Unit Plan 15 (PreK Science): Plant Needs — Water & Light
PreK life science unit where children grow seeds with and without water and light to observe plant needs, compare growth, and explain changes over time.
Focus: Grow seeds in different conditions to observe how water and light help plants meet their needs.
Grade Level: PreK
Subject Area: Science (Life Science • Inquiry/Investigation)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 30–45 minutes per session
I. Introduction
This week, children become “plant helpers” as they explore what plants need to stay alive—especially water and light. Using simple classroom garden setups, they compare seeds/plants that get water and sunlight to seeds/plants that get less. Children make careful observations, use drawings and simple “more/less” language, and talk about patterns they notice over time. By the end, students explain (with pictures and words) why plants grow better when their needs are met.
Essential Questions
- What do plants need to grow and stay healthy?
- How does water help a plant? What happens without it?
- How does light help a plant? What happens in the dark or shade?
- How can we be careful observers and notice changes over time?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Identify basic plant needs (especially water and light) using pictures, models, and classroom examples.
- Make daily observations of plant growth and record changes using drawings, labels, and simple words (taller, droopy, green, dry).
- Compare two growing conditions (water/no water; light/no light) and describe what is same and different.
- Use evidence from observations to explain which condition helped plants grow best and why.
- Share learning through a simple Plant Needs Report (picture + short sentence frame) and oral explanation.
Standards Alignment — PreK (NGSS-based custom)
- PK-LS1-1 — Observe basic needs of living things (food, water, air, light).
- Example: Watering a classroom plant and noticing wilting when it’s dry.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can tell that plants need water and light.
- I can be a careful observer and draw what I see.
- I can say what is same and different about two plants.
- I can explain, “Plants grew better when they had ___.”
- I can share my picture and tell what I learned using my observations.