Plants Are Living

Overview

In Lesson 3 of 10 in Living Things Explorers, students observe a real classroom plant and compare it with an artificial plant or plant photograph. Building on earlier learning about living and nonliving things, students use visible evidence to explain that plants are living even though they do not walk.

Learning intentions

Students will be able to:

• Observe a plant carefully using their senses.
• Identify a plant as living.
• Describe one observation-based reason plants are living.
• Draw and label one plant observation.

Success criteria

• I can say whether a plant is living.
• I can tell one thing I observed about a plant.
• I can draw what I observed and add a label or tell an adult what to write.
• I can listen and take turns when sharing ideas.

Curriculum links

• Speaking and Listening — participate in collaborative conversations with classmates and adults.
• Speaking and Listening — describe familiar objects and experiences with relevant details.
• Writing — use drawing, dictation, or writing to share an observation.
• Language — use newly learned science words, such as living, plant, grow, change, and water, in context.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–4 min · Carpet hook. Teacher displays a real classroom plant beside an artificial plant or plant photograph and asks, “Which one is living? How do you know?” Open with the plant comparison hook and remind students of carpet expectations: eyes watching, hands quiet, and one voice at a time. Students silently look, make a choice with a thumb signal, then share an idea with a partner.

2. 4–9 min · Teach and model. Teacher explains that living things grow, change, and need water or other resources; plants are living even though they stay in one place. Show the living plant teaching slides and model an observation such as, “I see green leaves. This plant needs water. I do not see these changes on the artificial plant.” Students repeat the words living, grow, change, and water, then identify one difference between the two examples.

3. 9–16 min · Guided observation. Teacher places the real and artificial plants where all students can see them, or circulates them safely among groups of three. Display the observation prompt slide with picture prompts: “What do you see?” “What could change?” and “What does a plant need?” Students observe without touching unless invited, using sight and optional smell or gentle touch. Each group shares one observation using the frame, “I notice ___.”

4. 16–24 min · Draw and explain. Teacher distributes the plant observation page and models drawing one plant feature, such as a leaf, stem, or flower. Students draw the real plant, circle or complete “The plant is living,” and add a label or dictate an observation to an adult. Prompt students to use the frame, “A plant is living because I observed ___.” Students who finish may add the artificial plant and show one way it is different.

5. 24–28 min · Partner share and check. Teacher returns to the partner-share prompt and pairs students strategically. Students take turns showing their drawings, naming the plant as living, and giving one observation-based reason. Partners listen, then respond, “I heard you say ___,” or ask, “What did you notice?”

6. 28–30 min · Plenary and exit check. Teacher gathers students on the carpet and asks, “Can a living thing be alive without walking?” Invite two or three responses, then complete a quick oral or visual exit check: students point to the living plant and finish, “It is living because ___.” Collect worksheets to review.

Resources

• Classroom plant
• Artificial plant or clear plant photograph
• Plants Are Living slide deck
• plant observation page
• Pencils, crayons, or washable markers
• Document camera or display screen
• Optional hand lenses
• Carpet space and three-student observation groups

Assessment

• Listen during partner talk and guided observation for accurate use of living, grow, change, and water.
• Check each worksheet for a plant drawing and an observation-based reason identifying the plant as living.
• Use the final oral or pointing check to identify students who need reteaching or additional support.

Differentiation

• Provide sensory choices: students may observe with their eyes, listen to the teacher’s description, or use gentle touch or smell only when appropriate and supervised.
• Use labeled visuals, gestures, real objects, repeated modeling, and sentence frames: “I see ___,” “Plants need ___,” and “A plant is living because ___.”
• Offer tracing, a partially outlined plant, drawing with a partner, or adult dictation for students developing fine-motor, language, or writing skills. Accept pointing, signing, home-language responses, or oral answers.
• Seat students who need support near the display and teacher; use short directions, movement reminders, praise for carpet and desk routines, and a visual timer. Challenge ready students to compare two plants and explain one similarity and one difference.