Schenectady City
  School District

108 Education Drive
Schenectady, NY  12303
518.370.8100

   Queens Botanical Garden             Feb. 2002

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6.  Students will gather and record data.

7.  Students will need to be able to germinate a plant, take care of it, follow its growth pattern, and pollinate it with similar plants.

8.  Students will draw conclusions based on data collected.

9.  Students will use effective social communication during the telecast.

New York State Standards
Math Science and Technology Standards 1, 2, 4
English Language Arts 1, 4

Procedure
The students will identify plant parts and know how each part is used.  Through hands-on activities, students will plant, raise, and pollinate their own plants. Through this process, students will understand the life cycle of a plant and the inter-relationship between the bee and plants.  The data collecting, testing, and recording of information will be completed by students in cooperative groups following the scientific process through class discussions, all data, and conclusions will be verified.  Throughout the STC unit, students will pose questions, seek answers, and develop solutions based on their plant's growth. - - MST Standard 4 - - The students will understand that plants require air, water, nutrients, and light in order to live and thrive.  The students understand the major stages of the life cycle of a selected plant.

Environmental Modifications
The video conference will not take place in the classroom.  Since we are combining two third grade classes, we will hold the video conference in the project VIEW lab.  a table will be setup in front of the screen.  The two classes will sit behind the table.  The video conference instructor will have a class list of student names and will randomly call the students for science demonstrations and discussions.

Time Required
Planning:  teach unit  3times per week during the 2 month we have the kit.

Implementation:  Teach STC Plant Growth unit from April - June.  At least 3 times per week for 60-minutes.

Videoconferencing viewing one-two hour session for each class.

Planning time to disseminate the project VIEW Integration Plan takes 16 hours to create.

Assessment
1.  A  culminating written assessment testing student knowledge of plant and bee parts, the stages of the life cycle of both a bee and a plant, and the interdependence of the bee and the plant.

2. On going assessment throughout the unit based on teacher observation and checking student journals.

3.  Videoconferencing assessment.  Student will e-mail the Queens Botanical Garden with their reactions to the videoconference.

Logistical Planning
1.  We need time to teach the STC unit.

2.  The time we need to use the lab on the day of the videoconference.

3.  The time needed to preview materials and program information sent from Queens Botanical Garden.

4.  The time needed to set up the table with materials before the telecast.

Resources Needed
The resources needed are two complete STC kits on Plant Growth, materials and VTC beekeeper from Queens Botanical Garden, and the project VIEW team.

Assessment Plan
1.  Assessment 1 is a sequencing activity, where students put life cycle cards in the correct order.

2.  Assessment 2 gives students a chance to draw a second drawing of a bee after observing and performing experiments.

3.  Assessment 3. students will label the parts of a plan when given a plant diagram.

4.  Teacher observation on student planting, raising, pollinating and recording the growth of their individual plants.

5.  Technology - students will e-mail response to Queens Botanical Garden about their favorite part of the videoconference.