PLANTS UNIT OVERVIEW Students get a chance to try out their "green thumbs" as they explore plants. Student notes suitable for an overhead projector explain much of the knowledge-based information contained in the unit. "Plant DiscoveryWorksheets" combine easy-to-do student experiments and related questions to help "cement in" concepts with "concrete" activities. Optional activities are left up to the discretion of each teacher and provide flexibility as well as enrichment. The world of plants comes alive with this practical teaching package. STUDENT ASSIGNMENTS AND ACTIVITIES 1. Introductory Lesson Plants Wordsearch 2. Seeds Looking At Seeds - Discovery Worksheet 3. Roots Rooting For Roots - Discovery Worksheet 4. Stems Carnation Sensation - Discovery Worksheet s. Leaves Leaves At Work - Discovery Worksheet 6. Flowers Flower Power - Discovery Worksheet 7. To Grow, A Plant Needs Plants Crossword 8. Life Cycle Of A Plant Life Cycle Of A Dandelion 9. Uses of Plants Word Web OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES 1. Plants Review 2. Tree Planting 3. Light the Way (A plant grows in a maze to find light) 4. Blocking Air (Air is needed for plant growth) S. Just Add Water (Water is needed for plant growth) 6. Sweetened Leaves (Nutrients are needed for plant growth) 7. Growing Season (The effect of warmth on seed growth) 8. Flower Garden 9. Yam Jungle 10. Plant Pictograms 11. Trees of North America 12. Patchwork Leaves DISCOVERY WORKSHEETS The Discovery Worksheets help to motivate students by providing hands-on experiments pertinent to the major concepts taught in this unit. Each activity uses readily available materials and follows a "Purpose, Materials, Procedure, Conclusions and Questions" format. The worksheets combine hands-on activities with written questions to make learning relevant, yet enjoyable, at the same time. ISBN: 978-1-55319-001-1 2 rainbowhorizons.com RHPA70
LESSON #1 - INTRODUCTORY LESSON Student Objectives and Activities Students are introduced to the topic and complete notes from an overhead projector. In an activity designed to familiarize students with some of the vocabulary of the unit, students complete an exercise, "Plants Wordsearch". Suggested Teaching Strategies Throughout the unit, each lesson is introduced with a joke or riddle about plants. The first riddle is as follows: Clue 1 - Clue 2- Clue 3- Clue 4- Answer Some people might call me lazy because I don't like to move around to get my food. I like to sit around in the sun. Rain makes me smile. Take the letter "e" out of the word "planet" and you will solve this riddle. A Plant Begin with student notes on the topics "What Are Plants?" and "Parts of a Plant", stressing the differences between animals and plants. (Student notes can be photocopied onto overhead transparencies, dictated or simply written on the board for students to copy into their science notebooks) The notes provide an information base from which students can study from and use to complete assignments. Once the notes have been explained and copied down, hand out the "Plants Word search". The clues go horizontally, vertically and diagonally. The wordsearch also includes three questions about plants that require written answers. Answers 1. Three differences are that plants do not move around to get food, plants are made up of cellulose, and plants can make their own food using water, air and sunlight. 2. The five main parts of a plant are the roots, stem, leaves, flowers and seeds. 3. Plants make oxygen for breathing and provide food. (Answers may vary) ISBN: 978-1-55319-001-1 3 rainbowhorizons.com RHPA70
P TS WORD SEARCH Name: 1. List three differences between plants and animals. a) b) c) 2. List the five main parts of most plants. a) c) b) d) e) 3. List two ways that plants are important to people. a) b) R B 0 N D ( o X V E I N S D D S V L L E N U Z P 8 V F L 0 W E R T E H N F ( B R 0 U S R 0 0 T A P R 0 0 T P I A P E M L P 0 A N E T E M U H R H I G J U L N D Q L V P I G Y G L X E L L E B H S 0 0 M H A L N G R P P N V T 0 V F L Y V F E X Y G D 0 Q I 0 P Q 0 U E C R P A J Z A S R 8 A I C U 0 I T V N N C T N S V T Z I S V R T A E R J S A D C Y Find These Words: CELLULOSE NUTRIENTS FLOWER OVARY PETALS CARBON DIOXIDE CHLOROPHYLL POLLINATION SEED COAT STEM SEED POLLEN FIBROUS ROOT SUGARS EMBRYO OXYGEN ROOT LEAVES STAMEN PISTIL TAPROOT VEINS NECTAR HYDROPONICS ISBN: 978-1-55319-001-1 4 rainbowhorizons.com RHPA70
LESSON #2 - SEEDS Student Objectives and Activities Students learn the parts of a seed and their function. Students complete a discovery worksheet, "Looking At Seeds", in which they observe bean seeds and their growth when sprouted between wet paper towels on a plate. Students also place bean (and other) seeds in soil-filled pots and observe. SU22ested Teachin2 Strate2ies Introduce the lesson with this riddle: Clue 1 Clue 2 Clue 3 Answer - I've workin' on the railroad. - The musical fruit. - Mr. ----- - ABean Students complete notes about seeds, emphasizing how the seed provides a small bit of food used to help get the plant started. Hand out the discovery worksheet, "Looking At Seeds", with students following the instructions on the worksheet. Materials required are magnifying glasses, paper towels, lima or kidney beans, other seeds, small pots and soil. Students are divided into groups based on the availability of these materials. In Part I of the worksheet, students draw and label a bean seed after peeling off its seed coat with their fingers and carefully splitting it apart. In Part II, students conduct that "oldie but goodie" science experiment in which beans are sprouted on a plate between two wet paper towels. (F or faster results, soaking the beans overnight prior to the activity is advisable) Students then track the growth of their bean sprouts using a chart to record the results. In Part III, seeds are placed about Y2 inch deep in the soil and about 2 inches apart in a pot. The containers are placed in a sunny spot then students make predictions and observations on the chart provided. (styrofoam coffee cups with holes poked in the bottom could be used if not enough pots are available) PART I - 3. Answers Seed leaves provide food for the sprout, the seed coat provides protection, while the embryo will become the root and stem. (sprout) PART II -3. Seeds need water and warmth to sprout. (They do not require soil, sunlight or nutrients to sprout) *** Note *** For this experiment, use actual bean seeds. (Brown beans - the ones that come in a can along with a half-digested piece of pork byproduct - will not grow very well) ISBN: 978-1-55319-001-1 5 rainbowhorizons.com RHPA70
LOOKING AT SEEDS P ART I - Draw A Seed Name: 1. Procedure: Carefully peel off the seed coat with your fingers and split the seed in half. Observe with a magnifying glass. 2. Draw the inside of a seed. Label the seed leaves, seed coat and embryo. 3. What is the purpose of each part? a) seed leaves b) seed coat c) embryo PART II - Bean Sprouts 1. Procedure: Place a bean seed between wet paper towels on a plate. Keep towels moist.. 2. Date started LDa y Observation 3. List two things seeds need to sprout? ISBN: 978-1-55319-001-1 6 rainbowhorizons.com RHPA70
PART III - Seed Plantina 1. Procedure: Place seeds about Ya inch deep in the soil and about 2 inches apart in the pot. Place the pots in a warm, sunny place and water just before the soil gets dry. 2. Date started 3. Predict which seeds will be the first to sprout. Day Observation 4. What do seeds need to grow? s. What would you do differently if you did this experiment again? How would it affect your experiment? ISBN: 978-1-55319-001-1 7 rainbowhorizons.com RHPA70
LESSON #3 - ROOTS Student Objectives and Activities Students understand the function of plant roots and learn about the two main types - tap roots and fibrous roots. Students complete notes about roots and a discovery worksheet, "Rooting For Roots", which investigates how plant roots absorb water. Sueeested Teachine Strateeies Begin with the introductory plant riddle: Question Answer - What kind of plant has the best vision? - Potatoes - because they have lots of eyes. Students copy notes about plant roots and their purpose. After the notes are finished, hand out the discovery worksheet "Rooting For Roots". Materials required for each group are: carrots, blue food coloring, jars, water, magnifying glass, and knife. Write the materials and procedure for the activity on the board and explain. (Students will need the procedure written down to help them answer one of the questions) Materials: carrots, blue food coloring, jars, water, magnifying glass, knife. Procedure: Put water in the jar, about half full Add three drops of blue food coloring. Cut 1 inch from the tip of the carrot. Put the carrot, cut side down, into the jar of colored water. After 2 hours, look at the cut end with a magnifying glass. Put the carrot back into the colored water. The next day, cut the carrot in half lengthwise. Examine the carrot with the magnifying glass. o Students complete the activity and answer the questions on the discovery sheet. Answers 5. Observations: The blue water was absorbed into the root. Stems and leaves began to grow. Root hairs began to develop_ 6. Conclusions: Roots absorb water to carry to the stem and leaves. 7. Roots anchor the plant, absorb nutrients in addition to water and store food. 8. fibrous roots - trees, grass tap roots - carrots, beets 9. One reason for using hydroponics is that it is easier to control insects which live in the soil. Diseases and fungus are also better controlled with hydroponics. ISBN: 978-1-55319-001-1 8 rainbowhorizons.com RHPA70
Name: 1. Purpose: The purpose of this experiment is to find out what the roots of a plant do. 2. Materials used: 3. Procedure: 4. Diagram (draw) what happened to the root. 5. Observations: (What did you see?) ISBN: 978-1-55319-001-1 9 rainbowhorizons.com RHPA70
6. Conclusions: (What did you learn or find out from the experiment?) 7. What are some other purposes of roots? - -,;.-...-. ". 8. What are two kinds of roots? Give two examples for each. 9. This experiment has shown that plants do not need soil to grow. This is called "hydroponics". What would be one reason for growing plants without soil? ISBN: 978-1-55319-001-1 10 rainbowhorizons.com RHPA70