Photosynthesis Lesson Plan: Structures and Processes
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This lesson accompanies the BrainPOP topic Photosynthesis, and supports the standard of explaining the role of photosynthesis in the cycling of energy in and out of organisms. Students demonstrate understanding through a variety of projects.
Step 1: ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
Display an image of a plant, like this one:
Ask students:
- What do you think makes this plant green?
- What does this plant need to survive?
- How does it get its energy?
Step 2: BUILD KNOWLEDGE
- Read the description on the Photosynthesis topic page.
- Play the Movie, pausing to check for understanding.
- Have students read one of the three Related Reading articles. Partner them with someone who read a different article to share what they learned with each other.
Step 3: APPLY and ASSESS
Students take the Photosynthesis Challenge and Quiz, applying essential literacy skills while demonstrating what they learned about this topic.
Step 4: EXTEND and DEEPEN
Students express what they learned about photosynthesis while practicing essential literacy skills with one or more of the following activities. Differentiate by assigning ones that meet individual student needs.
- Make-a-Movie: Produce a movie from the point of view of a plant. Have the plant answer these questions: What does it need to survive? How does it produce energy?
- Make-a-Map: Create a concept map identifying how plants use sunlight, air, and water.
- Creative Coding: Code a museum with artifacts representing each part of a plant and its role in photosynthesis.
- Primary Source Activity: Analyze images of plant cells and use evidence to answer accompanying questions.
More to Explore
Related BrainPOP Topics: Deepen understanding of plant life with these topics: Plant Growth, Seed Plants, and Seedless Plants.
Teacher Support Resources:
- Pause Point Overview: Video tutorial showing how Pause Points actively engage students to stop, think, and express ideas.
- Learning Activities Modifications: Strategies to meet ELL and other instructional and student needs.
- Learning Activities Support: Resources for best practices using BrainPOP.
