The life cycle of a seed

This lesson integrates science into the language arts block. Students will read about plant life cycle events and then write their own books about the life cycle of a plant.

A lesson plan for grade 3 English Language Arts and Science

By Joni Kight

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Related topics

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

• Organize events in sequential order through comprehension and writing activities.
• Use time transition words to signal a sequence of events.
• Use the appropriate present tense verbs to show the life cycle of a plant.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

2 hours

Materials/resources

• The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss
• The Life Cycle of a Tree by Bobbie Kalman, Kathryn Smithyman, and Barbara Bedell
• other books about the life cycle of a tree

Pre-activities

Students review KWL chart on plants. Review sequencing, using time transition words to indicate sequence, the life cycle of plants, specifically the chestnut tree, from book The Life Cycle of a Tree.

Activities

1. Shake a paper bag filled with carrot seeds. Ask the students to guess what is in the bag. Let the students feel and examine the seeds. Record observations about the seeds. Encourage students to give specific details. Ask the students if they know what will grow from the seeds. Record their predictions.
2. Read the book The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss, but do not show the title of the book. Allow the students to identify the seeds and the title of the book after hearing the story.
3. Have the students discuss the book. Discussion questions:
   • What if the carrot never grew?
   • How do you feel when someone tells you that you are unable to do something or that you are not old enough to try something?
   • If you were the boy in the story, would you have given up hope that your carrot seed was going to grow?
   • Why or Why not?
   • If you could add or subtract something from the book, what would it be and why?
4. Discuss how a carrot seed grows into a carrot. Have the students use their bodies to show a carrot seed growing into a carrot. Ask the children how it feels to be the carrot? Have the students choose a vegetable other than a carrot. The students will use their bodies to show their vegetable growing to their partner. The partner must guess what vegetable they are.
5. Students will pretend they are a seed planted deep in the ground. They will write a journal entry about what it feels like to go through the life cycle. For example, how does it feel to push through the soil, grow roots, sprout shoots, receive sunlight and rain, and continue to grow into a carrot. Encourage students to write using vivid details. For instance, describe roots, shoots, and color.
6. Students will share their journal entries.
7. Students will create their own original sequel to the book The Carrot Seed such as “The Corn Seed” or “The Pumpkin Seed.” The students’ sequels will focus on the growth of a seed into a plant. The students will write a rough draft on legal size copy paper folded into a small book. After editing and conferencing—steps in the writer’s process—the students will publish their writing in a book shaped like their vegetable. Students are to illustrate their books.

Assessment

Students will create a What Have We Learned Section for the KWL chart.

Teacher will listen and observe children sharing their books.

Students will use time transition words (first, then, after, when), present tense verbs, and action verbs. See rubric in Is that a Fact: Nonfiction Writing K–3 by Tony Stead (Stenhouse Publishing, 2002).

Supplemental information

Stead, Tony. (2002). Is That a Fact: Nonfiction Writing K–3. Portland, ME: Stenhouse. This book has a whole section on life cycle writing, including rubrics.