Sixth Grade Curriculum Project:Plant Kingdom, Photosynthesis, and

Global Effects

Amy Aieta and Sarah Carter

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.

Vocabulary for Day 1

Cell Wall

Cellulose

Chloroplasts

Vacuole

Chlorophyll

Vascular Tissue

Cuticle

Bryophytes

Vascular and Non Vascular plants

Ferns

Shrubs

Trees

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:RhizoidsBog/PeatGametophyteSporophyte• Students will be asked to study

their new vocabulary for the quiz the next day on non-vascular plants.

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.

Day 4: Compare and Contrast Vascular and Non-Vascular Plants

Photosynthesis; 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.

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.

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.

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.