February 2024

Thursday, February 1st, 2024

Do Now: Finish filling in your jigsaw activity notes in your lab notebook. Get back into your group if you need to.

Next: Share out research notes

Then:  Watch this video about saguaro cacti and do a connect/extend/challenge

Exit Ticket: Something you learned about cacti 

Friday, February 2nd, 2024

Do Now: Turn & talk to someone near you about the slide that is up. 

Next: Place the pinecone on your table in the beaker of water provided to you. In your lab notebook, hypothesize what you think will happen to the pinecone after it soaks in the water. 

Then: Review stem and root cross section 

Last: Watch how conifers reproduce. complete a connect/extend/challenge thinking routine in your lab notebook. Observe your pinecone. How has it changed? Document your findings in your notebook and explain why the pinecone reacted to water the way that it did.

Exit Ticket: Why did your pinecone react the way it did when it got wet?

Monday, February 5th, 2024

Do Now: Quick jot in your notebook. What differences might there be between thorns and spines? How about prickles?

Next: Today we will be working on plant care sheets for the plants we currently have in our classroom.
1) Get into small groups and research assigned plant. (pothos, wandering dude, radiator plant, aloe vera, kalanchoe, fuzzy kalanchoe, spider plant, penny plant, venus fly trap, sundew)
2) Copy this template and complete the care sheet for the plant your group was provided. Share it with me and other group members. Use observations, books within the classroom, and the internet as sources of research.
3) Create a 60sec presentation about the plant your group researched (e.g. Google Slides presentation, advertisement, poster)

(P1) Watch this video and then sketch a cross section of a leaf into your lab notebook.  

Then: Other modifications: thorns, prickles, and bracts

Exit Ticket: What is a (thorn/prickle/bract)

Tuesday, February 6th, 2024

Do Now: Think/pair/share: Have students take three minutes to do a quick jot in their notebook, answering this question: What is the difference between prickles, spines, and thorns? Have them share their thinking with someone else.

Next:

• P1 Get into groups (see whiteboard)

• P7 get into groups from yesterday (also written on a post-it note on the media cart)

Then:  research/continue to research the assigned plant. Copy this template and complete the care sheet for the plant your group researched. Use observations (these plants can be located in the classroom and you should go find one), books within the classroom, and the internet as sources of information.

Create a 60 sec presentation about the plant your group researched (e.g. Google Slides presentation, advertisement, poster)

Last: GWT if time remains
Exit Ticket: what plant did you research and what was one thing you learned about it?

Thursday, February 8th, 2024

Do Now: Get together with your group from Tuesday 

Next: Finish your plant care sheet and prepare to share your mini-presentation

Then: All groups share plant research 

Exit Ticket: something you learned from someones presentation

Friday, February 9th, 2024

Do Now: Check on your plants and water if needed. Prepare for presentations.

Next: Mini-presentations

Then: Slideshow and notes on inflorescence types

Exit Ticket: Quick jot: Who was in your plant research group? How well do you think the workload was distributed? What were some challenges you/your group faced?

Tuesday, February 13th, 2024

Do Now: Copy down terms and defs...
seed - is a mature ovule containing an embryo and a food supply covered by a seed coat
fruit - protects the seed and helps to disperse it

Next: Final mini-presentations

Then: Jigsaw activity on types of fruits: drupes, pomes, berries, hesperidiums, achenes, pepo

Last: notes on asexual reproduction and types of fruits (slideshow) 

Exit Ticket: something new you learned about a fruit today

Friday, February 16, 2024

Do Now: Take out your notebook and your computer

Next: review nuts vs. fruits

Then: Quiz on leaves, fruits, and flowers

Exit Ticket: Weekend plans or goals?

Monday, February 19, 2024 

Do Now: Take out your notebook and computer

Then: Follow the prompts on slides 33-36 on the Flowers/Fruits/Seeds slideshow 

Exit Ticket: Name a part of a seed

Tuesday, February 20, 2024 

Do Now: Quick jot. Could a plant ever eat a human being? Why or why not?

Next: read this article and then do a connect/extend/challenge in your notebook.

Exit Ticket: Something good that happened today

Thursday, February 22, 2024 

Do Now: Take out your notebook

Next: Planting! Transplant iron weed seedlings into larger containers. Plant propagated spiderettes and pothos. Seed marigolds and sunflowers. 

Then: Peel the Fruit

Exit Ticket: What was your favorite part of the day so far?

Friday, February 23, 2024 

Do Now: Answer the two questions on the whiteboard related to whether or not you have planted seed and a houseplant 

Next: Introduction to the end of unit project

Then: planting cont.

Exit Ticket: quick jot - on a post-it note, what ideas do you have in mind for your project?

Monday, February 26, 2024

Do Now: Check on your seeds and plants. Water if needed.

Next: Decide on an end of unit project and start designing it. Research the process if it is new to you, and locate any materials needed. Sketch the design if applicable. Reminder, projects are due March 5th.

Then: Start creating!

Exit Ticket: Status update on your process

Tuesday, February 27, 2024

Do Now: Think about your next steps for your project. Remember to do any pertinent research, a rough draft and feedback before starting your final draft.

Next: Project creation

Exit Ticket: status update

Thursday, February 29 - Monday March 4th 2024

End-of-Unit Project Creation