Laura Schad

Subject: Science Fruit and Seeds Lesson

Grade Level: 6th grade
Anticipated Time: 45 minutes
What?
The curricular focus of this lesson is fruit seed anatomy. This content focus will be achieved
though a dissection activity and sensory investigation. The learning goals of this lesson are: 1)
students will understand fruit as a carrier of seeds, a suitcase full of seeds, and 2) students will
understand that fruit seeds have unique properties fruit seeds come in multiple shapes, sizes,
colors, and quantities. To accomplish these learning goals students will need to use observation
and description practices and skills. Students will learn from investigation by dissecting various
types of fruit and identifying, touching, observing, and observing the fruit seeds. Here the K-12
Framework cross-cutting concept Scale, Portion, and Quantity will be especially highlighted.
Furthermore, due to the group-work aspect of the lesson, students will additionally continue to
develop and practice their peer-to-peer discussion and collaboration skills.
How?
By allowing students to investigate for themselves what fruit seeds look like, as well as how
many there can be inside one piece of fruit, students will discover the various ways by which
fruits conceal, protect, and carry seeds. Students, in pairs, will dissect each piece of fruit and its
seeds, keep track of observations and descriptions in a graphic organizer worksheet, and fill-in
and analyze the diversity of fruit seeds through a graphing chart. Here the K-12 Framework
practice Graphing and Making predictions will be explicitly covered. These activities will
explicitly show students how different fruits and their seeds can be from other fruits and seeds.
The underlying methods in this lesson are teacher-modeling (also termed cognitive
apprenticeship by Collins, Brown, and Holum), collaborative learning group work (as described
by Koch), and class-wide discussion. The lesson will conclude with a selection reading from A
Fruit is a Suitcase for Seeds by Jean Richards.
Why?
I decided to create this particular lesson for several reasons. First, I knew I wanted to teach a
lesson that somehow incorporated fruit into the classroom because, to my surprise, the students
in my classroom really enjoy eating fruit. I have had several conversations with various students
where they have described to me exotic fruits that they have eaten mangos, pineapples,
kumquats, etc. At the beginning of the year as well there was a watermelon eating story in our
textbook that the students enjoyed discussing and relating back to their own fruit-eating
experiences. Thus, due to my students unexpected interest in fresh fruit, I knew I wanted
incorporate fruit into my science lesson. Second, I knew I wanted to have my students work in
small, collaborative learning groups because this is an experience that my students are rarely
exposed to in the regular classroom. Normally, students in my classroom work by themselves
and are not allowed to confer, discuss, justify, or question their peers thoughts and ideas. Due to
their limited time working with each other I knew that I wanted to provide my students with an

opportunity to talk and collaborate around a central activity. Lastly, due to my concern regarding
the lack of science exposure in the classroom (indeed, there has been no science lesson
instruction to date), I knew that whatever lesson I planned I wanted students to be doing most of
the work. That is, I wanted students to be driving their own learning and be doing science
rather then having me show or do science in front of the students. Indeed, when I asked students
about what type of science activity they would be interested in doing, many gave me answers
that required hands-on work, such as dissecting a frog or making a volcano explosion! For
this reason, I choose to have my students perform fruit dissections and then make their own
observations, predictions, and synthesized analysis pertaining to the various fruit samples. By
allowing the students to take the lead I hope that my students can experience science content as
active do-ers, while I am to take the back seat and merely facilitate discussion, never
facilitating critical thinking.

Lesson Plan

NancyLee Bergey 11/10/2014 8:53 PM

Comment [1]: I am surprised that you say
this. I think it is OK to scaffold critical
thinking. How are you thinking about it?

Goals/Objective
Students will be able to identify and describe different types of fruit seeds. Students will be able
to create a bar graph documenting fruit seed dissection findings. Students will collaborate with
peers and discuss the lesson content following established discussion and collaboration norms.
Standards (and Assessment Anchors if applicable)
PA Core Standard
- CC.3.5.6-8.C: Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying out
experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks.
K-12 Science Education Framework
- Cross-cutting concepts
o Scale, Proportion, and Quantity
o Structure and Function
o Patterns
- Practices
o Graphing
o Making predictions
o Developing and using models
o Planning and carrying out investigations
- Core Ideas:
o Life Sciences
Growth and development of organisms
Materials and preparation
- Book; A Fruit is a Suitcase for Seeds by Jean Richards
- White board and marker
- Fruit samples (1 per pair of students)

NancyLee Bergey 11/10/2014 9:01 PM

Comment [2]: I think that Structure and
Function is a better fit. How about this grade
band end-point:
By the end of grade 5. Plants and animals have
both internal and external structures that serve
various functions in growth, survival, behavior,
and reproduction.
(Boundary: Stress at this grade level is on
understanding the macroscale systems
and their function, not microscopic processes.)
NancyLee Bergey 11/10/2014 9:31 PM
Comment [3]: I prefer this because your
lesson and this endpoint deal with the
function of structures of the organism. And
your kid are not really going to see the
growth of the plant, at least not in this
lesson.

o Apple
o Kiwi
o Strawberry
o Green Pea
o Cherry
o Grapes
Plastic Knives
Paper plates
Paper towels and hand sanitizer
Graphic Organizer handouts (1 per student)
Pencils
Magnifying Glass (1 per pair)
Ruler (1 per pair)

Classroom arrangement and management issues

This lesson will take place in an empty classroom down the hall from the regular classroom.
Students will be pulled out during mathematics class. Students will be placed in groups of two at
paired desks. These desks will be arranged in a semi-circle facing the white board. This
arrangement will allow students to see the teacher clearly during the first part of the lesson, and
then be able to see their peers clearly during the whole-class discussion at the end of the lesson.
The graphic organizer, graph, fruit samples, and dissecting supplies will be given to students at
the start of the activity, after instructions are given. I will remind students of the dissecting rules
before and during the dissecting activity. The rules will be 1. Only cut the fruit, nothing else, and
2. Please keep all fruit and seeds on the paper plates. If the students wish, I will allow them to eat
the fruit they have cut, but only at the end of the lesson.

NancyLee Bergey 11/10/2014 9:31 PM

Comment [4]: I think it might be fun to
include another fruit with one bid pit - like a
plum or possibly a peach or nectarine, if you
can find any at this time. Fruits like that and
the cherry are called drups. I learned that
relatively recently, and I think your kids
would enjoy knowing something most
adults dont.

NancyLee Bergey 11/10/2014 9:07 PM
Comment [5]: Do you have magnifying
glasses? I have some in my office

Plan
Hook (5minutes)
Group Discussion: What do we know about fruit?
Teacher creates a group graphic organizer web map on the white board
- From this activity web hopefully the concepts of seeds comes up. This will be the
launching point for the rest of the lesson.
Body (25/30 minutes)
Seed Investigation and Dissection
- Provide instructions: Today we will be seed investigators. Using graphic organizer we
will make predictions, provide descriptions, and record observations regarding
different types of fruit and their seeds.
- Model the dissecting and observation process with Grapes. Record findings on the
white board for students to refer to.
o Make sure to take note of the size (ruler), shape, color, texture, and quantity.
- Pass out each type of fruit, one by one. Each pair should receive a piece of fruit.
Encourage students to share the dissection duties. Five types of fruit: apple, kiwi,
strawberry, green peas, cherries.
- Working in pairs, students will complete the graphic organizer

NancyLee Bergey 11/10/2014 9:09 PM

Comment [6]: Nice!

NancyLee Bergey 11/10/2014 9:10 PM

Comment [7]: Naturally you need to be
careful here: dont get seedless grapes!

o Make sure to have measuring materials and magnifying glasses present.

Closure (10 minutes)
Read Aloud
- I will read the selected pages from the text as students eat their fruit.
Whip Around the Room Activity
- Each student will say something they learned and something they still wonder about
(further question) in a circle.
Assessment of the goals/objectives listed above
Continuously observe and listen to students as they dissect the fruit, make predictions, and
conduct seed observations.
Listen during the whip around the room activity to see what each student learned and what
they still wonder about. Try and think on the following questions: Do they sound confident in
what they are saying? Does what they are saying make sense? What does their lingering curiosity
illuminate regarding their thinking?
Collect the graphic organizer and review students notes: Are there any patterns in their
thinking? Did they take full, rich descriptive notes as modeled?
Anticipating students responses and your responsible responses
I anticipate that there may be disagreement regarding who gets to cut the piece of fruit. I will be
sure to go over good pair-sharing practices while giving instructions and politely remind group
members during the lesson if necessary.
I anticipate that the students will be very excited to dissect the fruit and play with the materials. I
want the students to complete these hands on tasks, but if they loose focus I will politely guide
them back to the graphic organizer questions.
I anticipate that students may try and talk over each other during the pair exercise. Again, I will
be sure to go over good teamwork practices while giving instructions. If the noise level becomes
too high I will interrupt students and ask them to lower their voices. This is not to say that I will
not allow any noise at all indeed I encourage conversation during this activity but if students
do not speak with respect to their peers or using a volume that is inappropriate I will step in.
I anticipate that some student may have questions regarding how to make observations. I will
model the process with grapes at the beginning in order to answer some of those questions. I
continuously monitor each groups progress and answer other questions if necessary.
I anticipate that the graph may be difficult for some students. I will direct students to ask their
partner first, then ask me for assistance.
Accommodations
a) If the writing aspect of the graphic organizer is too difficult I will act as scribe and
write the students seed description or I will allow them to draw the seed and make
labels. The students are not required to write in full sentences during the observation
component of the lesson and I will model this so they know.

NancyLee Bergey 11/10/2014 9:12 PM

Comment [8]: No sharing right after the
activity? Kind of a shame to miss the
opportunity to compare their findings.

NancyLee Bergey 11/10/2014 9:14 PM

Comment [9]: Right, so this is an
assessment of the whole activity, but it
doesnt go to How are my answers similar
to or different from yours?

NancyLee Bergey 11/10/2014 9:17 PM

Comment [10]: These are wonderful
assement notes.

NancyLee Bergey 11/10/2014 9:18 PM

Comment [11]: Actually, I am thinking
that you might want to have 6 fruits so that
each child will get to dissect 3.

NancyLee Bergey 11/10/2014 9:20 PM

Comment [12]: If you are the exclusive
observer of the grapes then you are back to
4 for each pair, and that is fine,

b) If the graphing component of the activity is too difficult for more than one student I
will have the group come back together and create the graph on the board with the
students.
c) If a pair of students finishes before another group I will give them some of my grapes
to dissect and investigate, or I will ask them to create a list of other types of fruits or
seeds that they can think of.

NancyLee Bergey 11/10/2014 9:33 PM

Comment [13]: I like the idea of the
creating lists of fruits that they know. Then
they can try to remember how many seeds
were in those other fruits.