The Lesson Plans for Plants in the Fourth Grade
By fourth grade, students are learning about how plants grow, live, and survive. There are a variety of low-cost ways to learn about plants, which include growing plants, monitoring plant growth and playing games that help reinforce the information being learned. lesson plans on plants for fourth-graders can also be localized to learn about plants specific to the region.
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Chart Plant Growth
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There are a variety of plants that grow quickly from seeds and do not immediately require soil, such as bean and pea plants. Growing these plants will enable students to monitor plant growth and to observe how the plant emerges from the seed. Have each student place a bean or pea seed on a wet paper towel. Then place the wet paper towel inside a Ziploc bag. Hang the bags in the classroom. Have students detail aspects of the plant's growth. Once the plant is growing, have students measure the growth with a ruler and record the length. At the end of the lesson, have the students create a line chart showing the plants growth.
Grow Potatoes in Water
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Growing potatoes in water is a simple project that will allow students to monitor the root system of a plant. Although potatoes are easy to work with, students can also use carrots or avocado seeds.
Have the students fill a clear glass half full with water. Place the potato about half way into the cup. Insert toothpicks into all four sides of the potato, so the toothpicks will rest on the top of the cup and keep the potato suspended in the water. Each day have the students check on the potato. Students will need to make sure the water stays high enough that the bottom half of the potato is submerged. Have students detail the plant's growth.
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Sorting Plant Data
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Sorting plant data will help students become more familiar with the plants local to the region. On index cards, write features, habitats and survival techniques common to plants in your area. For example, you can have cards that say; looses leaves in winter, turns yellow, long piney needles or broad root system. Make enough so each student has five to 10 cards.
Get three brown paper bags, and label the bags: features, habitats and survival. One at a time, have the students go to the front of the classroom where the bags are, read the cards out loud and place the card in the appropriate bag after reading it. The student should further explain the card and why it was put in the chosen bag.
Indentifying Parts of a Plant
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After spending some time teaching about the various parts of a plant and what the parts do, this activity will help reinforce the lesson. Provide each student with a list of plant parts a student needs to know. Then give each student a small piece of poster board and plenty of markers. Have each student draw a plant and identify the parts of the plant on his drawing. Before hanging the completed pictures up, have each student show the picture to the rest of the class and point out the different parts. This activity will help students identify the plant parts on a variety of plants. For example, one student might draw and label a pine tree, while another student may draw and label a daisy.
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