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This Mystery is out of date! Please proceed to Plant Adventures to see the updated version.

Where do plants grow best?

Adaptations & Habitat
4.7 (9054 reviews)
Lesson narration:
English Spanish
Scroll for prep
Video trouble?

Discuss:

Where would you plant a fern?

Hint...

Where we might plant it...

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# Extensions
Below are ideas for extending this topic beyond the activity & exploration which you just completed.
# Extra Activity: Dandelion Hunt

If you have a grassy lawn near you, you can go on a dandelion hunt! Find four areas on the lawn that are about the same size. Ideally you want:

  • a sunny spot with plenty of water
  • a shady spot with plenty of water
  • a sunny spot with not much water
  • a shady spot with not much water

Assign a team to count the dandelion plants in each spot. Then analyze your results. Which area had the most dandelions? Which had the least? Discuss what might affect the success of dandelions in a particular area. For a math extension, make a bar graph displaying your data.

Image & Video Credits

Mystery Science respects the intellectual property rights of the owners of visual assets. We make every effort to use images and videos under appropriate licenses from the owner or by reaching out to the owner to get explicit permission. If you are the owner of a visual and believe we are using it without permission, please contact us—we will reply promptly and make things right.

Exploration
Fern in pot by JMK
Money by Dustin Moore
Orchid with bud by Steve Grundy
Planting small tree by USFS Region 5
Plants in planters by Irene Kightley
Young plats in cups by Tess Watson
Activity
Goat eating by Eden Hills Blog
Goat in pen by Felagund
Goat opening gate by tirolia87
Goats on tractor by Margaret Andrews
Vegetable garden by Jennifer C.
What about the goats by AutoCCD
frowny face by clker.com
Other
First pic of tree w/ bench by Josh Mayer
Credits
Where do plants grow best?
Adaptations & Habitat
4.7 (9054 reviews)

Featured Reviews

“My students were using their Higher Order thinking skills. The students were using the information on the plant cards to justify why they were planting their plants in the area they chose.”
· Stephanie · Teacher
“The students retained the previous lessons.They enjoyed Plant Survivor so much, boys were leaping out of their seats to embrace their buddies when their plant survived. It was crazy fun like a sporting event.”
· Donna · Teacher
“Hilarious goats and they LOVED plant survivor. Your lessons are fun, engaging and full of content. I just told three teachers they need to do this lesson. thank you!!!!!”
· Akhri · Teacher
“This lesson provides a simple lesson that helps with understanding that different plants have different needs for water and light. My daughter especially loved the game with the lesson and went back to play it several times. ”
· Lynette · Homeschooler
“This was a wonderful lesson in terms of incorporating reading, writing, listening and speaking. The culminating activity of actually planting seeds is my students' favorite part. ”
· Daniel · Teacher
“The kids loved playing Plant Survivor! The goats definitely added a little extra to the lesson too. I felt it required the students to remember all they had learned in earlier lessons. ”
· Kirsten · Teacher
“The students loved it. I liked that there were 3 rounds so that they were able to adjust their choices based on the information they learned.”
· Yolanda · Teacher
“Great review for my third graders as we move into life cycles! They loved the game and it got them thinking about how environmental change can impact living things, which is an upcoming unit as well.”
· Lisa · Teacher
“My students loved the game plant survivor! They got a kick out of the goats. The activity was just the right amount of time. Every student could play the game and feel successful. ”
· Crystal · Teacher
“This lesson went really well. The visual elements, and printable materials were very helpful to my ELL students. The especially loves the pollinating activity. The students were completely engaged in the activities. ”
· Idella · Teacher
“The game was the class' favorite activity so far!”
· Ann · Teacher
“The kids loved the game so much that they wanted to play it again. :)”
· Diana · Homeschooler
“Excellent...they wanted to continue playing. Loved the story with the goats!”
· Joanne · Teacher
“Wow!!! My students are begging me to keep playing this game! WOuld be great if you had more cards and another another map so you could play another round with different scenarios! Probably the best science game with inquiry and cooperative group work ever!!!”
· Marianne · Teacher
“Learning about the needs of various plants through an interactive game was the best part of this mystery!”
· Heather · Teacher
“The garden survivor game was fun, but the scenes/story needs to change up a bit for Round #2 and #3. They were disappointed that the 'situation' was very similar. I wasn't sure how the game would go, but they loved it.”
· Margaret · Teacher
“The students were so engaged with the game. One students requested that it be made into a board game. :) What a fun way to end the unit. ”
· Marlena · Teacher
“My students loved the survivor themed plant activity. This activity was a true example of how plants survive from year to year. Excellent activity- we want to play again! ”
· Stephanie · Teacher
“Even though I'd watched it before hand, I didn't stop the video in the right place so we got confused on the plant cards. And even though I thought the plant cards were clear, my students with auditory processing issues (I teach special ed) had a hard time following what to do. We did like the ideas, and the student who had been crying stopped when the goats came on screen.”
· Megan · Teacher
“The game was a big hit. Lots of fun and it allowed for discussion and partner work.”
· · Teacher
“The game was a FANTASTIC application for what they've been learning in the last few mysteries about the amount of sunlight and water needed for each plant. I loved that they got to work (hopefully) cooperatively amongst a table to figure out which plant would survive in each location. Thank you for yet another awesome mystery!”
· Jackie · Teacher
“We loved the game! We go through so quickly because the kids keep wanting to see more. We have a couple activities to go back to when we get some seeds. All the lessons so far have totally kept two little boys' attention! Great lessons!”
· Amy · Homeschooler
“My students are still asking to play Plant Survivor again!! Great hit, thank you!”
· Susan · Teacher
“The ease of use. The kids were really engaged, and it was so straightforward. ”
· Lauren · Teacher
Lesson narration:
English Spanish

Activity Prep

Print Prep
This is an archived Mystery Science resource. Archived resources are not updated to reflect current scientific understanding or best pedagogical practices.
In this lesson, students will practice thinking like gardeners. In the activity, students play Plant Survivor, a game that encourages students to think about what plants need and how habitats change over time.
Preview activity

I have a Mystery Pack

Plant Cards printout 1 per 5 students
Prep Instructions

Prepare the Plant Cards

Each Plant Cards printout includes 16 plant cards (4 to a page). Cut the cards apart before class.

Print Plant Survivor Map (Optional)

In the activity, students will look at a map on screen to decide which area would be best for each plant. If you'd like to print these out for your students to have a map at their desks, here's a grayscale version .

Standards

Jump to

Exploration

10 mins

Hands-On Activity

35 mins

Extend this lesson

Reading

Reading

"Goats Clean Up a Famous Cemetery"

Video

Video

Think Garden — Location, Location

Activity

Activity

Dandelion Hunt

If you have a grassy lawn near you, you can go on a dandelion hunt! Find four areas on the lawn that are about the same size. Ideally you want:

  • a sunny spot with plenty of water
  • a shady spot with plenty of water
  • a sunny spot with not much water
  • a shady spot with not much water

Assign a team to count the dandelion plants in each spot. Then analyze your results. Which area had the most dandelions? Which had the least? Discuss what might affect the success of dandelions in a particular area. For a math extension, make a bar graph displaying your data.

Transcripts

Credits
 
Plants Lesson 5: Where do plants grow best?

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