Plant Growth: Epic 1st/2nd Grade Classroom Mission

The crew must use their knowledge of plant growth to find a rare, stolen plant in Moodoo's greenhouse and escape before it's too late.

Moodoo has stolen a rare and valuable plant species from Tellenor, called the Luminous Lykoris, and hidden it within his alien plant greenhouse. This greenhouse is filled with a variety of unusual, glowing plants that respond differently to sunlight and water. The crew will sneak in stealthily to retrieve the plant, but Moodoo will trap them inside the greenhouse. Students must work together to investigate the growth patterns of these glowing plants (i.e. the effect of sunlight and water on plant growth) in order to find the stolen plant and escape the greenhouse as quickly as possible.

Est. time: 22 min.

Phenomenon

Different plants have different needs in order to thrive in their habitat.

Science and Engineering Practices

Analyzing and Interpreting Data

Students analyze the data collected from the four zones to determine the optimal growth conditions for each plant species. The mission requires students to analyze the plant growth data in the four zones, interpret the information, and determine the ideal conditions for each colored plant species.

Engaging in Argument from Evidence

Students use the evidence gathered from the data to support their conclusions about the optimal growth conditions for each plant species. Students engage in the decision-making process by selecting the correct answer choice based on the data they have analyzed, arguing their choice using evidence.

Crosscutting Concepts

Patterns

Students identify patterns in the data to determine the optimal growth conditions for each plant species. Students analyze the data collected from the four zones and identify plant growth patterns in response to different water and sunlight conditions.

Cause and Effect

Students understand how the different water and sunlight conditions affect the growth of plants. By determining the optimal conditions for each plant species, students recognize the cause-and-effect relationships between the water and sunlight conditions and the growth of the plants.

Disciplinary Core Ideas

LS1.A: Structure and Function

Plants depend on water and light to grow.

Students learn how plants have various structures that help them grow and survive in different conditions. In this mission, students explore the greenhouse filled with alien plants and observe their different structures, which allow them to grow in various water and sunlight conditions.

LS1.C: Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms

Students learn how plants obtain the necessary resources for growth, such as sunlight and water, and how these resources influence their growth. By determining the optimal conditions for each colored plant species, students gain an understanding of how the availability of sunlight and water influences plant growth.

Botanical Break-In