5th Grade Do Plants Need Soil? Lesson Plan

Topic: Do plants need soil to grow?

Objectives & Outcomes

• Students will be able to explain whether plants need soil to grow and give examples of plants that do and do not require soil to grow.

Materials

• Freshly cut stems of plants (such as carrots, celery, or broccoli)
• Water
• Jar or container
• Sunlight or classroom lamp

Warm-up

• Ask students if they have ever seen a plant grow before.
• Ask them to describe how the plant grows.
• Ask them if they know what allows plants to grow.
• Write soil on the board. Presentation
• Tell students that today they will be learning about soil, which is a substance that allows plants to grow.
• Ask them if they know what soil is and if plants need it to grow.

Demonstration

• Gather various types of plants, such as a seedling, a houseplant, and a plant that has just been transplanted.
• Show students the different types of soil that you have prepared (such as water, fertilizer, and compost).
• Explain to students that soil can come in different forms and that plants need different types of soil to grow.
• For example, water is needed for the plants to survive, while fertilizer promotes growth and compost helps the soil to become healthier.

Guided Practice

• Have students work in pairs to observe and record which type of siol each of the plants is receiving.
• Have them use the chart to record their observations.

Independent Practice

• Have students use the materials and the procedure to grow their own bean seeds, using a different type of soil for each plant.
• Encourage them to pay close attention to their plants and record their observations on the growth of each plant.

Closure:

• Have students share their observations and ask questions.
• Review the importance of soil in the growth of plants and discuss any additional questions they have.

Assessment:

• Observe students during the guided practice and independent practice activities to assess their understanding of the concept.
• Collect and review their completed work to assess their ability to apply their understanding of the concept in a real-world situation.