Teaching 21st Century Skills: Oxford Discover Sample Lesson Level 3 (Part 4)

Summary

The script features a classroom discussion on the importance of plants, focusing on what students already know. The teacher encourages students to think about why plants are essential, inviting them to write down ideas like oxygen, food, and building materials. The teacher also presents open-ended questions to spark curiosity, such as why cacti have thorns or how to determine a plant’s age. The session fosters active participation and exploration of various plant-related topics, aiming to enhance students' understanding and critical thinking about nature.

Takeaways

• 🌿 Students are asked to write down what they already know about plants and why they are important.
• 📘 The teacher uses a workbook for students to jot down thoughts on plants, such as what plants give us.
• 💨 One student responds that plants provide oxygen, while another says plants give us food.
• 🏡 Another student mentions that plants are used to build homes.
• 🌵 The teacher asks about why cactuses have thorns and explains that they protect the plant.
• 🌳 Questions about plants are encouraged, including how old trees can become and how we can determine their age.
• 🌱 Students wonder how plants give us water and how plants grow.
• ❓ The teacher shares their own questions about plants, prompting students to think of their own.
• 🌽 The teacher discusses how corn grows and invites students to explore how long it takes for plants to grow.
• 🌻 Overall, the teacher aims to spark curiosity and encourage students to ask questions about plants and their characteristics.

Q & A

Why are plants important to us?

Plants provide oxygen, food, and materials such as wood for building homes.

What is a big question discussed in the lesson?

The big question is: Why do we need plants?

What are some things plants give us?

Plants give us oxygen, food, and materials for building.

Why do cactuses have thorns?

Cactuses have thorns to protect themselves from danger.

How can we tell the age of a plant?

One way to tell the age of a plant is by counting the rings in a tree when it is cut down, but it’s harder to tell without cutting it.

Do plants give us water?

Some plants, such as cactuses, can store water, which is useful in desert environments.

Why do some plants live longer than others?

Different plants have different lifespans due to their species and environmental conditions.

Do plants grow faster than humans?

It depends on the plant. For example, corn can grow up to two meters in height relatively quickly.

What is the process of finding out a tree's age without cutting it?

There are methods such as using core samples or tree aging techniques that don’t require cutting the tree.

Why do some plants die sooner than others?

Plant longevity can depend on factors such as environmental conditions, care, and the plant species itself.