Grade 4 · Science
Goal
Explain how each part of a plant helps it survive, using details from the text.
You'll need
Scissors, a glue stick, and crayons.
Help with the hands, not the answer
Add these words to the student's AAC device before the lesson
plant, root, stem, leaf, flower, seed, water, sunlight, air, food, grow, ground, job, hold, carry
Words from the check are left out on purpose.
What's in this packet
Standards the check measures
CA Common Core ELA RI.4.1: Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
CA Common Core ELA RI.4.4: Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 4 topic or subject area. (See grade 4 Language standards 4–6 for additional expectations.) CA
CA Common Core ELA L.4.2.d: Spell grade-appropriate words correctly, consulting references as needed.
Related, but not fully taught or measured here
CA NGSS 4-LS1-1: Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.
These are California's standards. Outside California, check the code and wording against your state's framework before citing them in an IEP.
Activity answers
Color the answer. Which part makes food? Leaf. Which part takes in water? Roots.
Part or need?. Plant parts: Roots; Stem; Leaf. What leaves use: Sunlight; Water; Air
Where does water go?. 1. Water in the ground 2. Roots take it in 3. Stem carries it up 4. Leaves use it
What is its job?. Roots: take in water. Stem: holds the plant up. Leaves: make food. Flowers: help make seeds
Parts of a plant. Top right: flower. Left: leaf. Middle right: stem. Bottom right: roots
Spell the word. LEAF
Each part of a plant has a job that helps the plant survive. Roots hold the plant in the ground and take in water.
The stem holds the plant up and carries water to the leaves. Leaves use sunlight, water, and air to make food.
Flowers help a plant make seeds. Seeds can grow into new plants.
Color the right box.
Which part makes food?
Which part takes in water?
Sort the cards.
Plant parts
What leaves use
Cut out along the dashed lines
Put them in order.
Cut out along the dashed lines
Match each part to its job.
Cut out along the dashed lines
Label it. Color the leaves green.
Cut out along the dashed lines
Spell this word.
Cut out along the dashed lines
How the student chose answers (mark one)
Independent, adult could not see
Independent, adult could see
With touch, a held device, or cues
Mark the last one if anyone touched the student, held anything for them, or cued them while they chose. Help with cutting or gluing after they chose doesn't count as support, but an adult who saw the choice means "adult could see."
Help after the student chose
Results
Date ____________ Check run by (role) ____________________
| Item | Standard | Student's answer | Right? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RI.4.1 | ||
| 2 | RI.4.1 | ||
| 3 | RI.4.4 | ||
| 4 | RI.4.4 | ||
| 5 | L.4.2.d | ||
| 6 | L.4.2.d |
Each question with four choices can be guessed right 1 time in 4. These 6 items are too few to conclude from alone. The on-screen report waits for 20 items at a level.
A cactus lives in the desert, where rain is rare. Its thick stem stores water for the dry months. Its sharp spines are special leaves that lose very little water. The spines also keep hungry animals away. Many cactus plants have roots that spread wide, just under the ground, so they can catch rain quickly. Each part helps the cactus stay alive in a dry place.
Choose your answer, then color its box.
Where does a cactus store water for dry months?
How do wide roots help a cactus?
Choose your answer, then color its box.
In this text, what does rare mean?
In this text, what does stores mean?
Spell the word for a very dry place with little rain. Choose each letter. Glue them on the strips.
Cut out along the dashed lines
Spell the word for a plant with sharp spines. Choose each letter. Glue them on the strips.
Cut out along the dashed lines
Keep this away from the check, and use it only for scoring afterward.
| Item | Standard | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RI.4.1 | Where does a cactus store water for dry months? | In its thick stem |
| 2 | RI.4.1 | How do wide roots help a cactus? | They catch rain quickly |
| 3 | RI.4.4 | In this text, what does rare mean? | Not happening often |
| 4 | RI.4.4 | In this text, what does stores mean? | Keeps for later use |
| 5 | L.4.2.d | Spell the word for a very dry place with little rain. | DESERT |
| 6 | L.4.2.d | Spell the word for a plant with sharp spines. | CACTUS |