This broadens the context of their experience and sets the stage for the story-writing activity in the final part of the lesson. Have each group of students plant a fast-growing seed in the classroom. Once the plant sprouts, have the students record the height of their plant each day for the next school week. At the end of the week have the students predict what the graph will look like for the next two weeks. Have the students add the line for the prediction to their graph using a colored pencil.
Students continue to record the height of their plant each school day.
At the end of three weeks, have students graph the rest of their data on their original graphs. Have students compare their prediction to the graph of the data. Look at the sample Fast and Slow Growth Graph activity sheet as a class. Have students share the interpretation of their graph with the class. Explain that each graph depicts the life cycle of a plant.