Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2026
Abstract
This lesson is designed to deepen students’ understanding of wild rice, a plant native to Minnesota, by integrating life science concepts such as structure, function, life cycles, and seed dispersal with prior knowledge from English Language Arts and Social Studies. Using the 5E instructional model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate), students participate in a structured, inquiry-based learning experience. They begin by connecting to prior knowledge and generating questions, then investigating the life cycle and growth patterns of wild rice through hands-on exploration. As students build their understanding, they analyze how the plant’s seed dispersal supports its survival and reproduction. In the elaboration phase, students apply their learning through an engineering design challenge, creating a device that mimics wild rice’s natural processes. The lesson concludes with an evaluation, allowing students to demonstrate their understanding and reflect on scientific, ELA, and Social Studies concepts and problem-solving strategies.
Recommended Citation
Zima, Rhett and Deming, Lily, "Wild Rice Life Cycle: An Integrated Science, Social Studies, and ELA Lesson" (2026). OER Materials. 24.
https://red.mnstate.edu/oer-materials/24
Included in
Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Educational Methods Commons, Elementary Education Commons, Elementary Education and Teaching Commons, Indigenous Education Commons, Outdoor Education Commons
Comments
In Lily and Rhett’s Elementary Inclusive Education program, they were tasked with writing and teaching a curriculum integration lesson. In 2025, they taught this Social Studies, Science, and ELA-integrated lesson on Wild Rice to a Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton 2nd Grade class.