Science Lesson Kit · Teacher Resource
Plant Parts & Their Jobs: Roots, Stems, Leaves & Flowers — 5E Lesson Plan
Life Science · 38 minutes
Grade 1
5E lesson flow
01
Engage
5 min
Teacher Does
Show a whole plant with roots visible.
Students Do
Point to parts they already know.
Ask
- What is above the soil?
- What is below the soil?
Look For
Roots, stem, leaves, flowers, fruits.
02
Explore
10 min
Teacher Does
Give pairs plant-part picture cards and show the celery before/after observation.
Students Do
Match parts to jobs and notice where colored water appears.
Ask
- What changed?
- Where do you see the color now?
Look For
Color higher in the stem or leaf veins.
03
Explain
8 min
Teacher Does
Introduce root, stem, leaf, flower, and fruit with one simple job for each.
Students Do
Use the frame: A ___ helps the plant ___.
Ask
- Which part?
- What job?
Look For
Age-appropriate structure-function statements.
04
Elaborate
8 min
Teacher Does
Show a new tomato plant.
Students Do
Transfer the part-and-job ideas to the new plant.
Ask
- Where are the roots?
- Which part holds seeds?
Look For
Students apply ideas to a new species.
05
Evaluate
7 min
Teacher Does
Show one final plant image.
Students Do
Choose one part, name its job, and give a visible clue or investigation result as evidence.
Ask
- What is your evidence?
Look For
Part → job → evidence.
Student goal
I can name major plant parts, tell one job for each part, and use an observation as evidence that stems can carry water.
Learning objectives
- Identify roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits on familiar plants.
- Describe one useful job for each major plant part using picture or real-plant evidence.
- Use a simple observation to explain that stems can carry water upward through a plant.
Materials
- Whole-plant picture cards
- One celery stalk with leaves
- Clear cup
- Water
- Teacher-handled food coloring
- Crayons or counters
Before class
- Prepare a clear whole-plant image with roots visible.
- Set up one celery stalk in colored water several hours before class or use before/after photos.
- Keep the food coloring teacher-handled.
- Open Teach Mode and Read Aloud.
Prior knowledge
- Students know plants are living things.
- Students can identify above-ground and below-ground parts in a picture.
Vocabulary
- root
- A plant part that can hold the plant in place and take in water from the soil.
- stem
- A plant part that supports the plant and carries water to other parts.
- leaf
- A plant part that catches light and helps the plant make food.
- flower
- A plant part that can help the plant make seeds.
- fruit
- A plant part that can hold or protect seeds.
Differentiation
- Allow pointing before speaking.
- Read every prompt aloud.
- Offer two picture choices at a time.
- Use the frame: The ___ helps ___.
- For extension, ask students to explain how two plant parts work together.
Assessment
- Check accurate part identification.
- Listen for one correct job per part.
- Check whether students use the celery observation as evidence rather than guessing.
Exit ticket
Point to one plant part and finish: A ___ helps the plant ___.
Extension
Compare two different plants and find the same kinds of parts in both.