Name: Erica Giko

Class: ELED 3221

Date:
edTPA Indirect Instruction Lesson Plan Template
Plants Are Special!
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Central Focus/Big Idea: Plants/Stomata on plants
Subject of this lesson: Gas exchange in leaves
Grade Level: 3rd Grade
NC Essential Standard(s): 3.L.2.1 - Remember the function of the following structures as it
relates to the survival of plants in their environments
Next Generation Science Standard(s):
2-LS1. Plan and conduct an investigation to determine if plants need sunlight and water to grow
21st Century Skills: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving- understand by asking scientific
questions and discussing their explanations with others.
Creativity and Innovation- students are asked to provide examples of their thinking.
Academic Language Demand
Analyze
Interpret

Argue
Predict

Categorize
Question

Compare/contrast
Retell

Describe
Summarize

Explain

Students will be collecting data and summarizing their data. They will also be making
conclusions based on their data.

Scientific Vocabulary: Photosynthesis, carbon dioxide, oxygen, water vapor,

transpiration, stomata

Instructional Objective: Students are expected to learn the function of the stomata on a leaf.
They will know this my inspecting a leaf and taking data on what happens when the stomata of
leaves are covered. Students are expected to earn 85% on the assessment to show mastery.

Prior Knowledge (student): Students will need to know that plants need water to survive.
Content Knowledge (teacher): The background knowledge a teacher will need to know the
process of photosynthesis. They will also need to have knowledge on the different parts of a leaf
and what transpiration is.
Accommodations for special needs: ELL: lesson will be available in their native language
Materials and Technology requirements:
Data sheet (20 -1 per student)
20 index cards
Living plant with many leaves
Water
Ruler
Marker
4 folding sandwich bags
Paper towels
Petroleum jelly
Clear or masking tape
4 magnifying glasses
5 medium sized individual leaves
Total Estimated Time: 3 days
Source of lesson: www.sciencea-z.com (see attached pdf. of lesson)
Safety considerations: students wear gloves to ensure petroleum jelly doesnt get into their
eyes.

Content and Strategies (Procedure)

Engage:
Give students index cards with different pictures on it.
A garage door.
A house door.
Windows.
Questions:
What do all of these things have in common?
What do they do?
Discuss student answers.
Explain that all of these objects can open and close. They things in and out.
Explain that leaves of plants have something similar.
Explore:
Have a flip chart ready and write, How do leaves of a plant get their food?
Students are separated into 5 groups of four.
Each group is given one magnifying glass and a medium sized leaf.
Students are instructed to inspect the leaf and find the stomata. Reference the diagram students
made the day before.
Questions:
How do you think the leaves get their food?
What on the leaf helps it to survive?
How do you think some plants can live in the desert and others?
Instruct the students to discuss the answers to these questions in their group.
Have students come to a consensus and write their answers on a sticky note.
Students post sticky notes to the flip chart.
Tell students that we will be taking a closer look at their answers later.
Explanation:
Reference the diagrams students made the day before about photosynthesis.
Remind them about the labels they placed on their leaves.
Tell students they are about to watch a video about photosynthesis and that they should pay
attention to the video
Play video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u_hwwztRqI
Ask questions: What did you notice about the video?
What to plants take in? (CO2)
What is the special job that plants do? (Photosynthesis)
Load a new page on the promethean board.
Explain to students that just as a garage door, a house door, or a window lets things in or out the
stomata on a leaf does the same thing.
Have one student draw a picture of a large leaf on the promethean board and have them return
back to their seat.
Then draw a zoom in diagram of a stomata. (A circle with an opening)

Explain: Just as they saw in the video during photosynthesis, the plants use carbon dioxide from
the air. It releases waste products, and they are oxygen and water vapor back into the air. When
plants give off this water vapor, we call this transpiration. So imagine the leaf is a giant straw, the
water starts at the bottom of straw all the way to the top. And when it reaches the top its releases
tiny droplets of water, water vapor. The stomata, they are the tiny openings on the leaf. They
open and close just like windows and doors do. (Illustrate with pictures on the promethean
board)The stomata help control how much of each has can enter and exit the plant. (Draw a
picture) Stomata also help plants survive in their environment. So plants that live in dry areas
their stomata is closed most of the time. And plants that are in cool areas wet areas keep their
stomata open most of the time.
Questions: Why do you think the stomata is closed in hot dry areas and open in wet cold areas?
Answer: Hot - to hold in as much water as they can. Cool - prevent the plant from getting water
filled with water.
Questions: Why would too much water be bad for the plant?
Finish explanation.
Elaborate:
Hand out data sheets.
Inform students you are now going to be testing the stomata of a plant outside the classroom.
Explain to the students that petroleum jelly is going to be placed on different ways to the leaf.
The four different ways, no jelly, jelly on bottom, jelly on top, jelly on top and bottom.
Have students turn to their first data sheet.
The students work independently and answer the question, which leaves do you think will give
off the most water and which will give off the least?
Once students have answered and made their predictions take students outside.
Coat the leaves in petroleum jelly in different ways: no jelly, jelly on bottom, jelly on top, jelly
on top and bottom. Seal the bag onto the plant and reinforce with clothes pins.
Check plants the next day and record any changes.
Evaluate:
Formative: Answer questions on the worksheets. Anaylze Data & Drawing Conclusions.

To be complete after the lesson is taught as appropriate

Assessment Results of all objectives/skills:
Reflection on lesson:
CT signature/confirmation: _________________________________ Date: ________________