Do Plants Need Sunlight to Grow? Grade 1 Science Experiment

📚 Do Plants Need Sunlight to Grow? A Grade 1 Experiment

This lesson plan will guide you through a simple experiment to demonstrate the importance of sunlight for plant growth. Get ready to explore the world of plants!

🎯 Objectives

• 🌱 To understand that plants need sunlight to grow.
• 🔬 To observe and compare the growth of plants in sunlight and shade.
• ✍️ To record observations and draw conclusions.

🧪 Materials

• 🪴 Two small potted plants (e.g., bean sprouts or seedlings)
• 📦 Two small cardboard boxes (one large enough to cover a plant)
• 💧 Water
• 📏 Ruler or measuring tape
• 📝 Notebook and pencil for recording observations

☀️ Warm-up (5 minutes)

• ❓ Ask students: What do plants need to grow? (Possible answers: water, sunlight, soil, air)
• 🌻 Discuss the importance of sunlight for plants. Where does sunlight come from?

🌱 Main Instruction (30 minutes)

1. 🪴 Place one plant in a sunny location (e.g., windowsill).
2. 📦 Cover the other plant with a cardboard box to block sunlight.
3. 💧 Water both plants equally. Ensure the soil is moist but not waterlogged.
4. 📝 Explain to the students that they will observe and record the growth of each plant over a period of one week.
5. 📅 Each day, have students observe the plants and record their observations in their notebooks. Observations should include:
   • 📏 Height of the plant (use a ruler)
   • 🍃 Color of the leaves
   • 💪 Overall appearance (healthy or not)
6. 💬 Discuss the changes observed in each plant daily.

📊 Assessment

• 📝 After one week, have students write a short paragraph summarizing their observations and conclusions.
• 🗣️ Ask students: What happened to the plant that was kept in the dark? Why?
• 🎨 Have students draw a picture of each plant, showing the differences in their growth.

💡 Extension Activities

• 🌍 Research different types of plants and their sunlight requirements.
• 🧪 Conduct a similar experiment with different variables (e.g., different amounts of water).

🍎 Key Concepts

• ☀️ Sunlight is essential for plant growth.
• 🌿 Plants use sunlight to make their own food through photosynthesis.
• 💧 Water and nutrients from the soil are also important for plant growth.