Discover What Plants Need to Thrive with Five Scientific Investigations
Transform your Year 3 Science lessons with this comprehensive resource featuring five hands-on investigations that help children explore plant requirements, functions, and growth conditions through practical experimentation and scientific enquiry.
Five Complete Investigations Included:
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Functions Of Plants: Explore the amazing jobs that different plant parts do! Investigate how roots absorb water and anchor plants, stems transport water and support leaves, leaves make food through photosynthesis, and flowers produce seeds—understanding the vital role each part plays
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Absorbing Water Investigation: Watch water travel through plants! Use celery or white flowers in coloured water to observe how plants absorb and transport water from roots to leaves, making this invisible process visible and memorable
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Plant Maze: Discover that plants need light to grow! Create a maze inside a box and watch as a plant grows towards the light, demonstrating phototropism and proving that plants actively seek the light they need for survival
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Seeds In Soil Investigation: Conduct a fair test to discover what seeds need to germinate! Plant seeds in different conditions—with and without water, light, warmth, and soil—discovering which conditions are essential for successful germination and growth
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Plants Need Space Investigation: Explore how crowding affects plant growth! Plant seeds at different spacings and observe how plants compete for resources, discovering why gardeners thin seedlings and space plants appropriately
Why Teachers Choose This Resource:
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Curriculum-Aligned: Fully supports Year 3 Science objectives for plants in the National Curriculum of England
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Hands-On Investigations: Practical experiments that make plant biology tangible and observable
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Fair Testing Focus: Develops scientific enquiry skills through controlled experiments with variables
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Ready to Use: Complete lesson plans with learning objectives, equipment lists, and step-by-step instructions
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Long-Term Observations: Activities that develop patience and systematic observation over days and weeks
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Accessible Materials: Uses seeds, plants, and everyday items readily available
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Develops Scientific Skills: Builds predicting, observing, measuring, recording, and concluding abilities
Perfect For:
- Year 3 Science lessons on plants
- Key Stage 2 biology teaching
- Homeschool science curriculum
- Developing scientific investigation and fair testing skills
- Building understanding of plant requirements and functions
- Long-term observation projects
Learning Outcomes:
Through these investigations, children will identify and describe the functions of different parts of flowering plants (roots, stem/trunk, leaves, and flowers), explore the requirements of plants for life and growth (air, light, water, nutrients from soil, and room to grow), investigate the way in which water is transported within plants, conduct fair tests by changing one variable at a time, and understand how different conditions affect plant growth and survival.
What Makes This Resource Special:
These investigations transform abstract plant biology into observable, measurable phenomena. By watching coloured water travel up celery, observing plants grow towards light in a maze, and comparing seeds in different conditions, children see plant processes in action—making biology real, fascinating, and understandable through direct observation.
Building Scientific Enquiry Skills:
Fair testing is central to these investigations. By changing one variable at a time—water, light, space, or soil—children learn to design controlled experiments, understand cause and effect, and use evidence to draw conclusions. These essential scientific skills form the foundation for all future science learning and critical thinking.
Developing Patience and Observation:
Plant investigations require patience—seeds don't germinate overnight, and growth happens gradually. These activities help children develop the patience to observe over time, the discipline to record regularly, and the satisfaction of watching their predictions confirmed or challenged by real evidence—valuable life skills alongside scientific ones.
Bring plant science to life! These engaging investigations help Year 3 students discover what plants need to survive and thrive through hands-on experimentation that makes plant biology observable, builds scientific enquiry skills, and creates genuine understanding of how plants function and grow.
