Mississippi Science L.3.1.2
The Standard
- L.3.1
- Students will demonstrate an understanding of internal and external structures in plants and animals and how they relate to their growth, survival, behavior, and reproduction within an environment.
Examine evidence to communicate information that the internal and external structures of plants (e.g., thorns, leaves, stems, roots, or colored petals) function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.
2026 Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Science · Hierarchical Organization
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students observe roots, stems, leaves, and flowers, including the inside of a cut stem. They use what they see to explain how plant parts help plants get water and light, stay protected, or attract pollinators.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student can explain that roots take in water and stems move it toward the leaves. They can point to colored paths in a celery stalk as evidence that water traveled through it.
Common Misconceptions
- Some students think roots only hold a plant in place, not take in water. Others think petals make food or that stems have no paths for water.
How to Assess It
- Show a photo of a celery stalk cut across after sitting in dyed water. Ask, "Where did the water travel, what do you see that supports your answer, and how does that help the plant?"
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Place celery stalks in red food coloring overnight, then cut across them and have students sketch the colored paths inside.
Show a photo of a thorny flowering plant and ask, "How might thorns and bright petals help it in different ways?"
Have pairs match photos of plant parts to job cards, then point to a visible clue for one match.
Show photos of thorny bushes and leaves with bite marks, then ask how the thorns might affect animals eating the plant.
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Printable L.3.1.2 Worksheet
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Related Standards
- L.1.1.1
Construct explanations using first-hand observations or other media to describe the structures of different plants (i.e., root, stem, leaves, flowers, and fruit...
- L.3.1.1
Examine evidence to communicate information that the internal and external structures of animals (e.g., heart, stomach, bone, lung, brain, skin, ears, appendage...
- L.3.1
Students will demonstrate an understanding of internal and external structures in plants and animals and how they relate to their growth, survival, behavior, an...
- L.3.2.4
Obtain and communicate data to provide evidence that plants and animals have traits inherited from both parent organisms and that variations of these traits exi...
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