Science Lesson Plan: Pollination

This lesson plan is on pollination and the ways in which pollen is spread. It is intended for 3rd graders but can be adapted to fit other grade levels.

Topic: Methods of Pollination

Grade: 3

Prerequisite knowledge: Students will already have basic knowledge of plant parts and what the purpose of pollination is.

Objective: Students will understand how pollination occurs.

Standards: NYC Science Standard S2 Life Science Concepts

Rationale: This lesson is part of the New York City K-8 Science Scope and Sequence as well as the New York State Standards.

Procedure:

Initiating Activity

Ask class if they remember the parts of a flower, and if anyone knows what pollen is. Next hand out a few dandelions to each table. Give each student a white pipe cleaner. Have them brush it across the top of a dandelion. Tell them to observe the yellow pollen. Ask if anyone can think of what the pipe cleaner may represent. Possible answers may include bees, animal's fur, or people's clothes. Tell the class that today they will be learning about pollination and the different ways pollen is spread.

Lesson Development:

Ask students if anyone knows why plants must be pollinated. Tell them this is how plants reproduce and are able to produce seeds which can then from new plants. Pass out the first handout on parts of a flower. Tell them the male part, called the stamen, produces pollen, which must be taken to the female part of the flower, called a pistil. Put up a diagram of the reproductive parts of a flower on the smartboard, or draw a diagram on the chalkboard. Go over each part and write in its name as you discuss it. Also explain to students that some plants, such as pumpkin plants and squash plants, have separate male and female flowers. As a class, brainstorm ways plants' pollen can travel in order to pollinate. Plants can pollinate by wind or animals. Talk about each one. In plants that are pollinated by animals, the flowers are usually bright colored. They sometimes have nectar in them to attract bees, hummingbirds, or other animals. They also usually have a strong smell to attract animals to them. In plants that depend on the wind for pollination, the flowers usually have long stamens and pistils and can be dull in color and smell. They may not have petals because there is no need to attract animals to them.

Coached practice:

Pass out pieces of paper to each students and have them choose a plant. Have them draw it in the process of pollination, for example, a bee on a flower, or pollen getting blown in the wind from one flower to another.

Conclusion:

Meet at the rug and talk about different ways pollination occurs. Ask kids about ways they can pollinate a plant. Show kids a tomato flower and say it needs a specific animal to pollinate it. It needs bees to land on it and the buzzing of the bees wings causes the pollen to loosen from inside the flower and as it falls down it pollinates the flower, and a tomato is produced.

Timetable:

This lesson will take one to two class periods.

Homework Assignment

Choose a type of flower or plant and research how it gets pollinated. Write a short paragraph describing the process.

Assessment

Pass out a sheet of paper with a picture of the inside of a flower. Have the students label the parts of the flower.

Extension

Writing: Students will write a paragraph on the ways pollen spreads.

Art: Each table will get a flower and then they have to draw the flower and label each part of the flower.

Materials and Equipment

Pipe Cleaners

Dandelions

Tomato Flower