SUBJECT: Science

GRADE: Third

TECHNOLOGY: PowerPoint

BY: Nikki Humenick, Rebecca Muller, Michelle Rivenburg

Note: This lesson is meant to run over an entire semester. Daily observations and recordings are required.

Target Grade

Children usually attend third grade when they are eight and nine years old. According to Piaget, students in this grade are usually in the concrete operational stage of development. This means that they are able to think logically with concrete materials. They can also classify and place objects in order. They usually are not able to think very abstractly.

Emotionally, children at this grade level need to feel good about the work they are doing; a feeling of success leads to an enjoyment of mastery. They are developing their sense of competence and purpose. In terms of moral reasoning, students do not fully understand rules set by others and are often egocentric. They do not make decisions based on the needs of others, and they will often only perform activities that they feel are beneficial to themselves.

Students at this age like to feel that they are in control (competent) and useful. This activity strengthens students' knowledge of computers while catering to their developmental stages.

Targeted SOLs

• Scientific Investigation, Reasoning, and Logic
  • 3.1 The student will plan and conduct investigations in which questions are developed to:
    • formulate hypotheses
    • predictions and observations are made
    • data are gathered, charted, and graphed
    • objects with similar characteristics are classified into at least two sets and two subsets
    • inferences are made and conclusions are drawn
    • natural events are sequenced chronologically
    • length is measured to the nearest centimeter;

     

• Earth Patterns, Cycles, and Change
  • 3.8 The student will investigate and understand basic sequences and cycles occurring in nature. Key concepts include:
    • sequences of natural events (day and night, seasonal changes, phases of the moon, and tides)
    • animal and plant life cycles.

Lesson Objectives

1. Working in groups, students will observe the effects of different amounts of lighting on plant growth throughout an entire semester.

2. Students will plan and conduct an investigation of light's influence on plant growth in which predictions will be made, observations of plants recorded, data gathered and charted, and comparisons with other class plants made in graph form.

3. Students will give a PowerPoint presentation in groups to the class on their assigned plant.

4. The PowerPoint presentation given by each group of students will include the following information:

• A title
• Name of plant
• Predictions made at the beginning of the semester
• Methods of observation (measuring, frequency of recording, what was recorded, etc.)
• Observations of plant's appearances
• Chart of changed measurements of plant
• Bar graph to compare some plant characteristic with other plants

Materials

• Four plants of same type and size
• Four rulers with both centimeters and inches
• Computer
• PowerPoint program
• Copies of data sheets to fill in (see attached)
• Heat lamp

Lesson Description

1. Throughout a semester, student groups will observe the growth of a plant under one of the following four lighting conditions: heat lamp, direct sunlight, indirect/partial sunlight, and darkness. The groups will record data on the accompanying data sheet based on hypotheses that they formed. Each group will present its results in a PowerPoint presentation.

2. Before class:

• Buy plants of same size, pots, soil, and other necessary materials.
• Designate groups (if students will not be allowed to form their own groups)

3. In class before beginning daily observations:

• Facilitate discussion by asking students for ideas on what plants need to grow
• Go over care of plants, emphasizing consistent watering
• Go over the different types of lighting that will be used in the experiment: heat lamp, sunlight, indirect/partial sunlight, darkness
• Have students form four groups and assign them a type of lighting
• Have groups make predictions about which type of lighting will allow plants to grow the most
• Introduce plants to students, have them make initial data recordings of plant size
• Model a typical daily recording of plant size and appearance
• Monitor groups daily recordings over the semester

4. After data has been recorded over the semester:

• Model a graph and chart of some sample data
• Allow students to compare end results of plant size
• Students work to produce a power point presentation, including the graph and chart
• Each group gives its presentation
• Group discussion of results

Evaluation Procedure

• Students will be assessed according to their ability to meet the objectives:
• Planning an investigation that includes the required elements of an experiment.
• Carefully observing and recording information on the plan throughout the semester as outlined in the Experiment plan.
• Producing a PowerPoint presentation on the plant's life cycle.
• Including all required information in the PowerPoint Presentation as listed in Objectives.

Area	Meets or exceeds expectations	Some expectations not met	Does not meet expectations
Experiment Plan (30 points)	Contains thoughtful and relevant questions, hypothesis, predictions, and methods(30-21 pts)	Lacking some required information; Hypothesis and prediction are present, but slightly irrelevant(20-11 pts)	A lot or most required information missing(10-0 pts)
Conducting the Experiment (30 points)	Daily observations are neatly recorded (30-21 pts)	Observations are missing; Data is incomplete(20-11 pts)	Little or no data recorded(10-0 pts)
Post Experiment Presentation (40 points)	PowerPoint presentation includes all required information; Appropriate data has been neatly graphed and charted; Class comparisons have been made(40-31 pts)	PowerPoint presentation is lacking some required information; Charts are present, but are sloppy or incorrect(30-11 pts)	Appropriate data has not been graphed or charted; Missing class comparison or other aspect of presentation (10-0 pts)

 Date

Size of Plant (cm)

Water today?

Observations

Example: 9/15/00

25 cm

Yes

Plant looks a little larger today, a few leaves have fallen off