Lesson Q1 L1 – The Garden Journal

Lesson Overview

Quarter 1 · Week 1 (Pre-lesson or Week 1) · Grades 3–5 · Lesson length: 45–50 minutes

Essential Question: Why is it important to record observations and ideas in our garden journal?

Foundations Focus: Recordkeeping and vocabulary — the garden journal and Concept Clavis are the recordkeeping tools students use for the rest of the year.

Lesson Focus: Introduction to the Garden Journal.

Why It Matters: Students learn about the notebooks and journals of famous people and are then introduced to their own garden journal. The journal is the tool students use for the whole OPoS project to remember what they planted and where, write notes about the garden, record measurements, ask questions, and write down ideas.

Teacher Note: We recommend bound composition books. Use volunteers to glue the following parts into each garden journal before the lesson: the Table of Contents (at the beginning) and the Concept Clavis (last four pages). See Appendix A for these sheets.

Standards & Learning Targets

NGSS Science & Engineering Practices: Ask questions and define problems; Plan and carry out investigations; Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information.

NGSS Crosscutting Concepts: Patterns; Systems and System Models; Stability and Change.

ISTE: 1.3 Knowledge Constructor (3d: build knowledge by exploring real-world issues and recording observations); 1.6 Creative Communicator (6b: communicate ideas through original drawings and writing). Optional: students photograph their first journal page to start a class digital garden log.

Learning Targets — students will be able to: Describe the importance of recording observations and ideas in a journal. • Explain how they will use their Garden Journal throughout the project.

Key Vocabulary: Observation · journal · Concept Clavis · garden

Materials & Teacher Prep

Materials Needed

• Garden journals (bound composition books recommended), one per student
• Images of garden or science journals from famous people (Thomas Jefferson’s Garden Book; Alexander Graham Bell’s notebook — see Appendix A)
• Seeds: the two types of seeds students will use in the project
• Student Worksheet 1.1 (Student Worksheets file)

Teacher Prep Checklist

• Glue the Table of Contents into the front and the Concept Clavis into the last four pages of each journal (volunteers help).
• Choose a notebook or journal entry from someone students can relate to (the source suggests Taylor Swift, who began journaling at age thirteen).
• Prepare images from Thomas Jefferson’s journal to display.

Lesson Flow & Timing

Phase 1 · Engage — The Hook

Teacher Talk: Explain that Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence and was the third president of the United States. Show images from his journal. Share a notebook or journal entry from someone you feel students can relate to — Taylor Swift is a good example; she began journaling at the age of thirteen. Tell students that today we are going to learn about the importance of journals and notebooks and how we are going to use ours. Before teams start, introduce the words journal and garden so students can use them while they work; Explain gives the full definitions.

PCM Differentiation: Thinker Students: Show a page from Jefferson’s Garden Book with dates and numbers — “What patterns do you see? Why would a scientist write things down this carefully?”

Harmonizer Students: Invite connection — “Who in your family keeps a list, a diary, or a recipe book? How does writing things down help the people we care about?”

Phase 2 · Explore — Kagan Cooperative Activity

Cooperative Structure: Individual work. Kagan structure: Timed Pair Share (after each student draws the seeds, partners take 30 seconds each to share the two differences they noticed).

Step-by-Step: Step 1 — Students put their names on their garden journals.

• Step 2 — Pass out the two types of seeds students will be using for the project.

• Step 3 — On the first page of the journal (after the Table of Contents), students draw the seeds and write two ways they are different.

Teacher Moves During Explore: Circulate with a seed in hand: “What do you notice about the size, shape, and color? Can you add a label?” • Push for detail: “Could someone else find this seed from your drawing alone?” • Chart comparison words students use (bigger, rounder, darker, wrinkled) as a word wall for later lessons. • Model dating a page, then check every journal for a date before moving on.

Phase 3 · Explain — Direct Instruction

Ask: “What is the purpose of the garden journal?” Help guide students to the ideas that a garden journal can help you (1) keep track of what’s happening in your garden, (2) remember what you did and when you did it, and (3) learn from your gardening experiences.

We will use our garden journals to remember what we planted and where we planted it, to write notes about our garden, and to record measurements. We will also use the journals to ask questions and write down ideas.

Describe the “Concept Clavis” at the back of the journal. This is where students develop key concepts: they write the concept, define it in their own words, and then draw a picture representing the concept. Let students know that a word wall will also help them keep track of and learn concepts.

Phase 4 · Elaborate — Student Product & Differentiation

Student Product: Students enter their first new word, “Garden,” in their Concept Clavis. They draw a picture of a garden and write what it means.

Differentiation by Grade Band: Grades 3–4: Provide a sentence frame for the differences (“The ___ seed is ___, but the ___ seed is ___”); students may label their “Garden” drawing with three words instead of a full definition.

Grade 5: Students write a full-sentence definition of “Garden” in their own words, add two labeled details to their drawing, and write one question they hope the garden will answer.

Phase 5 · Evaluate — Closure, Exit Ticket & Assessment

Exit Ticket: 1. Draw the two seeds and label one difference between them.

1. Why do scientists write the date on every journal page?

1. Write one way you will use your garden journal this quarter.

Answer Key / Look-Fors: (1) Drawing shows two distinct seeds with an accurate label (size, shape, color, or texture). (2) So they can compare observations over time and know when each one happened. (3) Any accurate use: recording observations, measurements, drawings, new words in the Concept Clavis.

Expanding Circles — how does this connect to… Self — What is one thing you want to remember about our garden this year? • Classroom — How could our journals help a classmate who was absent? • School — Who else at school might want to read our garden observations? • Community — Who in our community keeps records of plants or weather? • World — Why do scientists around the world keep journals?

Formative Assessment (to sort students, use each student’s first Concept Clavis entry, “Garden,” and their exit-ticket answers about dating journal pages): Meets (3): Journal is dated; both seeds drawn with at least two accurate labels; “Garden” entry in the Concept Clavis has a drawing and meaning.

Approaching (2): Seeds drawn but labels are missing or vague; Concept Clavis entry incomplete.

Not Yet (1): No drawing or date — reteach by co-drawing one seed with the student using the “size, shape, color” checklist.

Extend & Looking Ahead

Recap video (about 1 minute): Grade 3; Grade 4; Grade 5.

Teacher’s Edition extension, “The Importance of a Garden Journal”: take students outside to an area of campus with many features, then have them draw what they experienced from memory, including measurements (temperature, length of the sidewalk, the sun’s position, shade, water sources).

Next steps in the garden (Teacher’s Edition): a garden journal can be a platform for sharing experiences with the broader community through blog posts, updates, or presentations.