How Can We Find the Best Place for a Plant to Grow?
How Can We Find the Best Place for a Plant to Grow? is part of Smithsonian Science for the Classroom, a curriculum series by the Smithsonian Science Education Center. It is designed to address a bundle of grade 2 life science and engineering standards. In this module, students:
- Figure out why a radish seed sprouted inside a backpack.
- Define the problem that a tomato plant needs to be pollinated to produce tomatoes.
- Design a tool that can be used to pollinate tomato plants.
- Figure out how an acorn was planted in a pot on a third-floor balcony.
- Find the best place to plant plants in a schoolyard.
Below are digital resources that support teaching of this module.
How Can We Find the Best Place for a Plant to Grow?
https://ssec.si.edu/plantsandplaces-phenomenon
This website has digital resources that support teaching of this module.
Family Letter
Download the PDF
Before starting How Can We Find the Best Place for a Plant to Grow?, share the Family Letter with students’ caregivers. Indicate how they should submit responses to the letter.
Ada Asks Introduction (1:02 minutes)
Ada introduces students to the phenomenon driving Lessons 1–3. Closed captioning is available in the YouTube version by clicking the “CC” icon.
Watch on YouTube
Radish Sprouts
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This image shows radish seeds sprouted inside a plastic bag.
Radish Growth (0:15 minutes)
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This video shows time-lapse footage of radish seedlings growing.
Taping Labels to Dishes
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This file shows students how to tape labels onto their petri dishes so that the labels remain visible throughout the investigation.
Claim and Evidence
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This file shows an example of using claim and evidence to answer a question.
Ada Asks Tomatoes (0:35 minutes)
Ada introduces the problem driving Lessons 4–6. Closed captioning is available in the YouTube version by clicking the “CC” icon.
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Tomato Plant Parts
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This file shows photos of tomato plant parts.
Plenty of Pollinators (1:07 minutes)
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This video shows different types of animals pollinating flowers.
Beautiful Blooms
https://postalmuseum.si.edu/exhibition/beautiful-blooms/pollination
This website shows stamps of pollinators and plants.
Design a Hand Pollinator
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This file provides the directions for designing a hand pollinator.
Ada Asks Oak (0:41 minutes)
This video introduces the phenomenon driving Lessons 7–8. Closed captioning is available in the YouTube version by clicking the “CC” icon.
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Seeds
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This file shows images of the three kinds of seeds used or modeled in the activity.
Home on the Range
ssec.si.edu/home-on-the-range
This simulation enables students to explore where animals and plants live and how their ranges overlap.
Ada Lives Here
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This image shows where Ada lives marked on a map.
Pin Oaks and Blue Jays
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This file contains maps showing the ranges for pin oak trees and blue jays in North America.
Ada Asks Science Challenge (1:57 minutes)
This video introduces the Science Challenge. Closed captioning is available in the YouTube version by clicking the “CC” icon.
Watch on YouTube
Schoolyard Map
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This file shows the schoolyard map students will use in the Science Challenge.
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