Reception plants and growth lesson – looking closely and noticing changes
This Reception plants and growth lesson focuses on looking closely at how plants change over time. Children explore the stages of a dandelion’s life cycle, investigate seeds in fruit, and go on a local seed hunt to observe how plants grow and disperse.
Pupils compare, sort and record observations using magnifying glasses, drawings and real-life materials. The lesson supports scientific talk and reasoning through activities that link plant growth to the natural environment.
Resources include:
- Interactive slides covering plant growth and seed dispersal
- Dandelion life cycle cards for sequencing and discussion
- Fruit dissection task with real seeds (e.g. from apples or cucumbers)
- Seed hunt recording sheets and sorting challenge
- Lesson plan with teacher-led and play-based activities
This is Lesson 5 in our EYFS science scheme of work for Reception. It builds enquiry skills and supports the EYFS goal of observing change through hands-on science tasks.
