Structures & Functions of Plants Activities for 4th Grade Science

This life science lesson for 4th graders explores how plant structures and functions, such as waxy leaves and deep roots, help plants survive in their environment. The lesson includes editable PowerPoints, worksheets, assessments, and student-choice projects, all aligned with the 2021 TEKS 4.13A standard. It offers differentiated, student-led learning with minimal prep and is suitable for both in-class and virtual settings.

The unit follows the 5E Model: Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration, and Evaluation. During the Exploration phase, students engage with nine differentiated station labs, exploring plant structures through hands-on activities, reading, research, and videos. They demonstrate their learning through organizing, writing, and illustrating activities, with a bonus "Challenge It!" station for early finishers.

The Explanation phase includes editable PowerPoints and interactive notebooks, with templates in English and Spanish to support note-taking. For Elaboration, students complete choice projects that extend their learning. The Evaluation phase offers updated assessment questions aligned with STAAR 2.0, plus review materials for practice.

This student-led station lab aligns with the 2021 TEKS 4.13A standard on plant adaptations, including protection, defense, nutrient acquisition, and internal and external structures. The modular activities allow students to explore how plant structures and functions help them survive in their environments, offering a comprehensive, low-prep solution for teachers. 

The lab features nine differentiated stations where students engage with multimodal resources to deepen their understanding of plant biology. Stations include "Explore It!" where students apply knowledge, "Watch It!" for a short video on plant defenses, "Read It!" with differentiated readings in English and Spanish, and "Research It!" for students to connect facts, images, and graphs to their learning.

Students demonstrate their understanding at output stations like "Organize It!" for hands-on activities, "Illustrate It!" for drawing plant diagrams, and "Write It!" for short answer responses. The "Assess It!" station features task cards and vocabulary exercises. A bonus "Challenge It!" station offers extension activities for advanced learners.

This station lab is designed for both in-class and virtual learning environments, making it a versatile tool for diverse classroom settings.

The Structures & Functions of Plants Student Choice Projects align with the 2021 TEKS standard 4.13A for biology, offering 4th graders multiple project options to showcase their learning. The project page features six student-led choices and a “design your own” project, with a grading rubric that can be used by teachers, peers, or students. Teachers can modify the rubric to fit their specific grading needs. The projects are flexible and provide creative ways for students to demonstrate their understanding.

The resource includes nine project options plus a “design your own” project, a Teacher Directions page for support, and editable rubric pages assessing vocabulary, concepts, presentation, clarity, and accuracy. The projects require standard classroom supplies like paper, markers, and scissors, with many options available for digital completion. Differentiated versions of the project page cater to students needing remediation or challenge, while the same rubric can be applied across both versions.