Investigation: Plants

Station 2: Food Bulbs1) What is the function of a food bulb?

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2) How are plants with food bulbs similar to animals that hibernate? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3) Why are food bulbs an adaptation?

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Investigation: Plants

Station 1: Plants adapting to different environments1A: Hot and Dry Desert

Record observations of one desert plant. Use words and draw a biological diagram.

1B: Aquatic (Water) Record observations of the duckweed plants floating at the top of the water; make sure to include the roots. Use words and draw a biological diagram.

1C: Rainforest Record observations of the rainforest plant. Use words and draw a biological diagram.

1) On the next blank page in your composition book, compare and contrast the leaves of the desert plant and the rainforest plant. Why do you think the leaves are so different?

Diagram Written Observations:

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Diagram Written Observations:

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Diagram Written Observations:

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Station 3: Pollination1) Give 3 examples of organisms that are plant pollinators.

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2) How do you think flowers attract or lure pollinators? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3) Why are flowers adaptations?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________Station 4: Water transport in plants

1) The ability of a liquid to flow through a small opening without any outside help or assistance is known as __________________________________.

2) Which internal plant structure relies on capillary action to transport water? ________________________________.

3) How far did the water rise on the paper towel after 3 min? ___ cm

Station 1a: Plants Adapting to Different Environments

Directions: 1. Read the information below2. Observe the example(s) of desert plants3. Answer the questions on your handout/in your composition book

Environment: Hot and Dry Desert

Description: Temperatures in hot and dry deserts easily rise above 100° Fahrenheit (37.8 ° Celsius), but the nights can be very cool. These deserts also receives very little rain fall, making it a very dry habitat for plants. The dry air means there are very few clouds, allowing a lot of radiant energy from the sun to reach the plants. The soil is also dry and does not contain many nutrients.

High

Hot

Low

Station 1b: Plants Adapting to Different EnvironmentsDirections: 1. Read the information below2. Observe the example(s) of an aquatic plant3. Answer the questions on your handout/in your composition book

Environment: Aquatic (water)

Description: Aquatic plants live in either freshwater or seawater. Freshwater is found in lakes, ponds, streams, and rivers and has a very low salt concentration. Sea water has a very high concentration of salt. Nutrients and gases needed by the plants are dissolved in the water. The temperature and amount of sunlight changes with water depth and location. Some plants live completely under water wile some have parts that are above and below the water.

Varies

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Varies

Station 1c: Plants Adapting to Different Environments

Directions: 1. Read the information below2. Observe the example(s) of a rainforest plant3. Answer the questions on your handout/in your composition book

Environment: Rainforest (Jungle)

Description: The rainforest is a warm and wet environment. The temperature varies from 93° (34 ° Celsius) Fahrenheit to 68° Fahrenheit (20° Celsius). The air and soil are very damp (wet), and rainfall is high. The soil is rich in nutrients and competition for resources among plants is very high. While the rainforest is located near the equators and receives the greatest amount of radiant energy, taller plants block most of the sunlight, leaving very little light for the plants on the forest floor.

High/Low

High

Warm

Station 2: Food Bulbs

Directions: 1. Read the information below2. Answer the questions on your handout/in your composition

book

Description: A bulb is an underground, modified stem that develops in some flowering plants. Its function is to store food and water for the plant through a cold or dry season. The smallest bulbs are the size of peas; the largest (crinum lilies) weigh over 15 pounds (7 kg).

Underground storage bulbs develop during the growing season; the upper part of the plant dies as the weather becomes cold or dry. The bulb remains dormant (inactive) underground until the weather warms and water is available. At the start of the new growing season, roots grow from the bottom of the bulb and a bud grows from the stem. The food and water in the bulb tissues feed the fast-growing bud. The bud develops into a plant that will blossom (producing seeds above ground) and then die back (above the ground) at the end of the growing season; this cycle continues year after year.

Station 3: Pollinators

Directions:

1. Read the information below2. Watch the video, “The Beauty of Pollination”3. Answer the questions on the handout.

Description: Pollinators are organisms that help plants to reproduce. Yes, plants reproduce similar to animals; they have female and male parts. The female part of a plant is called the stigma. The male part of the plant is called the anther. Anthers make and release pollen that is like the male sperm made by animals. The pollen from an anther must be transported to the stigma of the same or a different plant for a plant to reproduce. For many plants, the male and female reproductive structures are found inside the flower.

Station 4: Water Transport in Plants

Directions: 1. Read the information below2. Perform the investigation3. Answer the questions on your handout/in your

composition book

Description: How does water travel from the roots to the leaves at the top of a large tree? Observing a process called capillary action in paper towels can help us to understand water transport in plants.

Water has a property called cohesion that results from water molecules sticking together. Water also has another property called adhesion, which causes it to stick to other, different molecules. Together, adhesion and cohesion allow water to climb up very small openings like those in the paper towel or the small tubes that make up the xylem in plants. The ability of a liquid to flow through a small opening is known as capillary action.

Investigation

1. Observe a strip of paper towel under the stereoscope

2. Clip or tape a piece of paper towel onto the ring stand.

3. Lower the towel until the bottom edge is touching the cup filled with colored water.

4. Observe the towel for 3 minutes and record the distance the water traveled in centimeters (cm).