Teach Year 1 common plants with this six-lesson science unit covering garden plants, wild plants, deciduous and evergreen trees, plant structure and tree structure. Pupils identify plants in their local environment, observe and classify plants and trees, gather and record data, and explore the different parts of flowering plants and trees.
Aligned with the Year 1 Science National Curriculum, the unit develops substantive knowledge alongside Working Scientifically. Outdoor plant hunts, close observation, classification, a local tree survey and ongoing observations of growing plants give pupils opportunities to apply their scientific knowledge in practical contexts.
Pupils are taught to:
Across the unit, pupils develop their skills in:
This common plants unit forms part of our wider Year 1 science curriculum, with sequenced learning across plants, animals, materials, seasonal changes and other Year 1 science topics.
This Year 1 plants unit builds pupils’ knowledge progressively across six lessons. Pupils begin with familiar garden plants before identifying wild plants outdoors. They then explore deciduous and evergreen trees, apply their knowledge through a tree survey, and move on to the basic structure of flowering plants and trees.
Pupils begin by exploring plants commonly found in UK gardens and comparing different seeds. They plant their own seeds and start a growth log that can be revisited throughout the unit. Pupils then investigate wild plants in their local environment, using scavenger hunts, photographs and magnifying glasses to identify and observe what is growing around them.
Pupils learn that deciduous and evergreen trees can be distinguished by their characteristics. They identify trees in their local environment, compare leaf shapes and use close observation to identify and classify different trees.
Building on their knowledge of trees, pupils carry out a survey in a set area. They choose observable characteristics, classify trees and use tally marks to gather data. Their findings are then represented using a 100-square, with an opportunity for more experienced pupils to create a bar chart.
Pupils identify roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds using familiar foods and plants in the local environment. They observe plant parts closely before drawing and labelling the structure of a flowering plant.
The final lesson applies pupils’ understanding of plant structure to trees. Pupils identify and label parts including roots, trunk, branches and bark, explore how an acorn develops into an oak tree and compare trees with other flowering plants.
Working Scientifically is developed throughout the unit rather than taught separately. Pupils ask questions about growing plants, make close observations using magnifying glasses, identify and classify plants and trees, carry out a local tree survey, gather and record data, and use their observations to discuss what they have found.
Resources across the unit include:
Explore the complete Year 1 science scheme and curriculum coverage, or find out more about our complete primary science scheme of work.
