Sixth Grade Curriculum Project: Plant Kingdom, Photosynthesis, and Global Effects

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Sixth Grade Curriculum ProjectPlant Kingdom,
Photosynthesis, and Global Effects

• Amy Aieta and Sarah Carter

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Day 1 Introduction to the Plant Kingdom

• Ask students to brainstorm their thoughts on the
  plant kingdom what is it, what makes plants
  unique from other living things?
• Mini-lecture regarding plant life, cell
  structures, and the different types
  (vascular/non-vascular).
• In STAD groups.
• Vocabulary worksheets on the definitions.

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Vocabulary for Day 1

• Cell Wall
• Cellulose
• Chloroplasts
• Vacuole
• Chlorophyll
• Vascular Tissue
• Cuticle
• Bryophytes
• Vascular and Non Vascular plants
• Ferns
• Shrubs
• Trees

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Day 2 Non Vascular Plants Bryophytes

• Notes on bryophytes.
• STAD worksheets on new vocabulary.
• The students will perform a lab Will Mosses
  Absorb Water? shown right.
• Vocabulary for Day 2
• Rhizoids
• Bog/Peat
• Gametophyte
• Sporophyte
• Students will be asked to study their new
  vocabulary for the quiz the next day on
  non-vascular plants.

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Day 3 Vascular Plants, an introduction to Ferns

• Students will begin the class by taking a quiz on
  non-vascular plants.
• Students will take notes on vascular plants.
• Students will perform a lab called How quickly
  can water move upward?.
• Students will be asked to study for their
  vocabulary quiz the next day on vascular plants
  and ferns.

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Day 4 Compare and Contrast Vascular and
Non-Vascular PlantsPhotosynthesis its history
and makeup

• A quiz on vascular plants and ferns will be
  given.
• Venn diagrams will be shown and a discussion will
  be held regarding the differences/comparisons
  between vascular and non-vascular plants.

• Second part of the class will be used to
  understand how photosynthesis was historically
  discovered.
• Students will be divided into STAD groups and
  will read over the photosynthesis lab to be
  performed the next day.

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Day 5 Photosynthesis Lab and an Introduction to
Global Issues Project.

• Lab, Eye on Photosynthesis
• There is a 30 minute waiting period during the
  lab and during this time the students will be
  introduced to the global issues research project.
• Students will be shown different internet search
  engines and sites to use and will be given a
  library tour to gain research materials.
• They will finish the lab and take books or
  printed internet resources home to prepare their
  global issues project.

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Day 6 Global Issues

• In groups of four mixed by race, gender, and
  ability students will present the global issue
  assigned to them to research.
• Students will be able to choose from
• global warming
• greenhouse effect
• clear cutting
• Biosphere
• Deforestation
• Ozone depletion
• Students will have research time in class on
  Friday afternoon to use internet connections and
  the school library. Over the weekend the
  students are expected to create a presentation to
  aide them in teaching the rest of the class their
  assigned global issue.

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Criteria for Global Issues Presentations

• Students are asked to answer the following
  questions in their presentations
• What is your Global Issue?
• Why is it a problem in the environment today?
• Have any reforms or laws formed to protect or fix
  your global issue?
• When was it discovered (realized to be a
  problem)?
• Is there anything students can do to prevent this
  global issue from intensifying?
• These questions will be expected to answered in
  the presentation given.