Unit Overview

Plant Traits: Acquired and Inherited
Authentic Literacy and Language (ALL) for Science

Recommended for Grade 4

This complete and integrated 10-day teaching unit on plant traits, acquired and inherited, follows the Authentic Literacy and Language (ALL) for Science curriculum framework that promotes science sense-making and language sense-making through three aligned components:

In this unit, children will explore observable inherited traits of plants in specific environments (desert, forest, etc.) and observable acquired traits that develop as a result of external factors or environmental change. Teams will plan and conduct investigations using authentic monthly rainfall data for a given locale to investigate how the amount of rainfall (water) can impact plant growth and traits, using Wisconsin Fast Plants as a model organism.
Please refer to the “Before the Unit Begins” document for information on ordering algae and preparing for the unit.

Before the Unit Begins

Welcome to Plant Traits: Inherited and Acquired. We have prepared several documents to help you organize this two-week unit and encourage you to read over them before you begin teaching the unit. The documents below can be found in the “Supporting Files” section (on the righthand side of this webpage).

• The “Lessons at a Glance” document provides a snapshot of the materials you will need to prepare for each day. The full instructions for setup are in each day’s lessons. We highly recommend that you read over each day’s lesson ahead of time.
• The Science Language section contains science language picture cards and a list of each day’s science language (including a complete alphabetical list). We encourage educators to use new science language in context as it is introduced in each day’s lesson. The teacher will need to print color copies of the picture cards before Day 1 so that they are ready for introduction with each lesson. The picture cards are also suitable for building reference-word walls to meet all learners’ needs.
• The “Ecosystem Resources” spreadsheet lists suggested text and media resources for the inquiry children will conduct. This spreadsheet is available in the “Before the Unit Begins” section.

NOTES:

• Each science investigation contains Background Information for the Teacher. This is provided for the teacher’s reference only and is not intended to be taught as part of the lesson, as some of the information may be above the grade level of your learners.
• Throughout the unit, children will work in scientific teams and assume scientific roles (with specific duties) within these teams. Suggestions for how to create teams are included in the Day 1 lesson.
• Any additional supporting materials (including anchor charts and printable or downloadable files) referenced in a lesson can be found in the “Supporting Files” section for that day’s lesson.

Instructional Videos