfl.org/bgfl2/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/science/plants_p
t2/index.htm
Rockaway Township Public Schools
Science Literacy Unit Plan
Life Science:
Grade 2 – Plant Life
Resource Materials:
Discovery Education www.discoveryeducation.com
FOSS: Structures of Life
Assessments:
New unit (September 2011) as per new NJCCCS
District Assessment to be developed in year 2 of the 5 year cycle
Technology Integration:
Interactive Websites
Magic School Bus: Plants and Seeds
Related Literature:
FOSS Science Stories: Structures of Life:
Hydro-growing
Seeding Space
Vocabulary:
embryo
growth
nutrient
roots
stem
flowers
hydroponics
observe
seed
stored food
fruit
leaves
organism
seed coat
sunlight
germinate
life cycle
plants
seedling