Experiments with Plants

1
Experiments with Plants

• 6th Grade ScienceKyrene School District

2
Before We Begin.

• We are beginning our plants unit with Wisconsin
  Fast Plants.
• You will need to do some background reading and
  research about plants.
• All information for this unit should be kept in
  your science notebook and binder.
• If you are absent, please review with your group
  about what you missed.

3
Science Notebooks
4
Early Efforts to Keep a Science Notebook
5
Science Notebooks

• A tool for scientists to record their thinking
  and their learning before, during and after a
  science investigation.
• It reflects a chronological accounting of the
  progression of an investigation as the student
  records questions, materials, procedures,
  observations, data, explanations and reflections.
• As a working document, the science notebook is a
  rough draft whose primary audience is the
  scientist.
• It allows the scientist
• To organize thoughts and information.
• To reflect.
• Self-assessment.
• To see the developmental progression of an
  investigation.
• To keep for future study or inquiry.
• A resource for the creation of a final product.
• To help develop a habit of mind.

6
Types of Entries

• Drawings
• Tables, Charts, and Graphs
• Graphic Organizers
• Notes and Practice Problems
• Reflective and Analytical Entries
• Inserts
• Investigation Formats
• Writing Frames

7
Drawings
8
Tables, Charts, Graphs
9
Graphic Organizers
10
Notes Practice Problems
11
Reflective Analytical Entries
12
Inserts
13

• Examples of
• Science Notebooks
• from the
• REAL WORLD OF SCIENTISTS

The scientists notebooks featured in this
section come from those working at Battelle
Pacific NW National Labs.
14
Computational Chemist
Something wrong with this
15
Computational Chemist
will have all of these checked for
instability and optimize
16
Materials Scientist
Reference graphs and tables pasted into notebook
17
Materials Scientist
Sample sketch
18
Materials Scientist
Results (crossed out)
19
ECOLOGIST
Describing the problem the purpose of the study
20
ECOLOGIST
Identifying the site including selection criteria
21
ECOLOGIST
Specifications regarding the Elk Enclosures
22
REFLECT

• Which of those things do you think you could
  incorporate in YOUR notebook?

23
LETS GET STARTED

• Cover or Title Page
• Give your science notebook a title.
• This should give the reader an idea of what this
  notebook will be about.

24
THEN

• Dont forget to let your notebook reflect your

ARTISTIC PERSONALITY
25
NUMBER YOUR PAGES

1
26
NUMBER YOUR PAGES THROUGH 10

2
3
27
NOW ADD TODAYS DATE

September 4
1
28
OK!Lets begin Our Plants Unit!

• Lesson 1 What Do You Know About Experiments?

29
What is a fair test? Its like a race.

• In order for a race to be fair, all participants
  must start from the same place and end at the
  same finish line. Other important variables are
• The time that the runner begins the race
• The length and condition of the path
• If all these variables are held as constant as
  possible, the variable that is tested is the
  running ability of the racers.

30
What constitutes a fair test?

• In your group turn to page 2 and select one of
  the questions from 6.
• How would you design a fair test?

• Best way to study for a spelling test
• Best way to remove a spaghetti stain
• Testing new dog food brands

31
Plants August 20

• In your group
• Discuss and record how scientists do experiments.
• What makes something a good experiment.

32
What do we know about experiments?

• In your science notebook on page 1, write the
  title What I know about Science Experiments.
• Write 1- 2 paragraphs explaining everything you
  know about conducting a science experiment.
• Think about how you would set up an experiment to
  find out which flavor of gum lasts the longest.
• Suggested Word Bank
• Experiment Control Variable
• Fair Data Observation
• Problem Conclusion Measurement

33
Answers

1. Researcher develops a good plan and follows it.
2. Topic of experiment is interesting and
   worthwhile.
3. Researcher makes careful observations over a
   period of time.
4. Researcher keeps accurate, honest, and regular
   records.
5. Something is measured.
6. After experiment, researcher draws conclusions
   based on data.
7. Findings are communicated.

34
Plants Pre-Assessment.

• On the 2nd page in your science notebook, write
  the title A Flowering Plant
• Write down todays date.
• Draw and label all the parts of a flowering plant
  that you know.
• This drawing is a record of your current
  knowledge and will be used as a basis for
  comparison at the end of the unit.
• Do not go back and add to this drawing at any
  time.

35
Fast Plants for Fast Times

• Read Fast Plants for Fast Times (pages 4 5) in
  your student book.
• List 5 things you learned about Fast Plants in
  your student notebook.
• Read What Do Wisconsin Fast Plants Need to Grow
  Best (page 6 7).
• List the 6 items Fast Plants need to grow best in
  your student notebook.
• Read and review the Calendar of the Life Cycle of
  a Normal Brassica Plant (page 8)
• www.fastplants.org
• Brainpop Plant Growth

36
In closing

1. What would happen if you did an experiment in
   which you put a cactus in a pool and a water lily
   in the desert?
2. What changes would you observe in each plant?

37
Lesson 2

• Identifying Variables and Planning a Fair Test

38
Individually..

• Review pages 6 and 7, then record this question
  and write down your responses.

1. What are all of the things that Wisconsin Fast
   Plants need to grow?

Answer
39
Variables that Wisconsin Fast Plants need to grow

• Light
• Water
• Fertilizer
• Space
• Pollination
• Temperature

Make corrections in your notebook at this time.
40
Refer to reading selection on page 6

• What are all of the things that Wisconsin Fast
  Plants need to grow best?

Answers
41

• Light Needs 24 hours of continuous light. Not
  only that, the light must come for cool, white,
  fluorescent bulbs.
• Fertilizer Regular dose is three fertilizer
  pellets per planter quad cell.
• Space 1 plant per planter cell si the spacing
  recommendation.

42

• Pollination In order for the plants to produce
  seeds, pollen must be transferred form one plant
  to another. This is called cross-pollination.
• Temperature70degrees F to 80 degrees F.
• Water Plants require a continuous supply of
  water. Must not be allowed to dry out for more
  than a few hours.

43
Your Job is to

1. Design an experiment by changing one of these
   variables.
2. Which one would you like to work with?
3. Remember, the first step in planning a good
   science project is asking a good question which
   can be experimented on.

44
In closingdiscuss in your group these questions

• Do you think that changing one variable would
  make a difference in the life cycle of the plant?
• How would they be different?
• How might their cycle be slowed down or speeded
  up?
• Would they still produce flowers?
• Would they produce seeds?

45
http//www.fastplants.org/
46
August 22In your group.

• Decide which variable to test in this experiment.
• Each person is responsible for making careful
  observations and recording information.
• Decide who will take care of the control plants
  and who will take care of the experimental plants.

47
In your group, your next challenge is to.

• Decide which question or problem to investigate.
• Remember to develop a question with a narrow
  focus so that you investigate a specific topic.

48
Good Question example.

• What happens to the number of seeds a plant
  produces if we double the normal amount of
  fertilizer?

Question that is too broad or vague.
What happens if we give the plant a lot of
fertilizer?
49
Use the illustration of page 18

• This illustration will help you to formulate
  good, specific questions.

50
Identifying Variables

• Look in your notebook where you listed the 6
  items Fast Plants need to grow best in your
  student notebook.
• What variables do Wisconsin Fast Plants need to
  grow?
• Light
• Water
• Fertilizer
• Space
• Pollination
• Temperature
• Variable a component or part of an experiment
  that can change.

51
Start Activity Sheet 1A by listing all the
variables that you could possibly change
52
Planning Your Experiment

• In your groups, you will each receive four
  complete quads, or 16 plants to work with.
• Two of the quads will be the control group.
• Grown under ideal conditions to represent the
  normal stages of growth development
• Two of the quads will be your experimental group.
• Must decide on the ONE variable you will change
  for your experimental group.

53
MMMMM.What would happen if

• The plants were shielded from the light for 3
  hours a day?
• The plants received no fertilizer?
• The plants got twice as much fertilizer?
• The plants were overcrowded?
• The blossoms were not pollinated?
• The plants were under a different color light?
• The plants were given Red Bull in addition to
  water?

54
Getting Started

• Read Lesson 2 (pages 9 10)
• Read The Life Cycle of Wisconsin Plants (12-15)
• Think about the variable you would like to
  change.
• Light (change amount of light or light color)
• Fertilizer
• Space
• Pollination
• The following variables might be too hard to
  change in our classroom. You would have to come
  up with a good plan.
• Water (or type of liquid)
• Temperature

55
Variable FERTILIZER

• Sample Big Question Will the experimental plants
  grow taller/have more leaves/produce more seeds
  with 2x/3x/4x the amount of fertilizer?
• Sample Big Question Will the experimental plants
  be shorter/have less leaves/produce less seeds
  with no fertilizer?
• Control group 3 pellets of fertilizer per cell
• Experimental group more or less than 3 pellets
  per cell

56
Variable SPACE

• Sample Big Question If we do not thin out the
  experimental plants to one plant per cell, will
  the plants be shorter/have fewer leaves/produce
  fewer seeds than the control plants?
• Control group Plant 2 seeds per cell and thin.
• Experimental group plant 2 or more seeds per
  cell and do not thin

57
Variable Light

• Sample Big Question What will happen to the
  number of leaves/height or the plant if the type
  or amount of light is altered?
• Control group- UV light 24 hours a day.
• Experimental group create a colored light cover
  or deprive plants of light for a part of the day.

58
Variable Pollination

• Sample Big Question Will a plant produce seeds
  if it is not pollinated?
• Control group Make a bee stick and pollinate.
• Experimental group do not pollinate with the
  bee stick.

59
How Each Variable Affects the Plants
60
Lesson 3

• Outlining the Experimental Plan

61
Include the following in you plan

• Choose one variable to change and list the other
  variables as constants
• Identify a specific testable question involving
  that variable
• Identify something to measure
• Identify any foreseeable difficulties with
  equipment
• Choose a project that is possible to do
• Identify some observable features to monitor,
  such as height, color, time of flowering and
  number of leaves and pods.

62
Fertilizer Predictions

1. Will the experimental plants grow taller (have
   more leaves, produce more seeds), if we give them
   2, 3, or 4 times the amount of fertilizer?
2. Will the experimental plants be shorter than the
   control plants if we reduce or do not give them
   any fertilizer at all?

63
Space Predictions

• If we do not thin out the experimental plants to
  one plant per cell, but leave them over- crowded
  with two (or more) plants per cell will they be
  shorter (or have fewer leaves or produce fewer
  seeds) than the control plants?

64
Light Predictions

• What will happen to the number of leaves (or the
  height of the plant) if the experimental plants
  are in the dark for 5, 4, 3 etc. hours per day
  every school day?

65
Pollination Predictions

• Will a plant produce seeds if it is not
  pollinated?
• Will a plant produce seeds if it is self
  pollinated and not cross pollinated?

66
Lesson 4

• Planting Procedures

67
Planting Procedures Step 1

• Pick up all of your supplies from the
  distribution station (front lab table). Be sure
  that you and your group have these items in your
  tray before you begin planting.
• There are enough wicks, seeds, and fertilizer for
  all of the classes today. Use only the amount
  indicated in your material list.

68
Step 2

• Note that I have numbered and labeled your
  planter with the following information
• Period number and table number
• C C which is your control plants numbered 1 2
• E E which is your experimental plants numbered 3
  4

69
Step 3

• Place one wick in each cell of the planter quad.
  Use your forceps to pull the wick through the
  hole until the tip sticks out about 1 centimeter.
  Use the ruler that we are handing out.

70
Step 4

• Using the spoon, fill each section of the planter
  quad halfway with potting mix.

71
Step 5

• If you are not experimenting with fertilizer, add
  three fertilizer pellets to each cell. Look
  closely. The fertilizer pellets are much larger
  than the seeds.
• If you are experimenting with fertilizer, add to
  each cell the number of pellets called for in
  your experimental plan. Only add to the
  experimental plants. The control plants do not
  change.
• Add 3 pellets.

72
Step 6

• Fill each cell to the top with potting mix. Press
  down a little with your fingers.

73
Step 7

• Put a drop of water on your tray using the
  dropper and dip your toothpick in it.
• Use the wet toothpick to pick up one seed.
• Place the seed just below the top of the potting
  mix in one cell and cover it.
• Plant a second seed in this cell in the same way.
  
• Repeat until there are two seed in each cell of
  the planter.
• If you are experimenting with overcrowding,
  plant in each experimental cell the number of
  seeds called for in your plan.

74
Step 8

• Using the dropper, water very gently, a drop or
  two at a time, until water drips from the bottom
  of each wick.

75
Step 9

• Write your period number, and todays date on the
  label and place it in the planter.

76
Step 10

• Place your quad under the lighting system with
  the label facing out.
• Be sure that your quad is about 5 to 7.5
  centimeters (2 3 inches) form the light bulbs.
• Double-check to ensure that your planter is
  completely on the water mat.

77
How to complete the daily data record and how to
complete the graph
78
Completing the Daily Data Record

• Observations are done daily for your plant
• Include a detailed sketch
• Written description of appearance
• Height, color, number of leaves and buds
• Note of any changes, new developments
• Or a no change notation

79
Completing the Daily Data Record Continued

• Things that can be measured or counted
• Number of seeds germinated
• Number of leaves, buds, flowers, and length of
  leaves
• Time it takes for developments to occur
• Dates of germination, appearance of true leaves,
  first flowering and pod formation

80
Graphing Plants
5










4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
Height of Plant in cm
2
1.5
1
.5
1 2 3 4 5
Daily Growth
81
Lesson 5

• Thinning and Transplanting

82
Why is it important to thin plants?
83
What is a plant? Answers

• B and D
• True
• Cell Wall
• Cellulose
• a) cell wall, b) nucleus, c) cytoplasm,
• d) cell membrane, e) vacuole, f) chloroplast
• 6. False
• 7. Tissue

84
Answers cont.

• 8) a. Have ways to obtain water and other
  nutrients
• b. Retain Water
• c. Transport materials within their bodies
• d. Support their bodies
• e. Reproduce
• 9) Soil
• 10) Because there is more water in plant cells
  than in air, water from the plant evaporate into
  the air causing the plant to dry out.

85
Answers cont.

• 11. C
• 12. Vascular tissue
• 13. True
• 14. A sperm cell unites with an egg cell.
• 15. D
• 16. They study fossils and compare the chemicals
  in modern plants to the those in other organisms.

86
Answers cont.

• 17. Chlorophyll
• 18. Plants and green algae have the same form of
  chlorophyll.
• 19. Sporophyte, Gametophyte
• 20. False
• 21. a) sperm cells b) egg cells

87
Answers cont.

• 17. Chlorophyll
• 18. Plants and green algae have the same form of
  chlorophyll.
• 19. Sporophyte, Gametophyte
• 20. False
• 21. a) sperm cells b) egg cells

88
Angiosperms Answers

• Angiosperms
• B
• A. Produce flowers B. Produce fruits
• C
• B
• D
• A

89
Answers cont.

• 8. A. stamen
• B. anther
• C. filament
• D. petal
• E. stigma
• F. style
• G. pistil
• H. ovary
• I. sepal

90
Answers cont.

• 9. Stigma
• 10. Ovule
• 11. False
• 12. Animals get coated with pollen and brush
  pollen onto the stigma from one plant to another.
• 13. A) monocots B) dicots
• 14. Cotyledon

91
Answers cont.

• 15. A
• 16. B
• 17. B
• 18. A
• 19. B

• 20. A
• 21. B
• 22. a
• 23. A B
• 24. True

92
Characteristic of Seed Plants Answers

• B) Seeds
• A) seed structure
• B) Seed Dispersal
• C) Germination

• C, D
• Sporphyte, gametophyte
• A. Supports the plants
• B. Transports water, food and minerals
• 4. b

93

• 5. A
• 6. Leaves
• 7. Roots
• 8. A plant structure that contains a young plant
  inside a protective covering
• 9. false

• 10. B
• 11. C
• 12. A
• 13. Light, water and nutrients
• 14. False
• 15. Animals, water, wind, shooting out of a plant

94

• 16. The sprouting of the embryo out of a seed
• 17. B, d

• 18. A) anchors the plant
• B) absorbs water and
  minerals from soil
• C) stores food

95

• Select the variable you will want to change for
  your experiment.
• Cross off the variable from the list you will not
  change to the variable you will change
• Complete the rest of the form.

We predict that the experimental plants will grow
taller with 2 times the amount of fertilizer
because they will receive more of the nutrients
needed to grow.
Fertilizer
The 2 control group plants will receive 3 pellets
of fertilizer per quad cell. The 2 experimental
group plants will receive 6 pellets of fertilizer
per quad cell. We will measure the height of the
control group plants and the height of the
experimental group plants in cm.
96
TEAM NAME PERIOD
Fertilizer
Will the experimental plants grow taller with 2
times the amount of fertilizer?
Water
Temperature
Space
Pollination
Light
No
We will measure the height of the experimental
plants and the height of the control plants
We will count the number of seeds, leaves, and
flowers of the experimental plants and the
control plants.
We will observe the height of the experimental
plants compared to the height of the control
plants
We predict that the experimental plants will grow
taller with 2 times the amount of fertilizer
because they will receive more of the nutrients
needed to grow.
97
Planting Your Wisconsin Fast Plants!

• Lesson 4

98
Read How To Plant Brassica Seeds

• Pages 19-22

99
(No Transcript)
100
(No Transcript)
101
Keeping a Daily Record

• Monitoring Your Experiment

102
Each day you will need to keep a daily record of
your plant growth. Observations should be
detailed.Include the number of leaves, seeds,
flowers, and stems. Measurements should include
height of the plant.
In cm
of plants/ Stems of leaves of seeds of
flowers
103
Thinning Transplanting
104
The Brassica Flower
105
Getting a Handle on your Bee

• 12 days after planting

106
Germination

• 13 days after planting

107
Harvesting Thrashing the Seeds

• 40 days after planting

108
(No Transcript)
109
(No Transcript)
110
(No Transcript)
111
(No Transcript)
112
(No Transcript)
113
(No Transcript)
114
(No Transcript)