Standards Aligned

NGSS

• 4-LS1-1: Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.

Pennsylvania STEELS

• 3.1.4.A Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.

Learning Objectives

• Students will be able to predict answers to the questions, “How does form affect function in corn?” and “Can we adjust form to create desired outcomes?”
• Students will collect data and evidence to answer the questions, “How does form affect function in corn?” and “Can we adjust form to create desired outcomes?”
• Students will analyze data to answer the questions, “How does form affect function in corn?” and “Can we adjust form to create desired outcomes?”

Materials

• “We Grow Corn: Raising Corn on a Kansas Family Farm” by Sharon Thielen, Ph.D
• Lesson Google Slides
• Science journal (spiral notebook or printed pages for the students journals: example of the journal entries at the bottom of the lesson)
• “Growth Stages of Corn: Critical Growth Stages” video
• Rulers or measuring tapes
• Graph paper or butcher paper to create a class line plot (x3)
• Markers for labeling
• Corn seeds
• Soil
• Planting containers
• Measuring spoon
• Corn plants

Lesson 1

Learning Objectives

• Students will be able to propose answers to the question, “Why do we need farmers to grow corn?” and provide evidence that many everyday products are made from corn.

Standards Aligned

NGSS

• 4-LS1-1: Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.

STEELS

• 3.1.4.A Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.

Materials

• “We Grow Corn: Raising Corn on a Kansas Family Farm” by Sharon Thielen, Ph.D
• Lesson 1 Google Slides
• “Growth Stages of Corn: Critical Growth Stages” video
• Science journal
• Markers for labeling
• Corn seeds
• Soil
• Planting containers
• Measuring spoon

Assessments

• Observe student discussions to determine prior knowledge and understanding.
• Formative assessment: Written student predictions in their science journal.

Key Points

• Plant form and function are intricately linked.
• Farmers and scientists monitor a plant’s form and function and make adjustments to how to care for the plant in order to reach the desired outcomes.

Teacher Guide

Opening

• Open up slides for lesson 1.
• Display Google Slide one. Prompt students to observe the images and have students discuss what they think the function is for that part of the plant.

Introduction to New Materials

• Advance to slide two and explain that the phrases on the screen are functions or jobs that correspond to each image. Give students time to think, then lead another discussion asking if their observations were correct. Which function do you think belongs to which image and why? Encourage them to use aspects of the plant structure to support their claim.
• Explain that in this investigation students will explore the form and function of corn plants and work to answer the questions “How does form affect function in corn?” and “Why is it important for a farmer to monitor the plant’s form and function?
• Watch “Growth Stages of Corn: Critical Growth Stages” video to learn why it is important for farmers to monitor their plant’s form and function.

Guided Practice

• Plant corn seeds: Distribute materials to students.
  • Before students plant their corn, the teacher will set up the controlled plant. The teacher will set up the control plant in front of the class. This allows the teacher to model what variables will stay the same and will model how students will plant their corn.
  • Use a push pin to make 4 drainage holes in the bottom of the container if needed. Fill the container ¾ full with potting soil. Place three dent corn seeds 1 inch deep down from the soil’s surface. Water container until soil is damp, approx. 2 tablespoons. Monitor dampness daily; water as needed (approx 2 tablespoons a day). Place the container in an area of the school that gets the most sunlight.
  • Explain that the control plant is as close to what a corn plant would receive in a farm field with ideal conditions. When students determine what alterations they will make to their plants, have students refer back to the control plant to make sure that only the variable they are testing has changed. Remind them that they will compare their plants to the control plant during the growing process.
  • Have students label the containers with their name. Each student or student group should plant at least three seeds. Three seeds will be planted just in case a seed does not grow.
  • Note: Emergence of the plant above the soil will take approximately 5-7 days.

Introduce the investigation:

• Tell students that they will explore the connection between form and function by growing multiple corn plants and making alterations. Over time they will look for similarities and differences in the plants.
• Science journal: Have students write the answers to these prediction questions:
  • What will happen to a plant if an alternation is made? Example, what if leaves were cut off of a plant?
  • How will a plant adapt if an alternation is made? Will it adapt or just die?
• Three alterations will be tested.
  • Team Removing Leaves: Students will remove the leaves from the plant.
  • Team Bending Plant: Students will bend plant in multiple places.
  • Team Removing Roots: Students will cut the roots away from the plant.
• At this time, have your class pick which team they would like to work on. Students will document what team they are on in their science journal.
• Document their thinking:
  • Prompt students to select how they will alter their plant and complete the prediction questions in their science journals.
  • Add a label to each seed container indicating the alteration that will be made and the students name.
• Care for growing plant:
  • Have students water the soil as appropriate with the measuring spoon over the next 3 weeks to keep soil damp.
  • Lesson 2 gives more detail on how to observe and collect data over the 3 week growing period.
• Science journal: Set up the journal for data entry for the next three weeks starting now and while you are teaching lesson 2.
  • Experiment:
  • Team name:
  • Date:
  • Day ____ of the experiment
  • Observations: (explain what you observe about your plant, also include if you made an alternation to your plant)
  • Measurement: (how tall is your plant to the nearest ¼ inch)
  • Draw a picture of what you observe:
    • *Teacher can choose to do one data entry per page or draw a line under the date entry to start a new one.

Closing

• Lead students in a discussion of their predictions and observations throughout the 3 weeks.
  • How do you predict the changes you will make to your corn plant will affect its growth? Why do you think that?

Extension

Using the “We Grow Corn” book and Google Slides, read through the information for the class.

• Pages 2-3: Meet the McCauley Family
• Pages 4-5: Farm machinery used
• Pages 6-7: Planting corn
• Pages 8-11: Growing corn
• Pages 12-15: Harvesting corn
• Pages 16-23: What is corn used for?

Discuss as a class:

• “What surprised you about growing corn?”
• “The corn that we planted today was dent corn. Dent corn is used mainly for making ethanol and feed for animals. Why do you think it is important that a corn plant has the correct form and function?”
  • Answers can be related to:
    • Improving the plant so that it will grow more corn
    • If the plant is damaged its form and function may allow the plant to adjust in order to survive. Refer to page 8 of “We Grow Corn” book to explain that hail on corn. If the corn is still young, it should still be able to survive and produce a crop.
• “Did you know that a corn plant is actually grass?”
• Using the Mystery of Corn Reader #2:
  • This reader talks about how corn has transformed from a grass into a crop that produces large ears of corn. This transformation took over thousands of years.
  • Question: Why would this transformation be important for farmers and YOU now?
  • Note: This reader is great for substitutes and to keep the learning going while the plant is growing.

Lesson 2

Learning Objectives

• Students will collect data and evidence to answer the questions, “How does form affect function in corn?” and “Can we adjust form to create desired outcomes?”

Standards Aligned

NGSS

• 4-LS1-1: Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.

STEELS

• 3.1.4.A Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.

Materials

• Lesson 2 Google Slides
• Science journals
• Corn plants
• Measuring spoon

Assessments

• Continued observations and predictions in science journals.
• Completion of the “Grow It” breakout box challenge.

Key Points

• Plant form and function are intricately linked.
• Farmers and scientists monitor a plant’s form and function and make adjustments to how to care for the plant in order to reach the desired outcomes.

Teacher Guide

Opening

• Open up slides for lesson 2.
• Display the images of the plants and their specific functions using the slides. Ask students if they have noticed any other plants or animals in their everyday lives that have specific forms that support their function.

Introduction to New Material

• Review predictions students made in lesson 1 and what was written in their science journals.
• Share with students that over the next 3 weeks, they will record their observations about how changes they make to their plants affect their growth.
• The teacher will review what is written in the science journals based on instructions from lesson 1. Students will use this same format for the next three weeks. The teacher can hand out data entry pages, students can cut out the table and glue into their journals for easy access when recording data.

Guided Practice

• Make adjustments to plants:
  • Team: Removing leaves
    • When students observe a new leaf emerging on their plant, wait until the leaf reaches ½ inch long and remove the leaf. Students can remove leaves by cutting the leaf off where it meets the stem of the plant or carefully ripping it off. Continue to remove leaves as more grow.
    • Note: The plant may continue to grow and survive. If there is no difference compared to the control plant, note that the plant continues to produce leaves in order to survive.
    • In their science journal, make a note of what day of the experiment a leaf was present on their plant and what day it was removed.
  • Team: Bending plant
    • When the plant grows about 3 inches tall, have students bend the plant. They can bend every 1 inch
      of growth.
    • Note: The plant may continue to grow and survive. If there is no difference compared to the control plant note, that the plant continued to repair itself in order to survive. From the “Growth Stages of Corn: Critical Growth Stages” video, the students learned that once a stem is grown and damaged it may not be able to survive.
    • In their science journal, students should make note of what day in the experiment it was when the leaf emerged, where it is located, and how they covered it.
  • Team: Removing roots
    • When the plant reaches 3 inches in height, students will gently pull the soil from the base of the plant to expose the root(s). Students will cut the roots (this includes the corn seed that was planted) from the stem and replace the plant in the soil and put the soil back around it. Still care for the plant the same as the control plant.
    • Note: Some plants may die, some may produce new roots. If the plant survives and starts to grow again the students can choose to remove roots a second time.
      • In their science journal, students should make note of what day in the experiment they remove the
      roots.
• Observe and record results over 3 weeks:
  • Have students water the soil, as appropriate, with the measuring spoon over the next 3 weeks to keep soil damp. Example: 2 TBS of water daily.
  • Provide a brief observation time (3-5 minutes), every few days for students to draw and describe the plants progress (or lack thereof) in their science journal. Students will all take measurements of their plant and record the data.

Closing

• Lead students in a discussion of their observations throughout the 3 weeks.
  • Do your observations match your predictions so far?
  • What has surprised you?

Extension

For a couple of weeks while you are waiting for the corn plant to grow, use these resources to teach the students about parts of a corn plant and their function.

• Corn to Seed Germination Video – To see in real life, take a few of the corn kernels, place them in a ziplock bag with two cotton balls soaked in water and tape the bag to a window with access to sunlight. Will the kernels germinate? Have the students identify the parts of the germinating seed during this process.
• Parts of a Corn Plant Video – Play this video to help students learn the parts of a corn plant. Their plants will not get as large as the one in this video. This will allow them to see part of the plants that are also very important.
• Parts of a Corn Plant Quiz – See if the students remember the parts of the corn plant using this video.
• Challenge the students to the online Breakout Edu game, Grow It. This can be completed as a class, individually or in small groups. Have students show their certificate at the end for proof that they “broke out.”

Lesson 3

Learning Objective

• Students will analyze data to answer the questions, “How does form affect function in corn?” and “Can we adjust form to create desired outcomes?”

Standards Aligned

NGSS

• 4-LS1-1: Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.

STEELS

• 3.1.4.A Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.

Materials

• Lesson 3 Google Slides
• Science journals
• Corn plants
• Rulers or measuring tapes
• Graph paper or butcher paper to create a class line plot (x3)

Assessments

• Final observations and predictions in science journals.
• Line plot graph of controlled and variable plant data.

Key Points

• Plant form and function are intricately linked.
• Farmers and scientists monitor a plant’s form and function and make adjustments to how to care for the plant in order to reach the desired outcomes.

Teacher Guide

Opening

• Open up slides for lesson 3.
• Collect final data on corn growth:
  • Along with the regular observations students have been making, they should also take measurements on the height of each plant, count the number of leaves (unless they are cutting them off), and make observations on general appearance of health compared to the control plant.

Introduction of New Material

• Lead a class discussion on student findings: Refer to science journals:
  • “How do your results compare to your predictions?”
  • “What did you notice about the growing process for your plants?
  • “How were they similar or different for the control and variable plants?”
• Next, prompt students to think about what might cause corn plants to lose leaves, become bent over or have a loss of roots. Brainstorm ideas, then show students images or examples.
  • Leaf loss: insects, hail, bad storm, deer
  • Bent plant: wind or storm damage, driving over plants, animal eating plant
  • Loss of roots: soil is too saturated, corn was planted too shallow, soil is too hard/compacted.

Guided Practice

• Create class line plots, one for each type of plant (control and each variable) to show the height of each plant. Round the height to the closest ¼ inch.
• Give each student a line plot graph. At the bottom of the graph will be the dates that data was taken as a class. There should be at least five data collection dates.
• Model how to add the data points to the graph by adding the controlled measurements to the graph. Students will graph these data points on their graph in a green color pencil.
• Using a red color pencil, the students will then plot their data points for those dates.
• Lead a discussion to help students finalize their analyses and conclusions about the effects of changing form on the function of their plants based on the trends they see in the line plots. Pose questions such as:
  • What do you notice about the four line plots? How are they similar? Different?
  • Do the trends of the line plots match what you would expect?
  • What surprises you the most?
  • What is the difference between the highest control plant and the shortest variable plant?

Allow students time to meet with others from the same team to go over their data and findings. Then allow time for them to meet with someone from the different teams to go over their data and findings.

Closing

• Ask students how they think the idea of form and function might play a role in other plants or products.
• Different types of corn for human consumption, feed, ethanol, etc.
• Different types of trees and shrubs in different ecosystems.
• How could alterations of form and function impact a farmers corn crop? (Less corn produced)
• How would that impact you? Think back to what you learned while your plant was growing. What products are made from corn? If there is less corn grown because of a hail storm for example, how could that impact you?

Extension

• Invite students to create an artistic, visual representation of their findings. This should be simple and could be a drawing, a sculpture, a LEGO scene, a video, a slideshow, a skit, etc. Their visual representation should include:
  • The control and variable plant to show the differences in the experiment.
  • The adjustments they made to the corn plant form.
  • The outcomes they found (use class findings if their individual experience differed).
  • What might cause those variations in nature?
• Conduct a showcase or a gallery walk to present student work.
• Optional: Provide more time for a detailed visual representation. Give students multiple class periods to plan, create, and showcase their work.

Extension Activities

Agriculture Stats and Facts 

How do you know what your state’s big agriculture products are? National Ag in the Classroom provides this great resource to use as you make your way through the lesson. Corn is an important agriculture product for everyone but corn is not the predominant agriculture crop in every state. Check out the website and see what products are produced in your state that are not produced in others. This is a great way to discuss the differences between agriculture in each state and how we all depend on each other.

• Click here for National Ag in the Classroom Map with agriculture stats and facts.

Agriculture Career Exploration

An additional resource to use when discussing the difference between agriculture across the United States is the wide variety of career opportunities. This website provides a wealth of career information from searching key words to match careers, teacher guides, activities, and more.  You may find some information to advanced for your students but use this as an education tool as you see fit to get students exploring careers that may be in their backyard that they didn’t know about.

• Click here to visit the Ag Explorer website.

Real World Application

The two main uses of dent (field) corn are feed and fuel.  This will be discussed during the lesson mainly when using the “We Grow Corn” book. Applying this for real world application can be easy.

• Feed: Have students share a type of animal they think eats corn. What they need to understand is cows, horses, pigs all eat corn but so do dogs, cats, fish, etc. Just like humans, animals need a balanced diet. Corn is a key ingredient for animal health.
• Fuel: Ethanol fuel is available in your area. Check out the Ethanol in the Classroom resources to learn more about ethanol. There are tutorials for grade 3-5 that students can do on their own. Once they understand what ethanol is, they can watch for fuel stations that provide ethanol. Below is a map of Sheetz gas stations in Pennsylvania that offer E15 fuel. Encourage students to pay more attention when they are at the gas station and remember that ethanol fuel is made from corn.

Click here to visit the Ethanol in the Classroom student activities.