
What Does a Plant Need to Grow?
Levels 1 and 2

NZC Achievement Objectives

Te Mātauranga o Aotearoa
The Organism: Learn about the needs every living thing has in order to survive.
Te Rauropi: Ka ako haere ko ētahi hiahiatanga kei ngā mea oreore katoa, kia noho ora ai.

Learning Intentions

Integration Ideas
Learning Intentions are from the Ministry of Education
Integration ideas are from the Ministry of Education
Level 1
Accept responsibility for the needs of a house plant and an animal.
Level 2
Investigate and understand the general functions of the main parts of animals and plants.
Mathematics and Statistics (Number and Algebra): Find examples of patterns in the natural environment which demonstrate that some patterns continue without end.

Related Topics
Resources

Matthew is travelling far and wide in this video to explore different habitats all over the world! Come along and discover how animals become suited to live in their habitats!
Level
1-2
Type
Video
Habitats
Everyday Science NZ
Matthew is travelling far and wide in this video to explore different habitats all over the world! Come along and discover how animals become suited to live in their habitats!

Give me a home among the gum trees, with koalas and honey bees…In this unit find out about the life cycle of Australia’s majestic eucalypts and the animals that depend on them.
Level
2
Type
Unit
Among the gum trees
Primary Connections
Give me a home among the gum trees, with koalas and honey bees…In this unit find out about the life cycle of Australia’s majestic eucalypts and the animals that depend on them.

Suzy really bites into this investigation. How do apples grow? Do you know? Why don't you join Suzy and find out?
Level
1-2
Type
Video
Apples: How do apples grow?
Suzy's World
Suzy really bites into this investigation. How do apples grow? Do you know? Why don't you join Suzy and find out?

Suzy is all a Buzz about this question. She thinks the answer will be really sweet! Join her and it won't bee long before you know why bees make honey!
Level
1-2
Type
Video
Bees: Why do bees make honey?
Suzy's World
Suzy is all a Buzz about this question. She thinks the answer will be really sweet! Join her and it won't bee long before you know why bees make honey!

Build a tree is a fun way to demonstrate how a tree functions. This activity is suitable for both small and large groups of students (and adults!).
Level
1-4
Type
Activity
Build a tree
Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai
Build a tree is a fun way to demonstrate how a tree functions. This activity is suitable for both small and large groups of students (and adults!).

Chip & Chirpy are two fantails who begin to fly up to the sun. The sun says it’s too far and suggests they learn a song instead. Chip & Chirpy learn facts about the sun and then a tree comes to life and tells them about solar energy. Two children walk by with a little dog and they all sing the song together.
Level
1
Type
Book
Chip & Chirpy Meet the Sun
Genesis School-Gen
Chip & Chirpy are two fantails who begin to fly up to the sun. The sun says it’s too far and suggests they learn a song instead. Chip & Chirpy learn facts about the sun and then a tree comes to life and tells them about solar energy. Two children walk by with a little dog and they all sing the song together.

Climate is the average weather of a given area over a long period of time. This includes seasonal temperatures, rain, sunshine, and large weather events such as storms.
Level
1-4
Type
Unit
Climate Change
Kids Greening Taupō
Climate is the average weather of a given area over a long period of time. This includes seasonal temperatures, rain, sunshine, and large weather events such as storms.

“Bees Are VIPs (Very Important Pollinators)” explores the symbiotic relationship that has evolved between the honey bee and flowering plants. It describes how, in the process of gathering nectar and pollen, the honey bee helps to pollinate flowers.
Level
2
Type
Book
Connected 2012 Level 2: ‘Bees are VIPS (Very Important Pollinators)’
Ministry of Education NZ
“Bees Are VIPs (Very Important Pollinators)” explores the symbiotic relationship that has evolved between the honey bee and flowering plants. It describes how, in the process of gathering nectar and pollen, the honey bee helps to pollinate flowers.

Christchurch school students came up with some exciting ideas for the BNZ Amazing Place Playground Competition. A group of year 4 students designed the winning playground by gathering survey data and research evidence about the popularity of their idea.
Level
2
Type
Book
Connected 2014 Level 2: ‘Garden with Science’
Ministry of Education NZ
Christchurch school students came up with some exciting ideas for the BNZ Amazing Place Playground Competition. A group of year 4 students designed the winning playground by gathering survey data and research evidence about the popularity of their idea.

How did two market gardeners become Bledisloe Cup champions? They used horticulture – the science of growing plants. Joe and Fay Gock’s innovations have changed the ways vegetables are grown in New Zealand.
Level
2
Type
Book
Connected 2014 Level 2: ‘Winning the Bledisloe Cup’
Ministry of Education NZ
How did two market gardeners become Bledisloe Cup champions? They used horticulture – the science of growing plants. Joe and Fay Gock’s innovations have changed the ways vegetables are grown in New Zealand.

Balaclava School has a new greenhouse called the Living Room. The students find out how the environment inside the Living Room helps plants grow during the cold Dunedin winters and investigate which vegetables grow best inside and outside its unique climate.
Level
2
Type
Book
Connected 2017 Level 2: ‘Gardening in the Living Room’
Ministry of Education NZ
Balaclava School has a new greenhouse called the Living Room. The students find out how the environment inside the Living Room helps plants grow during the cold Dunedin winters and investigate which vegetables grow best inside and outside its unique climate.

This article recounts an important story from the oral tradition of Tainui. It tells of how the iwi’s ancestor, Whakaotirangi, brought kūmara and other plants to Aotearoa and describes the techniques she used to plant, grow, and store them. Whakaotirangi’s gardens made it possible for Tainui to settle in one place, rather than having to keep moving to seek food. In time, Whakaotirangi’s kete of kūmara changed how people live across Aotearoa.
Level
2
Type
Book
Connected 2020 Level 2: ‘Whakaotirangi and her Kete of Kūmara’
Ministry of Education NZ
This article recounts an important story from the oral tradition of Tainui. It tells of how the iwi’s ancestor, Whakaotirangi, brought kūmara and other plants to Aotearoa and describes the techniques she used to plant, grow, and store them. Whakaotirangi’s gardens made it possible for Tainui to settle in one place, rather than having to keep moving to seek food. In time, Whakaotirangi’s kete of kūmara changed how people live across Aotearoa.

In this lesson we are going to focus on the importance of soil, and the role of decomposers in reducing the food waste heading to landfill. What are you waiting for? Let’s dig a little deeper into the topic of soil … literally!
Level
1-4
Type
Unit
Exploring Soil
Kids Greening Taupō
In this lesson we are going to focus on the importance of soil, and the role of decomposers in reducing the food waste heading to landfill. What are you waiting for? Let’s dig a little deeper into the topic of soil … literally!

Stop and smell the “Flowers” episode — it’s sweet.
Link for video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMBLXIyqmWE
Level
1-4
Type
Video
Flowers
Bill Nye The Science Guy
Stop and smell the “Flowers” episode — it’s sweet.
Link for video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMBLXIyqmWE

Bees need flowers, and flowers need bees… In this unit find out about how flowers rely on animals to germinate and help disperse their seeds and how animals depend on plants for food.
Level
2
Type
Unit
Friends or foes?
Primary Connections
Bees need flowers, and flowers need bees… In this unit find out about how flowers rely on animals to germinate and help disperse their seeds and how animals depend on plants for food.

You can grow a surprise garden by collecting leaf litter, keeping it warm and moist and seeing
what grows. It’s best to start this investigation during July or August
Level
1-4
Type
Activity
Grow a Leaf Litter Garden
Kiwi Conservation Club - Hakuturi Toa
You can grow a surprise garden by collecting leaf litter, keeping it warm and moist and seeing
what grows. It’s best to start this investigation during July or August

Students will have fun growing plants while learning interesting information about garden science. This simple lesson plan explains the activity as well as giving instructions for how students should look after their plants.
Level
1-4
Type
Activity
Grow a Plant
Science Kids
Students will have fun growing plants while learning interesting information about garden science. This simple lesson plan explains the activity as well as giving instructions for how students should look after their plants.

This book provides an opportunity for children to study a small organism up close (in this case, a small plant) to gain a broad understanding of the way it "works", including its needs and responses to its surroundings.
Level
1-2
Type
Activity Book
Growing Plants Indoors: What an Indoor Plant Needs
Ministry of Education NZ
This book provides an opportunity for children to study a small organism up close (in this case, a small plant) to gain a broad understanding of the way it "works", including its needs and responses to its surroundings.

We need them, but do they need us? Delve into the life of plants, look closely at what they need to survive, and how that compares to the needs of animals.
Level
1
Type
Unit
Growing Well
Primary Connections
We need them, but do they need us? Delve into the life of plants, look closely at what they need to survive, and how that compares to the needs of animals.

Race to collect the reasons plants can harm health (and some examples) as you move around the game board!
Level
1-4
Type
Game
How do plants become poisonous?
Kiwi Conservation Club - Hakuturi Toa
Race to collect the reasons plants can harm health (and some examples) as you move around the game board!

Bill Nye the Science Guy is back to talk about invertebrates.
Link for video: https://www.schooltube.com/media/Bill+Nye+Invertebrates/1_fi5etzl0/126637091
Level
1-4
Type
Video
Invertebrates
Bill Nye The Science Guy
Bill Nye the Science Guy is back to talk about invertebrates.
Link for video: https://www.schooltube.com/media/Bill+Nye+Invertebrates/1_fi5etzl0/126637091

Plant the seeds in the tin and water. The seeds can be transplanted into the garden when they are the same height as the tin
Level
1-4
Type
Activity
Make a Tin Plant Pot
Kiwi Conservation Club - Hakuturi Toa
Plant the seeds in the tin and water. The seeds can be transplanted into the garden when they are the same height as the tin