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Session 12: Plants & Growth 🌱

Overview

Grades: 3-4 | Duration: 40 minutes | Session: 12 of 17

Students explore plant science, observing growth requirements and connecting plant life cycles to resurrection themes.

Session 12: Plants & Growth

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, students will:

  • Identify what plants need to grow

  • Understand plant life cycles

  • Design a plant growth experiment

  • Connect plant growth to resurrection themes

Session 12: Plants & Growth

Materials Needed

  • 🌱 Seeds (fast-growing: beans, radish)

  • 🪴 Small containers/cups

  • 🌍 Soil

  • 📓 Engineering journals

  • 📋 Experiment tracking sheets

Catholic Integration

Saint Connection

Jesus' Teaching — Jesus often used plants and seeds in parables to teach about God's kingdom!

Scripture

"Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." — John 12:24

Opening Prayer

Dear God, you designed plants with amazing ability to grow from tiny seeds. Like seeds that must be buried to grow, help us understand that new life comes from sacrifice. Amen.

Lesson Procedure

Opening Circle (6 minutes)

  1. Seed Mystery:
  2. Show small seed: "What's inside this tiny seed?"
  3. Everything needed to become a PLANT!
  4. Plant Needs:
  5. 💧 Water
  6. ☀️ Light
  7. 🌬️ Air
  8. 🌡️ Right temperature
  9. 🌍 Nutrients (soil)
  10. Jesus' Seed Parable:
  11. Seed must be "buried" to grow
  12. Like Easter—death leads to new life!

Main Activity: Plant Science (26 minutes)

Part 1: Plant Exploration (6 minutes)

  • Examine different seeds

  • Discuss: How do these become plants?

  • Life cycle: Seed → Sprout → Plant → Flower → Fruit → Seed

Part 2: Design Experiment (8 minutes)

Scientific Question:

  • What happens if we change ONE thing?

  • Test: light, water, soil, temperature

Experiment Design:

  • Control plant: Normal conditions

  • Test plant: One thing different

  • Example: Same soil, same water, but one in dark/one in light

Hypothesis:

  • "I predict... because..."

Part 3: Plant Seeds (10 minutes)

  • Fill containers with soil

  • Plant seeds at proper depth

  • Label clearly:

  • Name
  • Date

  • Condition (control or test)

  • Water appropriately

Part 4: Observation Plan (2 minutes)

  • How often will you check?

  • What will you measure?

  • Create tracking chart

Engineering Journal (5 minutes)

  1. Draw your experiment setup (label)
  2. Write your hypothesis
  3. Create observation chart
  4. Write: "Seeds remind me of Easter because..."

Closing Circle (3 minutes)

  1. Predictions — What do you expect to happen?
  2. Resurrection Connection — "How is a seed like Easter?"
  3. Closing Prayer — "God, thank you for seeds that show us your power to bring life from death. As we watch our plants grow, help us remember the Easter miracle. Amen."

Assessment

Observation Checklist:

  • Identified plant needs

  • Designed controlled experiment

  • Planted seeds correctly

  • Connected to resurrection theme

Differentiation

For Students Who Need Support

  • Pre-selected experiment

  • Partner work

  • Simplified tracking sheet

For Advanced Students

  • Multiple variables to test

  • Research question development

  • Detailed data collection

Wonder at Home 🏠

Family Activity: Start a family garden or container plants! Watch seeds grow and track changes. Discuss Jesus' parables about seeds and plants. Visit a nursery or botanical garden together.

Teacher Notes

  • Start early enough to see growth before end of year

  • Place plants where they can be observed

  • Take photos for documentation

  • Follow up observations in later sessions

  • Consider sending plants home

Previous: Session 11 — Lenten Engineering
Next: Session 13 — Easter Tech