Plant Life Experiment - Colorful Carnations Using Scientific Method (STEM)

Students will love this investigation and experiment exploring a plant's life cycle. Create a rainbow carnation garden from white carnations and food coloring. Meets Common Core Standards. This packet includes all the essentials plus optional expansion materials that are common core aligned. Student worksheets focus on a step by step approach to the scientific method. There are several opportunities for cooperative learning in small groups. The preview for this product is extensive, but this is a short summary of content:

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SECTION #1: TEACHER TIP SHEETS (4 pages)
• Lesson overview
• Individual activity summaries to make planning simple
• Experiment procedure and materials summary

SECTION #2: SENTENCE STEM ACTIVITY (6 pages)
• Activity planning sheet
• Student summary sheet
• 20 cards to “switch” with 4 cards/sheet

SECTION #3: THINKING, SHARING AND DISCUSSING (5 pages)
• Student summary sheet
• 20 cards to facilitate meaningful discussions

SECTION #4: MAKING CONNECTIONS (3 pages)
• “Kudos Cards” - students provide positive feedback to peers using these simple cards
• “Send Home Science” - extra credit that will take knowledge into the real world

SECTION #5: ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION TOOLS (4 pages)
• Investigation and experiment journal
• Oral presentation of research report
• Audience participation (speaking and listening skills)

SECTION #6: STUDENT INVESTIGATION & RESEARCH JOURNAL (15 pages)
• Non-fiction text (body = life cycle and floral dying, sidebar topics = scientific vocabulary)
• Finding the facts (sidebar topic = fun flower facts)
• Writing scientific question (sidebar topic = steps and variables)
• Writing hypothesis (sidebar topic = steps and importance)
• Making predictions (sidebar topic = importance of predictions)
• Outlining procedural steps (side bar topics = materials and safety rules)
• Data collection and observation (sidebar topic = steps to data collection)
• Unanswered questions (sidebar topic = thinking about next steps)
• Sentence switch (use with include sentence cards)
• Analysis, relevance and importance (use with discussion cards)
• Writing a research report

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Don't need the complete project? The experiment is available as an individual lesson. Follow the link for similar products: "SCIENCE & STEM STUFF"