Observing Seed Growth

Learning Area

Science and English

Level

Year 4

Achievement Objectives from the 2007 New Zealand Curriculum

• Science: Understanding about Living World - Investigate the life cycles of plants and animals, including changes that occur in their life stages.
• English: Writing - Construct simple and compound sentences in writing to communicate experiences and ideas.

Achievement Objectives from Te Mātaiaho (Mathematics and Statistics)

• Investigate and use data to identify patterns and relationships, and to communicate findings.

Learning Objective

We are learning to observe and record the germination of seeds through fair testing and to communicate our scientific observations in writing.

Resources

• Seeds (e.g., beans or peas)
• Paper towels
• Ziplock bags
• Observation recording sheet (custom-made page for recording observations)
• Pencils and colouring materials
• Chart paper or whiteboard
• Example seed observation journal/page

Cultural Competencies

• Wānanga (dialogue): Facilitate open discussion about the significance of plants in Māori culture and everyday life.
• Whanaungatanga (relationships): Encourage working collaboratively and sharing observations with peers.
• Manaakitanga (care and respect): Treat living seeds and their environment with care and respect.
• Tikanga: Observe safe and respectful use of resources.

Key Competencies

• Thinking: Make observations, ask questions, and use descriptive language to record findings.
• Using language, symbols, and text: Write sentences to describe scientific observations.
• Managing self: Take responsibility for seed care and observations.
• Participating and contributing: Share findings and ideas during group discussions.
• Relating to others: Work cooperatively in pairs and groups.

Organisation

Whole class introduction, paired practical activity, independent writing task, and group reflection.

---

Beginning (10 minutes)

• Introduce the observation recording sheet — explain how it has areas for date, drawing, and notes.
• WALT: We are learning to observe seed growth and record it clearly and fairly for science and writing.

During (25 minutes)

• Activity 1: Seed Preparation and Placement (10 minutes)

• In pairs, students wrap their seeds and place them in bags.

• Make predictions as a class about what will happen to the seeds.

• Explain how this setup is a fair test because every group’s seeds get the same conditions.

• Activity 2: Observation Drawing and Writing (15 minutes)

• Students use pencils and colouring materials to draw their seed in the observation sheet.

• Write sentences about the seed’s condition, encouraging use of descriptive language and simple scientific terms.

• Teacher circulates to give language support and scaffold scientific vocabulary, e.g., “germination,” “sprout,” “moisture.”

• Differentiation: For students needing extra support, provide sentence starters (e.g., “The seed is...”, “I can see...”). For extension learners, encourage use of adjectives/adverbs and start hypothesising changes they expect next time.

---

Ending (10 minutes)

• Gather students for a group reflection.
• Invite several students to share their drawings and sentences.
• Discuss what a fair test means and why it is important in science.
• Reinforce success criteria:
• I recorded my seed’s observations clearly using both drawings and writing.
• I understood and explained why our experiment is a fair test.
• Highlight how science and English skills are linked in observation and communication.
• Outline next steps: Students will continue to observe their seeds daily for the next week and update their observation pages.

---

Success Criteria

• Students can create and complete a page with a drawing and a sentence describing their seed.
• Students demonstrate understanding of fair testing by explaining how the experiment controls variables.
• Students use descriptive language appropriate to their level to communicate scientific observations.
• Students participate respectfully and collaboratively during paired and group activities.

---

Differentiation Strategies

• Provide sentence starters and vocabulary word banks for learners requiring support.
• Use visual prompts and modelling for drawing and writing tasks.
• Extend learning for more able learners by encouraging them to compare their observations with prior knowledge of plant growth or hypothesise about variables affecting germination.
• Allow movement breaks or alternate seating for students needing physical accommodation.

---

Extension Activities

• Investigate how different factors (light, temperature) affect the germination rate in a controlled follow-up experiment.
• Create a class digital photo journal of the seed growth stages.
• Write a short story or poem from the perspective of the seed.

---

This lesson plan integrates science inquiry with scientific literacy skills, fosters culturally responsive practices, and supports key competencies central to the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh for Year 4 learners. It balances hands-on experiential learning with language development in an engaging, age-appropriate manner.