Skip to main content

Life Science · Matter & Energy in Living Things

Where Does Plant Growth Come From?

Use mass evidence and models to argue that plant-growth materials come chiefly from air and water.

Lesson plan

Where Does Plant Growth Come From?

A step-by-step guide to help you teach this lesson.

Plan with confidence

Lesson overview

What students will learn

  • Use mass evidence to evaluate the claim that most new plant material comes from soil.
  • Build a model showing water and carbon dioxide from air as chief material sources for plant growth while keeping sunlight labeled as an energy input.

Key science ideas

  • Gases are matter even when invisible.
  • Roots take in water and leaves take in carbon dioxide.
  • Air and water supply most material for plant growth.

Lesson at a glance

  • Grade 5
  • 55 min
  • ~8 min prep
  • 5-LS1-1
  • 4 materials

What’s included

  • Lesson Plan
  • Investigation
  • Teacher Slides
  • Printable Worksheet
  • Teacher Answer Key
  • Interactive Activity
  • Vocabulary