What Do Plants Need?

Learning Resource Type

Classroom Resource

Subject Area

English Language Arts

Science

Grade(s)

Overview

The teacher will present an informational text from the website, ReadWorks. The students and teacher can interact with this non-fiction text by annotating the text digitally. The students will answer the questions associated with the article as an assessment. This learning activity can be used to introduce students to the growth needs of plants, serve as reinforcement after students have already learned this concept, or be used as an assessment at the conclusion of a lesson. This learning activity will provide important background information before students plan and carry out their own investigation of growing plants. This resource also provides an eBook of the article with corresponding illustrations.

Science (2015) Grade(s): 2

SC15.2.5
Plan and carry out an investigation, using one variable at a time (e.g., water, light, soil, air), to determine the growth needs of plants.

Vocabulary

Investigation
Variable
Water
Light
Soil
Air
Nutrients
Causes
Effects
Isolate

Knowledge

Students know:

Basic growth needs of plants include water, nutrients, light, and air.

Skills

Students are able to:

Conduct an investigation to produce data used as evidence.
Determine the growth needs of plants.
Collaboratively develop an investigation plan that describes key features of the investigation and isolates variables as needed.

Understanding

Students understand that:

There are observable patterns present in the growth of plants that can be used to determine the needs of plants.

Scientific and Engineering Practices

Planning and Carrying out Investigations

Crosscutting Concepts

Cause and Effect

ELA21.2.4

CR Resource Type

Learning Activity

Resource Provider

ReadWorks.org

License Type

Custom

https://www.readworks.org/article/What-Do-Plants-Need/90bdb0ec-b3ef-48e8-8252-c…

Custom License Type (URL)

https://about.readworks.org/terms-of-use.html

Accessibility

Audio resources: includes a transcript or subtitles

Text Resources: Content is organized under headings and subheadings

Comments or Notes

ReadWorks is a website that provides K-12 teachers with free literacy resources (About ReadWorks). ReadWorks has literary and informational texts on a variety of subjects and reading skills. You may narrow your search using grade level or Lexile level, making this website a wonderful tool for differentiation. Students will complete their work digitally, and you will provide their score and feedback digitally. This makes it easy to go paperless for this activity.

Prior to implementing this activity, you will need to sign up for an Educator Account on ReadWorks. After setting up an account, create a class from the Class Admin tab, this will provide you with a Class Code to give to students. Next, use the Find Content tab to search for the informational article that will be used during this activity, "What Do Plants Need?" After navigating to the article, click on the blue Assign button to assign it to your class.

Each student will need access to a digital device, such as a tablet or laptop. The first time students enter the website they will need to enter the Class Code that is listed on your Class Admin page. Alternatively, you can print the article and corresponding questions for students, if digital devices are not available. The teacher could also complete this activity by projecting the article and questions for the whole class to view.

Approved Date

2020-03-20

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