Spider Plants
Grade Levels: 3 - 5
Objectives
- Students will observe and describe spider plants.
- Students will communicate data about spider plants through drawings, discussions, simple graphs, and writing.
- Students will ask questions and make predictions concerning observable changes in plant development.
- Students will record their observations in log books.
- Students will use simple tools such as rulers, magnifying glasses, etc.
Materials
- Five more spider plant babies than children in the class
- 1 9oz. clear plastic drinking cup per spider plant
- potting soil
- masking tape
- permanent marker
- 1 Spider Plant Log Book per child (see below for sample)
Procedures
- Hold a group discussion about plants in general, then show the students a large spider plant with babies.
- Allow each child to chose his/her own plant and to plant it in a cup. (Spider plants do NOT need to be rooted in water first.)
- Have the children name their plants and write the plant's name and the student's name on the masking tape on the cup.
- The students make spider plant logs by pasting the Spider Plant Log (see below) papers into a construction paper book.
- On the cover of the log, they draw a picture of what their plant looks like at that moment (correct number of leaves, etc.).
- On the back they draw a picture of what they think the plant will look like in a few months.
- Inside the log the students write the data about their plant on the first line.
- Each week, when you water the plants, the children record the statistics about their plant on the next available line.
- They subtract the number of leaves when their plant loses some and
add the number when they see new leaves.
Spider Plant Log:
Date, Number of Leaves, Measurement of longest leaf,
Measurement of shortest leaf. Can I see any visible roots? How many new roots or leaves are there?
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