Lesson 3

What do living things need?

Home > Science England > Year 2 Science England > Unit 1 – Living Things and Their Habitats England > Lesson 3 – What do living things need?

Lesson Plan

Student Pages

Downloads

Lesson Plan

Preparation

This lesson’s experiment involves seeing the development of plants in different conditions. It should be carried out over two weeks.

Collect the following materials required by the investigation worksheet: four plastic cups per small group each with a small plant or seedling in potting mix and numbered 1 to 4, water, tablespoon, box or brown paper bag, large resealable bag.

Curriculum links

Working scientifically

Perform simple tests.

Living things and their habitats

Describe how animals obtain their food from plants and other animals, using the idea of a simple food chain, and identify and name different sources of food.

Plants

Find out and describe how plants need water, light and a suitable temperature to grow and stay healthy.

Animals, including humans

Find out about and describe the basic needs of animals, including humans, for survival (water, food and air).

Suggested teaching strategies

Use a hula hoop Venn diagram to sort the needs of people, animals and plants. Ensure pupils understand the difference between needs and wants.

Introduction

Ask pupils to brainstorm things living organisms might need to be able to survive.

Display the digital lesson on your smartboard to introduce the needs of living things.

The summary and worksheet should be used together.

Development

Provide pupils with the summary and worksheet to complete.

The aim of the investigation worksheet is to test what happens to a plant when one of its needs is removed. Before commencing the experiment, pupils can work in small groups to plant the seedlings in the cups. They then make a prediction about how each plant will grow or be affected by the conditions it is in. The plant in the resealable bag may need to be watered if it gets dry, to ensure only the effects of ‘no air’ are seen. Only Cup 1 (labelled ‘No water’) should not be watered during the duration of the experiment.

For the two-week duration of the experiment, pupils can check the progress of the four plants while taking care not to change the conditions.

Differentiation

Pupils requiring additional support could complete the worksheet with a partner.
Use sentence stems to support pupils with completing the questions on the worksheet.
As an extension to this lesson, pupils could identify who provides them with the things they need and how they do so.

Conclusion

Discuss the answers the pupils gave to Questions 5 and 6 on the worksheet.

Discuss the investigation sheet after completion to find out what worked and what didn’t, how easy or difficult it was to do, and any changes that could be implemented next time.

Assessment

Worksheet answers
1. Teacher check. Answers could include a fellow pupil, the teacher, a plant or a class pet.
2. Teacher check
3. Plants, animals and people all need air, water, space and food.
4. Answers should indicate that a tree could be food for animals that eat leaves or bark, and shelter for an animal that rests in or under it.
5. Answers should indicate that a plant without roots will not be able to get food from the soil, and so will die.
6. Answers will vary but could include that without water the pupils will start to feel unwell or thirsty.

The uses and implications of science question
Pupils’ parents are usually responsible for ensuring a child’s needs are met. They gain their knowledge through their parents, schools, what they read and the work of scientists.

Investigation worksheet answers
Teacher check