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Science Lesson Kit · Teacher Resource

Plants Respond to Light: Which Way Will a Plant Grow? — 5E Lesson Plan

Life Science · 37 minutes

Grade 1

5E lesson flow

  1. 01

    Engage

    5 min

    Teacher Does

    Show Day 1 and later photos of the same seedling without explaining the cause.

    Students Do

    Notice what changed and what stayed the same.

    Ask

    • What changed?
    • What stayed the same?

    Look For

    Stem direction changed; plant and pot remain the same.

  2. 02

    Explore

    9 min

    Teacher Does

    Show left-light and right-light sequences.

    Students Do

    Point to the light source and compare stem direction over time.

    Ask

    • Where is the light?
    • Which way did the stem bend?

    Look For

    Stem direction corresponds to the side of the light source.

  3. 03

    Explain

    8 min

    Teacher Does

    Introduce respond, light source, direction, and observe.

    Students Do

    Use the frame: The plant responded by ___.

    Ask

    • What is the evidence?

    Look For

    Before-and-after comparison, not guesses.

  4. 04

    Elaborate

    8 min

    Teacher Does

    Present a fair-test setup.

    Students Do

    Choose what to change and what to keep the same.

    Ask

    • What one thing should change?
    • What should stay the same?

    Look For

    Change light direction; keep plant type, water, and container similar.

  5. 05

    Evaluate

    7 min

    Teacher Does

    Show a new seedling with light on one side.

    Students Do

    Make a prediction and explain it using the observed pattern.

    Ask

    • Which way might it grow next?
    • Why?

    Look For

    A prediction tied to the light-direction evidence.

Student goal

I can compare plant observations from different days and use evidence to explain how a plant responded to light.

Learning objectives

  • Describe how the direction of a plant stem can change over several days when light comes from one side.
  • Use before-and-after observations as evidence that plants can respond to an external input such as light.
  • Plan a simple fair observation that changes light direction while keeping the plant, water, and container the same.

Materials

  • Plant photo-sequence cards
  • Two matching seedlings or teacher-prepared photo sets
  • Two boxes or screens with side openings
  • Water
  • Crayons or sticky dots

Before class

  • Prepare a before-and-after plant sequence with the light source clearly visible.
  • If using live seedlings, set them up several days in advance.
  • Keep the investigation observational and avoid moving plants during the comparison.
  • Open Teach Mode and Read Aloud.

Prior knowledge

  • Students know plants grow over time.
  • Students can compare two pictures of the same object.

Vocabulary

respond
To change in some way after something in the surroundings changes.
light source
Something that gives light, such as the Sun or a lamp.
direction
The way something points or moves.
observe
To look carefully and notice what happens.

Differentiation

  • Use arrows and pointing before oral explanations.
  • Show only two time points at first.
  • Use the frame: The light is on ___. The stem bent ___.
  • For extension, ask students to explain why a single photo is weaker evidence than a sequence.

Assessment

  • Check identification of light-source side.
  • Check before-and-after evidence statements.
  • Check fair-test choices.
  • Check that predictions are tied to the observed pattern rather than certainty.

Exit ticket

Point to the light source and finish: The stem may grow toward ___.

Extension

Rotate the same plant after several days and continue observing new growth direction.