Lesson Idea | 2nd Grade Lesson Plan: Plant Life Cycle

Objective:

Teach students about the different steps of the plant life cycle: seed, germination (sprout), seedling, and growth into an adult plant.

Materials:

Sandwich bags that zip closed, cotton balls, seeds, water, labels, and the plant life cycle “What You Discovered” worksheet revised for 2nd grade classroom use.

What You’ll Need:

• Cotton balls (5 per bag)
• Water
• Tape
• Labels (optional)
• 1 Marker
• Plastic sandwich bags that zip closed
• Seeds (3-4 per bag)
• Spray bottle

What You’ll Do:

1. For this activity you will be sprouting seeds. Sprouting is the first step in a seed growing into a plant. Take a moment to answer questions 1-4 on the “What You Discovered” worksheet before beginning the experiment.
2. To set up your experiment, label your bag with your name. Note: You can use either tape or labels to write your name on.
3. Next, place cotton balls at the bottom of the plastic bag you just labeled and spray them with water. Note: You want the cotton balls to be moist, but not dripping wet.
4. Place a few seeds between the cotton balls and the plastic bag so you can see the seeds.
5. Let the air out of the bag and zip it closed.
6. Tape the bag to a window that gets at least partial sunlight throughout the day.
7. For question 5 on your worksheet, draw a picture in your notebook of your seeds inside the bag before they start sprouting.
8. Check the seeds each day for a week and draw a picture of what they look like every day in your notebook. Make sure to check off the days for question 6 on your worksheet.
9. Take time to fill out the “What You Discovered” worksheet as you work on your experiment.

For further information about the lesson idea, please visit doTERRA website.