5-LS1-1
The standard
Support an argument that plants get the materials they need for growth chiefly from air and water.
Next Generation Science Standards
What this standard means
Students need to explain where a plant’s new mass comes from as it grows. They should use evidence to argue that most plant material comes from air and water, not from soil. They do not need the full chemistry of photosynthesis, but they should know plants take in air through leaves and water through roots.
Mastery looks like a clear claim, evidence from investigations or data, and reasoning that connects plant growth to air and water. Students often think soil turns into plant tissue because roots are in soil. They may also confuse plant food with human food, or think fertilizer is the main source of mass.
Ways to teach it
- Grow bean plants in cups with measured soil, then compare plant growth and soil mass after three weeks.
- Ask students to write: If soil is not mostly becoming the plant, where does the new plant material come from?
- Show a plant growth data table and have students choose the best claim, evidence, and reasoning from three options.
- Connect to hydroponic lettuce by showing a photo or short video, then ask how it can grow with no soil.
Plan a lesson for 5-LS1-1
Generate a complete lesson plan aligned to this standard, with objectives, activities, and materials. Free, no account needed.
Related standards
- K-ESS2-2
Construct an argument supported by evidence for how plants and animals (including humans) can change the environment to meet their needs.
- MS-LS1-6
Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for the role of photosynthesis in the cycling of matter and flow of energy into and out of organisms.
- 5-PS2-1
Support an argument that the gravitational force exerted by Earth on objects is directed down.
- 4-LS1-1
Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.