South Carolina ETV
From One Seed Grow Many Seeds (Grade 1)
Master Teacher
Windy A. Mack
Time Allotment
50-60 minutes
Overview
Sunflower is the common seed name for the genus Helianthus. The sunflower is native to North America, and was used for food and hair oil by the early North American Indians. Today, whole seeds are used for cooking oil, bird food, and snacks for people like you and me to eat. The seeds are a rich source of calcium plus 11 other minerals. Sunflowers that are garden plants are valuable for forming beautiful background scenery. They grow fast and can reach a height of 8 to 12 feet. Sunflowers grow best when planted in early spring in moistened soil one to two inches deep. Sunflower harvest begins in mid-September and can run into October. Through the activities in this lesson, students will focus on the life cycle of a sunflower. Students will observe how a sunflower grows from a seed. Students will view pictures through the Internet and observe these stages through video. Students will visit a sunflower farm through video. Students will describe ways sunflower seeds are used, construct a sunflower for themselves, and enjoy a sunflower snack.
Subject Matter
Life Science
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to:
- identify a sunflower
- identify the parts of a sunflower
- classify edible parts
- explain that sunflowers require air, water, nutrients, space, and light to grow and
- reproduce
- describe ways we use sunflower seeds
- create a model of a sunflower
South Carolina Standards
These Standards can be found online at Office of Curriculum Standards.
II Life Science
- A. Characteristics of Organisms
- 1. Organisms have basic needs.
- a. Investigate and explain that plants require air, water, nutrients, space, and
- light to survive and reproduce.
2. Plants have basic structures.
a. Identify the parts of a plant (seeds, roots, stems, leaves, flower, and fruit)
b. Classify edible plant parts as seeds, roots, etc.
c. Explore and compare methods of seed dispersal.
B. Life Cycles of Organisms
1. Plants have life cycles. The details of the life cycle are different for different organisms.
a. Observe and communicate the growth and development of a variety of plants from a seed.
b. Recognize that fruits and nuts come from flowers.
C. Organisms and Their Environment
1. Organisms can survive only in environments in which their needs can be met.
a. Classify plants according to their habitats.
b. Describe characteristics of plants that help them survive in specific environments.
2. All organisms cause changes in the environment where they live.
a. Explore and describe that living things can change the environment.
b. Investigate how natural resources can be reused and recycled to reduce consumption.
Media Components
Video
How Plants Grow, Lesson 1: "The Sunflower." One of seven programs that explore the growth of plants—the life cycle—from seeds to the development of the flower and the ripening of the flower's seeds.
Web Site
Sunflowers. Type in http://www.knowitall.org. In the search box, type in sunflowers. Click on the NatureScene Interactive icon. Click 1 for viewing (video or picture). After viewing 1, view 2, 3, and 4.
Materials
- Unshelled sunflower seeds (enough for each child in your class to have at least a handful)
- shelled sunflower seeds (enough for each child in your class to have a handful)
- small white paper plates (1 per child)
- construction paper (yellow, brown, green)
- brown paint mixed with glue
- paint brushes
- glue
- scissors
- stapler with staples (can use glue instead)
- chart paper
- tape
- writing/drawing paper
- pencils
- markers (different colors)
- poster board (white, yellow, brown, green)
- velcro
- real/artificial sunflower
- computer with Internet access
- VCR
- TV
- AverKey
- cassette player and blank audiocassette
Prep for Teachers
Students should have some prior knowledge of plants and their parts.
Prior to this lesson, gather all materials: chart paper, marker, tape, construction paper (green, brown, and yellow), paper plates, brown paint, glue, poster paper (yellow, green, white, brown), sunflower seeds (shelled and unshelled)
Prior to the lesson, check equipment: VCR, TV cassette player, and computer.
Prior to the lesson, ask the music teacher to record the tune (without the words) of the song "The Wheels on the Bus." If possible, it would be nice if the music teacher could sing the words to the song "Parts of a Plant" while recording. Provide music teacher with the blank cassette tape and the words to the song, "Parts of a Plant." The words of the song can be found in the book, 101 Science Poems and Songs for Young Learners by Meish Goldfish.
Prior to the lesson, make a KWL chart on chart paper (K—what the students already know; W— what the students want to know; L—what the students learned after the lesson). Tape chart paper on board. Have markers nearby.
Draw and color a sunflower diagram (poster size). Make labels for each part: root, stem, leaf, flower, petal. Apply Velcro to the back of each label and on the diagram to the part that matches the label. Use diagram from Activity Sheet 1.
Write the words to the song "Parts of a Plant" on chart paper.
Bookmark Website: http://www. knowitall.org
Preview the video to familiarize yourself with the pausing points. Cue the video to the first segment.
Ask neighborhood florist to donate a real or artificial sunflower for display.
Set up an area in the classroom or outside the classroom with painting supplies: brown paint mixed with glue, paint brushes.
Prior to the lesson, make a paper plate sunflower for display.
Make copies of the stem/leaf pattern (Activity Sheet 2) on green construction paper for each student in your class. Make copies of the petal pattern (Activity Sheet 3) on yellow construc-tion paper for each student in your class. Make copies of the roots pattern (Activity Sheet 4) on brown construction paper for each students in your class. You may want to enlarge the pictures to fit the size of the paper plate.
Make copies of Activity Sheet 1A for each student to use for a final assessment.
When using media, provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction, a specific task to complete and/or information to identify during or after viewing of video segments, Web sites, or other multimedia elements.
Introductory Activity
Step 1: Find out what the students know about sunflowers. Ask the students what the word "sunflower" brings to their minds. Make a list of their ideas on the KWL chart. Discussion points for KWL chart: What color are sunflowers? Where do sunflowers grow? Do sunflower seeds come from sunflowers? How tall do sunflowers grow? How many seeds grow on a sunflower? How long does it take for a sunflower to grow? Do butterflies, bees, and/or birds like sunflowers?
Step 2: Tell students that you are going to search for photos of sunflowers on the Internet. Allow students to gather around the computer monitor for viewing or connect the AverKey to the TV and computer for viewing. Also, you can bring in a real or artificial sunflower for the students to observe. Provide a Focus for Media Interaction by telling the students that as they look at the real or artificial sunflower and photos on the Web, you want them to be able to answer the following questions: What color are sunflowers? Do they all look the same? How are they different? What are the parts of a sunflower? (Note to Teacher: As you tell the students the questions, you may want to write the questions on the board or overhead.)
Step 3: Display the teacher-made diagram of the sunflower (Activity Sheet 1). Ask students to help you label the parts of a sunflower.
Step 4: Distribute unshelled sunflower seeds (a hand full for each student in your class). Let students taste the seeds and share their observations. Ask discovery questions: What are sunflower seeds used for? Where do sunflower seeds come from? How do sunflower seeds grow?
Step 5: Tell the students they are going to learn the song "Parts of a Plant." Tell them that the song is sung like "The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round." Ask the students to listen to the tape and invite them to sing along. Display the chart with the words of the song. As you sing the song, point to each word.
Learning Activities
Step 1: Tell the students that they will be viewing a video on the life cycle of a sunflower. Tell them that they need to listen very closely because you will be pausing the tape and asking questions about how sunflowers grow. Provide a Focus for Media Interaction by asking the students what sound/letter begins with "sunflower." ("s") Ask the students how do they think sunflower is spelled. (Answers may vary.)
START the videotape at the beginning and PAUSE the tape when you see the title, "The Sunflower." Ask the students to read the title aloud. Ask the students to spell the word "sunflower." (s-u-n-f-l-o-w-e-r) Ask them to identify sound/letter the word "sunflower" begins with. ("s") Ask the students to clap the parts of the word. (3 claps) Ask them what two words make the word "sunflower." (sun + flower)
Step 2: Provide a Focus for Media Interaction by asking the students to identify how/when sun-flowers grow and how long it takes them to grow. (a week; answers may vary) RESUME playing the tape and PAUSE the tape after you hear "Our camera is speeding up the action" and you see many sunflowers sprouting. Ask the students the following questions to check their comprehension to be sure they have fulfilled their focus:
In what season should you plant a sunflower seed? (Spring)
What should the weather be like outside? (nice and warm)
What does the sunflower seed need to help it grow?
How long should you wait before the seed starts to sprout? (a week)
What happens underground when the seed starts to grow? (a root starts to grow downward)
What happens to the seed as the root grows? (the root pushes the seed upward)
How many leaves grow first? (2 leaves)
Step 3: To provide a Focus for Media Interaction,
ask the students to identify which part of the sunflower
grows underground. (root) RESUME playing the tape and PAUSE
the tape after you hear "see the root branching out" and
see the root branching out. Ask the students the following
questions to check their comprehension to be sure they have
fulfilled their focus:
In what direction does the root grow? (downward)
What happens to the main root? (Other small roots start to grow and branch out.)
Step 4: To provide a Focus for Media Interaction, ask the students to identify the purpose of leaves. (Make food; answers may vary) RESUME playing the tape and PAUSE the tape after you hear "that makes eight" and you see the sunflower plant with eight green leaves. Ask the students the following questions to check their comprehension to be sure they have fulfilled their focus:
What do the first two leaves have inside of them already that the second two leaves do not? (food)
What will help the second two leaves make food? (sunlight)
How many leaves are there in all? (eight)
Step 5: To provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction, ask them to determine what job the flower performs. (Makes seeds; answers may vary) RESUME playing the tape and PAUSE the tape after you hear "invite insects as you'll see" and on the screen you see a sunflower in bloom. Ask the students the following questions to check their comprehension to be sure they have fulfilled their focus:
In what month would you see the flower burst open? (July)
How many days does it take for a sunflower to bloom? (one or two)
What is the flower's job? (To make seeds.)
Step 6: To provide students a Focus for Media Interaction, ask them to determine what insects would like to visit sunflowers. (bees and butterflies; answers may vary) Ask students to identify something sunflowers love. RESUME playing the tape and PAUSE the tape after your hear "farmers that grow sunflowers for their seeds know that" and you see a tall sunflower in a garden. Ask the students the following questions to check their comprehension to be sure they have fulfilled their focus:
How do sunflowers invite the insects to visit? (They give off a sweet liquid.)
What two insects love to visit the sunflower? (Butterflies and bees)
What do sunflowers love? (the sun)
Do sunflowers grow alone or in clusters? (in clusters)
Describe what growing in clusters means. (many sunflowers growing together)
Step 7: To provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction, ask them to determine what happens to the bright yellow petals when the season changes from summer to fall. (They turn brown and fall off; answers may vary) RESUME playing the tape and PAUSE the tape after you hear "almost ready to pick" and you see a sunflower standing alone. Ask the students the following questions to check their comprehension to be sure they have fulfilled their focus:
What animal loves to eat sunflower seeds? (birds)
What happens to the petals when the season changes? (They fall off.)
How do you know when the seeds are ready to be picked? (All are dark.)
How many seeds does a small sunflower produce?(800)
Large sunflowers? (2000)
Culminating Activity
Step 1: Provide each student with paper plates. Remember to write their names on the back of the plates or ask the students to write their names on the back of the paper plates. Direct the students to the brown paint to paint their plates. Provide students with a hand full of shelled sunflower seeds to stick/drop in the brown paint on the paper plate. Allow time to dry.
Step 2: While the brown paint dries, provide the students with the stem, leaf, and petal patterns (Activity Sheets 2 and 3). Provide each student with a pair of scissors and ask them to cut out the patterns.
Step 3: If the brown paint is still drying, provide the students with a sunflower snack.
Step 4: Direct students to collect their painted/dried paper plates. Assist them with gluing/stapling the stem, leaves, and petals onto their paper plates. Allow time to dry if glue is used.
Step 5: Students that finish will be provided with paper and pencil/crayons to write/draw a picture about sunflowers.
Step 6: Display each child's sunflower in the classroom
or on a bulletin board in the hall.
Assessment
As a final assessment, give each student a copy of Activity Sheet 1A: Sunflower Parts, scissors, crayons, glue, and a pencil. Go over the directions for completion of the activity sheet. For students finishing the assignment early, provide them with paper and pencil and allow them to write a letter to a friend about sunflowers.
Cross-Curricular Extensions
Science: Establish a class garden to plant sun-flower seeds. Observe the growth of the sunflowers.
Literature: Read stories about sunflowers. Recommended books:
From Seed to Sunflower by Gerald Legg, Carolyn Scarace
Sam Plants a Sunflower by Kate Petty, Axel Scheffier
Sunflowers by Rebecca W. Atwater Briccetti
Sunflower House by Eve Bunting
Sunflower by Miela Ford
The Sunflower Went Flop by Joy Cowley
Writing: Write stories/poems about sunflowers (e.g., If I were a sunflower). Students should keep a sunflower journal to write down notes about the growth and progress of the sunflowers they planted.
Math: Count sunflower seeds. Estimate how many sunflower seeds are in a bag. Predict how many seeds it takes to fill a bag. Measure and weigh sunflower seeds. Predict how long it will take for the seeds to sprout that were planted. Measure and record each week the height of the sunflowers that the students planted. Count how many petals are on each sunflower. Make sunflower seed patterns, shapes, and/or numbers.
Social Studies: Research how sunflower seeds get from
sunflower farms to our homes. Research different ways sunflowers
seeds are
used. Research where sunflowers are grown. Research whom the first people were that discovered and used sunflower seeds. This research can be done as a class, at home with a parent or adult, or in the media center as a group with the assistance of the media specialist.
Health: Research the benefits people get from sunflower seeds. Are they healthy or unhealthy? How much fat or minerals do sunflower seeds contain? Research can be done as a class, at home with a parent or adult, or in the media center as a group with the assistance of the media specialist or physical education teacher.
Art: Introduce students to Vincent Van Gogh by exploring the Vincent Van Gogh Information Gallery.
Look at sunflower paintings by Van Gogh. Have students make their own sunflower paintings. Create a sunflower seed collage.
Technology: Explore Bluemountain.com to create sunflower greeting cards and e-mail them to friends/family.
Community Connections
Visit a neighborhood flower shop. Invite a florist/gardener to show/discuss sunflowers. Visit Harmon Tree Farm in Gilbert, S.C.
Student Materials
- Activity Sheets 1, 1A, 2, 3, 4
- small paper plates
- glue
- scissors
- pencil/crayons
- paper
- shelled sunflower seeds
Activity Sheets:
South Carolina ETV
1101 George Rogers Boulevard
Columbia, SC 29201-4761
Phone: 803-737-3545