Plants | Project Based Learning
Students will explore the basic needs of plants through a hands-on, project-based activity. They will observe real plants or pictures, sort what plants need to grow, and make a simple plant craft or mini-poster showing their learning.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| plant | A living thing that grows and needs care. |
| seed | A tiny part that can grow into a new plant. |
| water | A liquid plants need to live and grow. |
| sunlight | Light from the sun that helps plants grow. |
| soil | Dirt that helps hold plants and gives them nutrients. |
| air | What we breathe; plants need air too. |
Show a plant or plant picture and ask, 'Is this living or nonliving?' Guide students to notice that plants grow and need care.
Share ideas, look closely, and answer questions about the plant.
Explain that students will make a plant project to show what plants need to grow.
Listen and repeat the plant needs words with the teacher.
Show picture cards or objects for water, sun, air, and soil. Model sorting them into 'Plants Need' and 'Plants Do Not Need' if any distractors are included.
Help sort the cards, name each item, and discuss why plants need it.
Give each student a plant template or blank paper. Model adding a plant drawing and gluing/drawing pictures of water, sun, air, and soil around it.
Create their own plant project by drawing, coloring, cutting, and gluing the items a plant needs.
Invite a few students to share their project and complete the sentence, 'A plant needs ___.'
Show their work and speak using plant vocabulary.
Review the four basic needs of plants and connect the lesson to caring for living things.
Repeat the plant needs and clean up materials.
Bring the class together and review: plants are living things and need water, sunlight, air, and soil to grow. Celebrate the finished projects and remind students that caring for plants helps living things stay healthy.
At home, find one plant and draw it. With an adult, talk about what the plant needs and tell or write one sentence about how to care for it.