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Fruit, Shoot, Leaf or Root?

Science Year 3/4
This unit is part of Year 3/4 Science Greatly Green Growers

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Objectives

The Greatly Green Growers need some help to decide what to plant. The judges have given them a chart with a list of categories that have strange names like vegetable flowers, stem vegetables and salad fruits. Can you use your scientific observation and research skills to find out which varieties would be best for them to grow?

Science Objectives
i) Identify and describe the functions of different parts of flowering plants: roots, stem/trunk, leaves and flowers.
ii) Explore the requirements of plants for life and growth (air, light, water, nutrients from soil, and room to grow) and how they vary from plant to plant.

Working Scientifically

  1. Make systematic and careful observations and, where appropriate, take accurate measurements using standard units.
  2. Gather, record, classify and present data in a variety of ways to help answer questions.

Other Curriculum Areas
Maths - Measurement

  • Measure, compare, add and subtract: lengths (m/cm/mm). (Yr 3)
  • Estimate, compare and calculate different measures. (Yr 4)

You Will Need

Provided Resources

  • Challenge PowerPoint
  • Task Sheets
  • Teachers’ Notes

Additional Resources

  • Bean seedlings set up in the investigation and the task sheets to record their growth and health
  • Flip chart and marker pens
  • A wide selection of food plants some sliced into sections prepared ahead if possible (see Teachers’ Notes for details)
  • A cardboard label for each food plant you have
  • A sharp knife and chopping board (see Teachers’ Notes)
  • Plasticine/modelling dough in a range of different bright colours
  • Pastel crayons
  • Sheets of black paper in assorted sizes approx. A4 – A5

Lesson Planning

Teaching

  • Continue to take measurements and notes from our seedling investigation.
  • Classify food plants according to the part of the plant that is eaten.
  • Create a detailed Plasticine model of a slice of fruit using careful observation.

Activities

  1. Continue with the ongoing investigation of plant needs, making estimates and comparisons and taking measurements (Yrs 3&4).
  2. Classify different foods as either root, stem/shoot, leaf, flower, fruit or seed (Yr3 - 2 foods per category, Yr4 – classify all foods).
  3. Create detailed models or pastel drawings of sections through fruits showing flesh, skin, seeds etc. (Yrs 3&4).

Investigation - exploring over time/observation/classifying and identifying
The Greatly Green Growers have given you a list of all the classes in the growing competition. It includes rhubarb, marrows, beans, cabbages, raspberries and flowers. Continue the seedling investigation, then think about all the different parts of a plant and do a food classification task.
Year 3 - Classify 2 foods in each group (e.g. leaves, stems, flowers, fruits).
Year 4 - Classify all the foods.

Vocabulary
Plants, research, root, stem, shoots, leaves, flowers, petals, buds, fruits, seeds, classify

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