Invasion of the Plant-People!
Summary:
This activity is designed to help youth understand
that plants have basic needs for life, just like people and animals do.
Students will learn about xylem and phloem and how water flows through
plants by watching food-color flow through celery. Students will then
make their very own “plant person” to take home and watch grow!
Objectives/ Standards: Students will…
 Understand the life requirements of plants
 Understand how water and nutrients move through a plant
 Create a take home growing project
Background:
All living things have needs to survive. Each letter in the word
“PLANT” can remind us of some things that plants need to live: P-placein a container or in the ground for roots to grow and above ground space
for leaves and branches spread out; L-light- sunlight or artificial light
provides the plant’s energy source; A-air- carbon dioxide (CO2 used by the
leaves to produce storable food and structural elements of the plant) and
oxygen (O2 used by the roots to digest stored food and release energy
during the nighttime when the sun’s energy is not available); N-nutrientsnitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and other elements are essential for
various plant functions (some of the nutrients make up the material that
capture the suns energy, others help to store the energy); T-thirst- plants
(like all living things) need water. The Plant People that the students create
will provide the space, nutrients and water necessary for growing plants,
while the environment will provide light (sunlight) and air (CO2 + O2).
Humans have veins and arteries to transport water, oxygen and
nutrients throughout the body. Plants have a similar internal system, the
primary components of which are the xylem and phloem. These two
tissues transport fluid and nutrients from the roots up to the stems and
leaves, and then back again. The stalk of a celery plant is actually its stem.
If you cut a celery stalk in a cross section you can see the ends of what
look like round tubes. These are the bundles of xylem and phloem tissue
that transport the fluids and nutrients from the roots up to the leaves. Even
though the celery has been cut from its root the xylem and phloem will still
move fluid through the plant. Because the stem tissue of a celery plant is
relatively thin and clear you can see the transport of colored fluid in the
stem and where it ends up in the leaves.
Essential Questions: What are the big important questions this lesson addresses?
 How do plants move water and nutrients from roots to stems,
leaves, flowers, and fruit?
 When you eat celery what part of the plant are you eating?
 What are the life requirements of a plant?
Grade Level: 3-6
Duration: 60
Indoor/ Outdoor/ Both
Vocabulary/ key terms:
 Xylem
 Phloem
 Life requirements of
Plants
 Nutrients
Materials:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
nylon knee-highs
potting soil
grass seed
soda can
googly-eyes
glue (hot glue or super
glue work best)
paint or other craft
supplies to decorate the
body (soda can)
construction paper
tape
leafy stalk of celery
red food coloring
water
plastic cups
plastic knives
measuring spoons
Notes:
o
Soda cans, plastic cups,
knives, and celery are
not in the 4-H bin.
o Make sure the “tail” of
the stocking and the soil
in the head are well
wetted. If not, the water
will not wick up from
the can to the seeds.
o To prevent spillage,
have the kids fill their
cans with water when
they get home.
4H Junior Wildlife Stewards (2008)
Set-up: It would make things go faster if the seeds and soil are already measured out for the students in
separate cups.
Lead-In: Begin by asking the students if they know what things plants require to survive. Go over the
plant life requirements using the P-L-A-N-T letter breakdown from the background info. Ask them if
they know how a plant is able to get water and nutrients from its roots up to its leaves, flowers, and fruit..
Start with the celery activity so the results can be seen at the end of the lesson period.
Notes:
Xylem/ Phloem Activity:
1. Divide the children into groups of 2-4. Each group will need the following supplies:
one leafy stalk of celery, red food coloring, water, a plastic cup and a plastic knife.
2. Have each group cut at a slant across a leafy stalk of celery near the bottom. Then
make a lengthwise cut from the bottom to within an inch of where the leaves branch
out.
3. Fill the plastic cups about half way full of water and add 10 drops of red food
coloring to each cub.
4. Place the celery stalks into the cups of red water, cut side down.
5. Place the glass and the celery in a sunny spot in the classroom.
6. Look at the stalks at the end of the session. Ask whether or not the stalks look
different, and if so, why that might be.
7. Point out to the children that the celery stalk is actually a stem. The strings are the
tubes that carry the nutrients and the water the plant needs from the roots to the
leaves. These tubes are bundles of smaller tubes called xylems and phloem that act
much like our veins and arteries do. Point out the veins in the leaves. These are
similar tubes that connect with the tubes in the stem.
Making Plant-People:
8. After the celery experiment is started, begin the Plant People activity. Depending on
the age of the children, the pop can body can be substituted for a plastic cup. Each
child will need a nylon stocking, grass seeds, potting soil, a pop can, plastic googlyeyes, and supplies to decorate their plant person.
9. Pour 2 table spoons of grass seeds into the toe of the stocking. If the section of
stocking does not have a toe, tie a knot at one end and turn the stocking inside out.
Each section of stocking should be about 10 inches long.
10. Pour soil on top of the seeds and tie a knot to old in the dirt. Use enough soil to
form a tennis ball-sized shape. The seeds will eventually grow to form the hair of
the plant person and the rest of the ball forms the head. Using hot glue or super
glue, glue eyes to the “head” of the person remembering which side has “hair.”
11. After the glue dries, submerge the head in water to allow the water to penetrate the
soil. Set the head aside to drain excess water.
12. Use the various art supplies available to decorate the empty pop can or plastic cup.
These will form the plant person’s body.
13. Wet the tail section of the stalking and stuff it into the mouth of the can.
14. Students should fill the can with water as soon as they get home.
15. **When the hair has gotten long enough it can be cut to style!
Notes:
* The mouth of the soda can is a sharp opening, only adults should push the stocking into the opening.
* If children fill the can before getting home the water will inevitably end up spilling in the bus.
4H Junior Wildlife Stewards (2008)
Wrap-up :
Ideas:
 What can you do to help keep your plant people alive and healthy at home?
 What do plants do to help you survive?
 Students will get to see how the components of their plant people fulfill the necessary life
requirements of the grass seeds.
 Make sure to check the celery experiment before ending the lesson. Can students see how the
red die was transported from the water in the cup to the upper stem and leaves of the celery?
Extensions:
a. Based on the plant needs, what would be a good place for a garden? What would make a bad place
for a garden?
b. Garden Habitats lesson
c. Plant Your Name lesson
Relevant Books:
 Junior Master Gardener Handbook and Teach/Leader Guide: Texas Agricultural Extention
Service, 1999.
Other Relevant Activities/ Games:
 Gas Gobblers game
 Plant Balloons lesson
4H Junior Wildlife Stewards (2008)