ALEX | Alabama Learning Exchange

Photosynthesis: Let's Talk About It

You may save this lesson plan to your hard drive as an html file by selecting "File", then "Save As" from your browser's pull down menu. The file name extension must be .html.

This lesson provided by:

Author:	Hannah Bradley
System:	Dothan City
School:	Carver Magnet School

General Lesson Information

Lesson Plan ID:	35535
Title:	Photosynthesis: Let's Talk About It
Overview/Annotation:	This lesson will utilize the talking drawings strategy, in which students will begin the lesson by drawing a picture of a plant to illustrate how they think plants make their own food. Then, the teacher will introduce the process of photosynthesis using an interactive presentation to explain photosynthesis in a pictorial format. As the teacher describes the process, the students will create a scientifically accurate drawing of a plant engaging in photosynthesis. Lastly, students will create a writing piece that will describe the process of photosynthesis and construct a scientifically accurate illustration of the process of photosynthesis. This lesson results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.

Associated Standards and Objectives

Content Standard(s):

Science SC2015 (2015) Grade: 5	9 ) Construct an illustration to explain how plants use light energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into a storable fuel, carbohydrates, and a waste product, oxygen, during the process of photosynthesis. Unpacked Content Scientific And Engineering Practices: Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions Crosscutting Concepts: Energy and Matter Disciplinary Core Idea: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics Evidence Of Student Attainment: Students: Construct and label an illustration that demonstrates the process of photosynthesis and the conversion of carbon dioxide and water into storable fuel, carbohydrates and oxygen. Teacher Vocabulary: convert carbohydrates waste product photosynthesis carbon dioxide produces oxygen Knowledge: Students know: What plants need to survive. Parts of plants and their functions in the process of photosynthesis. The sun is the source of energy. Plants are producers. Skills: Students are able to: Construct an illustration to explain the scientific phenomenon of photosynthesis. Understanding: Students understand that: Plants are producers of energy through the process of photosynthesis. AMSTI Resources: AMSTI Module: Dynamics of Ecosystems Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards AAS Standard: SCI.AAS.5.9- Using a given model, recognize that plants use light energy to make their own food during the process of photosynthesis.
English Language Arts ELA2021 (2021) Grade: 5	7. Write routinely and independently for varied amounts of time. Unpacked Content Teacher Vocabulary: 7. Routinely Independently Knowledge: 7. Student know: Routinely means on a consistent basis, and independently means without help from others. Writing skills. Skills: 7. Students are able to: Writing on a consistent basis without support from others for various time frames. Understanding: 7. Students understand that: Writing can be done for many purposes and over many different time frames.
English Language Arts ELA2021 (2021) Grade: 5	14. Write using grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases accurately, including those that signal contrasting ideas, additional information, and other logical relationships. Unpacked Content Teacher Vocabulary: 14. General academic vocabulary Domain-specific vocabulary Words that signal contrasting ideas Words that signal additional information Words that signal other logical relationships Knowledge: 14. Students know: Academic vocabulary is language that is more formal than spoken language. Domain-specific vocabulary refers to words that are used specifically in school subject areas, like math, science, and social studies. There are words and phrases that can be used in writing to signal relationships between ideas. Academic, domain-specific vocabulary should be used in school writing. Skills: 14. Students are able to: Accurately use grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in writing. Accurately use words and phrases that signal contrasting ideas, additional information, and other logical relationships between ideas in writing. Understanding: 14. Students understand that: It is important to use academic, domain-specific vocabulary in formal settings, like school writing. They can show relationships between their ideas in writings by using particular words and phrases.
English Language Arts ELA2021 (2021) Grade: 5	35. Write informative or explanatory texts using multiple sources to examine a topic, conveying ideas and information clearly and incorporating a strong organizational structure, relevant details, and elaboration. Unpacked Content Teacher Vocabulary: 35. Informative text Explanatory text Sources Topic Organizational structure Details Elaboration Knowledge: 35. Students know: Informative or explanatory text is a piece of writing that provides factual information that was gathered from multiple research sources. Informative or explanatory text begins by introducing the topic, provides facts and relevant details, and ends with a conclusion. Elaboration means supplying additional information about details by using academic vocabulary or including text features. Skills: 35. Students are able to: Gather information from multiple sources. Write an informative or explanatory text using information gathered from sources. Write an informative or explanatory text with a clear, organized structure. Elaborate on details included in the text using academic vocabulary or text features. Understanding: 35. Students understand that: Informative or explanatory writing follows a predictable text structure that includes introducing the topic, providing facts or additional details about the topic, and ends with a conclusion. They must gather their facts about the topic from multiple research sources. Writers elaborate details included in the text by using formal academic vocabulary and text features.

Local/National Standards:

Primary Learning Objective(s):

Students will construct an illustration to explain how plants use light energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into storable fuel and oxygen during photosynthesis.

Students will write an informative paragraph clearly describing the process of photosynthesis, correctly using domain-specific vocabulary words.

Students will write informative scientific texts independently.

Additional Learning Objective(s):

Students will demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.

Preparation Information

Total Duration:	61 to 90 Minutes
Materials and Resources:	Student Materials (per student) Notebook paper Pencil or pen Art Supplies such as colored pencils/crayons/markers/etc. Blank white paper Website Links for Acceleration Strategy "What Plants Need" Interactive Game from BrainPOP.com Website Links for Intervention Strategy “Introduction to Plants” from ck12.org “Vegetation Transformation” by Crash Course Kids on youtube.com (2:59 minutes) Teacher Materials Teacher computer with internet access Interactive whiteboard or projector Timer Photosynthesis: Let’s Talk About It Google Slides presentation Photosynthesis Writing and Illustration Checklist for Summative Assessment
Technology Resources Needed:	Student Technology Resources Internet capable devices for Acceleration and Intervention Strategies Teacher Technology Resources Teacher computer with internet access Interactive whiteboard or projector
Background/Preparation:	Student Background Information: As this lesson will serve as an introduction to the process of photosynthesis, students will not need background information on this concept. Students will need to have background knowledge regarding the external structure of plants, which is related to the Fourth Grade Alabama Course of Study Standard 9: 9.) Examine evidence to support an argument that the internal and external structures of plants (e.g., thorns, leaves, stems, roots, colored petals, xylem, phloem) and animals (e.g., heart, stomach, lung, brain, skin) function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction. Students will also need to have background knowledge regarding the growth of plants, which is related to the Third Grade Alabama Course of Study Standard 6: 6.) Create representations to explain the unique and diverse life cycles of organisms other than humans (e.g., flowering plants, frogs, butterflies), including commonalities such as birth, growth, reproduction, and death. If remediation is needed for these concepts, students can read the article “Introduction to Plants” from ck12.org. Teacher Background Information: In all food webs on Earth, plants are producers, which means they can make their own “food”. Plants take in energy from the sun and carbon dioxide from the air through their leaves. Plants take in water and other nutrients from the soil using their root systems. Plants use these substances to produce a storable form of fuel, called carbohydrates. These carbohydrates help the plant grow. During this process, plants also release a waste product, oxygen, which is essential to life on Earth. This lesson will make use of the “Talking Drawings” strategy. Teachers who are unfamiliar with this research-based strategy can review this document to learn the procedures to implement this strategy, as well as helpful tips. The teacher should preview the presentation, Photosynthesis: Let’s Talk About It, to ensure he or she is familiar with the content and will be able to fully explain the concept of photosynthesis.

Procedures/Activities:

Before Strategy/Engage: 10 minutes

1. The students will need a blank sheet of paper and a pencil for the first part of the lesson.

2. The teacher should explain to students that they will have five minutes to draw a picture to show how plants create their own food. The students can add words to their picture, and students can add color to their picture as well. The teacher should be sure that students understand that this is their “before” drawing, so it is perfectly acceptable if they don’t know much about this process.

3. The teacher should use a timer to time students for five minutes as they create their drawing. The teacher should encourage students to continue to add to their picture until the five minutes have elapsed.

4. After the time expires, the teacher should instruct the students to flip their papers over and to put down their pencils.

During Strategy/Explore & Explain: 25 minutes

1. The teacher should present the Google Slide Presentation, “Photosynthesis: Let’s Talk About It".

2. As the teacher presents the information, the students should draw the diagram on the blank side of their paper. The teacher should be sure to encourage students to add additional notes or other important ideas to the drawing.

Note: The teacher should be sure to thoroughly explain to students what to draw, while also explaining the scientific concept of photosynthesis. The teacher should feel free to add to and expand upon the basic explanation of photosynthesis depicted in the slide show.

Example script: "First, draw a line going across the middle of your paper. Color everything below this line brown. This represents the soil that plants grow in. Now, draw a picture of a tree. Be sure to label the roots and the leaves of the tree. Now, this process that we are going to learn about today, called photosynthesis, happens with any green plant, but our picture is going to focus on this orange tree."

After Strategy/Explain & Elaborate: 45 minutes

1. After the teacher has presented the slide show, the teacher should ask the students to flip over their paper and examine the drawing they completed at the beginning of the lesson. Then, the students should flip their paper over to review the drawing they just created. After comparing and contrasting their two drawings, the students should write five things they learned about photosynthesis during this activity on their "before" drawing.

2. Next, the teacher should allow students to meet with a partner to discuss the five things they learned. The teacher can allow students to choose their partner or assign students to partner groups. During this time, the students can add to their written information or change any of their information, if needed.

Note: If the teacher determines that students require additional instruction on the concept of photosynthesis, the teacher can show students “Vegetation Transformation” by Crash Course Kids on youtube.com.

3. Lastly, the students should write a five-sentence paragraph describing how plants use light energy to change carbon dioxide and water into a storable fuel (carbohydrates) and a waste product (oxygen). In addition to writing a five-sentence paragraph, students should also add a diagram or drawing to their writing piece to aid their explanation of photosynthesis. Before students begin writing their paragraphs, the teacher should discuss the Photosynthesis Writing and Illustration Checklist with students to clarify the requirements of the writing and illustration piece.

Assessment

Assessment Strategies

Formative Assessment: The teacher should informally assess students in the before strategy as students create their first drawing. This will allow the teacher to determine the students' current background knowledge regarding the process of photosynthesis. The teacher should review each student's drawing notes that are taken as the teacher presents the information about photosynthesis. The teacher should informally assess students as they discuss the five things they learned about photosynthesis with their partner. In addition, the teacher can review each student’s list of things they learned during the lesson as a formative assessment.

Summative Assessment: The teacher should formally assess students at the conclusion of the lesson by reviewing each student's five sentence paragraph and illustration explaining the process of photosynthesis. The teacher should determine each student's achievement of the lesson's objectives by assessing the student's writing and illustration using the attached checklist.

Acceleration:	Students who require acceleration strategies can visit “What Plants Need” on BrainPOP.com. This interactive game will encourage students to apply the information they learned about the needs of plants to revive a virtual plant.
Intervention:	Students who require intervention strategies can read the article “Introduction to Plants” from ck12.org to review background information on plants and the cycle of photosynthesis. The students can also view “Vegetation Transformation” by Crash Course Kids on youtube.com to review the process of photosynthesis.

View the Special Education resources for instructional guidance in providing modifications and adaptations for students with significant cognitive disabilities who qualify for the Alabama Alternate Assessment.

ALEX Lesson Plan

Photosynthesis: Let's Talk About It