PR-6171R Science A STEM Approach - Primary 2

Lesson 7
Living Things
CREATURE FEATURES IN DIFFERENT PLACES
Lesson Plan
Introduction:
1. Display images of the desert and rainforest environments. Establish what pupils know about these
environments. What do you know about the desert/rainforest? What does it feel like in these places?
Is it hot or cold? Wet or dry? What kinds of things live there? What kinds of plants will you find?
Pupils discuss in small groups before recording their prior knowledge on page 41.
Development:
2. Display pages 42–43 for pupils to spot if anything is wrong with the pictures. Do you think you will
find the same plants in both places? Why? Which plants don’t belong in the pictures? Why? How do
you know?
3. In small groups, pupils examine one plant from each environment. Set up six stations—three stations
will have a cactus plant for pupils to observe and the other three stations will have a leaf from a
rainforest type plant to observe (a monsteria or any other large-leafed plant can be used). Groups
record their observations about the leaves by using the video function on a tablet computer,
filming the leaf and describing what they see. Then swap to the other plant and record their
observations again.
4. Discuss the differences observed and create a class Venn diagram. How is the cactus different to
the rainforest plant? What is the same? What did you observe? (Venn diagram can be displayed on
working wall.)
5. Review from the previous lesson what the function of a leaf is. Display the images of the
environments again and recall the knowledge from Step 1. Discuss as a class. Why do you think the
cactus has little needles for leaves? Why do you think the rainforest leaf is so big? Guide pupils to
determine that there is a lot of sunlight in the desert and it is hot so the leaves need to be smaller
(or non-existent), whereas in the rainforest there is little sunlight reaching the plants at the bottom
so they need bigger leaves to catch the sun.
Differentiation
• Mixed ability grouping and targeted adult support should allow all groups to make video
explanations about the leaves of the two different plants.
Reflection:
6. Pupils complete the following sentences in their science book.
A rainforest plant has leaves because .
A desert plant has leaves because .
Viewing sample
40 Science:
A STEM APPROACH
1st
CLASS
978-1-912760-15-2 Prim-Ed Publishing – www.prim-ed.com