Year 2 - Plants
Introduction
On Thursday 6th May children had an amazing day learning about plants! The day was full of amazing science knowledge about how plants grow and children used a range of scientific skills such as observation skills to suggest answers.
By the end of the unit, they learnt:
Year 1 Objectives
identify and name a variety of common wild and garden plants, including deciduous and evergreen trees
identify and describe the basic structure of a variety of common flowering plants, including trees
Year 2 Objectives
Observe and describe how seeds and bulbs grow into mature plants
Find out and describe how plants need water, light and a suitable temperature to grow and stay healthy.
Working Scientifically Skills
Observe closely, using simple equipment
Identify and classify
Use their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions
Keywords we used:
seeds, bulbs, grow, healthy, water, light, temperature, soil, nutrients, stem, dispersal, root, leaves, flowers, blossom, petals, fruit, trunk, branches
Prior Learning
● Children covered the Year 1 objectives identify and name a variety of common wild and garden plants, including deciduous and evergreen trees
● Then pupils were taught to identify and describe the basic structure of a variety of common flowering plants, including trees
Children completed grids to show what they knew already and what they would like to learn. Children filled in the 'what have you learnt' section following their day full of amazing learning!
During the prior learning session all children had the opportunity to plant cress seeds. Children added compost to their pots and made holes for the seeds. These were kept in different conditions. One set to be left in the dark and watered. One set to be in the light and watered and the final set to be left in the light and not watered.
How do plants grow and stay healthy?
During the first part of our amazing Scientific day we discussed all of the things plants need to survive, germinate and grow. Children learnt that plants use water to survive. We went into detail about how the roots of a plant work.
Children then conducted an experiment using carnations and celery to show how plants absorb water.
The children observed the changes throughout the day and were amazed to see that the petals, leaves and stem had changed colour due to the food colouring!
Seeds and Bulbs
After a well needed break children then used their observation skills to sketch a bulb and a seed. Children used magnifying glasses to take a closer look and investigate the differences.
Planting!
Children then had the opportunity to plant seeds and bulbs. Our first attempt got hailed off! Children used trowels to dig holes deep enough and wide enough and then placed the bulbs with their shoots facing upwards. Children then gently replaced the soil. The rain did the watering for us! Over the following weeks children will have the opportunity to carefully observe the growth of the bulbs and seeds.
Germination and Growing
After lunch children revisited the seeds they planted previously. Children wrote predictions for what they thought they might find. In their books children carefully wrote up how they completed the experiment thinking about the things that were changed: sunlight and water, and the things they kept the same: seeds, compost and pots. Children were amazed to find that seeds can grow without light but cannot grow without water. Children were interested to see how the leaves of the plants in the cupboard were a yellowy colour due to having no sunlight.
We will continue to observe the seeds over the following weeks!
Sunlight no water
Sunlight and water
No sunlight with water
