SBI3U
Plants-Anatomy, Growth and Function
By: Laura Pepper &
Suzette McLean-Fletcher
Teaching the Concept of Plant Reproductive Mechanisms and
Propagation:
A Summary
Background Information:
In higher plants there are mainly two methods of reproduction-sexual reproduction
that involves the formation of gametes where seeds are used for propagation and
asexual reproduction, in which there the vegetative parts are used for propagation.
Sexual reproduction in plants involves male and female plant organs. The female
structures involved in sexual reproduction are the stigma, the style and the ovary.
The stigma is the sticky portion of the pistil that captures pollen. The style is long
and slender and supports the stigma. The ovary is composed of one or more ovules
and is responsible for housing the eggs. The male structures involved in sexual
reproduction are the filament and the anther. The filament supports the anther
which is responsible for storing and producing pollen.
Pollination- the process by which pollen grain is transported from the anther to the
stigma, results in sexual fusion. Wind, water, insects, birds, and small mammals all
aid in the pollination of plants. The moist surface or chemicals on the stigma cause
the pollen grain to germinate by growing a tube. The tube grows to eventually reach
the ovary and penetrates to the ovule reaching the egg cell where a sperm nucleus
splits in two fertilizes the egg (a zygote and combine with polar bodies to form the
endosperm (stored fruit) - a nutritive tissue that sustains the embryo and seedling.
The seed is the mature, fertilized ovule. After fertilization the ovule develop into the
hard, water-resistant outer covering of the seed, called the testa, or seed coat. The
zygote develops into the embryo, and the endosperm cells multiply and provide
nutrition. The testa usually shows a scar called the hilum where the ovule was
originally attached to the funicle. The micropyle of the ovule usually survives as a
small pore in the seed coat that allows passage of water during germination of the
seed. Seed germination results in new plants (propagation)
SBI3U
Plants-Anatomy, Growth and Function
By: Laura Pepper &
Suzette McLean-Fletcher
The ability to produce new individuals asexually is common in plants. Under
appropriate experimental conditions, nearly every cell of a flowering plant is
capable of regenerating the entire plant. In nature, new plants may be regenerated
from leaves, stems, or roots that receive an appropriate stimulus and become
separated from the parent plant. In most cases, these new plants arise from
undifferentiated parenchyma cells, which develop into buds that produce roots and
shoots before or after separating from the parent.
New plants can be produced from aboveground( via stem, leaves) or belowground
horizontal runners (stolons of strawberries, rhizomes of many grasses), tubers
(potato, Jerusalem artichoke, dahlia), bulbs (onion, garlic), corms (crocus, gladiola),
bulbils on the shoot (lily, many grasses), parenchyma cells in the leaves (Kalanchoe,
African violet, jade plant) and inflorescence (arrowhead). Vegetative propagation is
an economically important means of replicating valuable agricultural plants
asexually, through cuttings (stem, leaves, roots), layering, and grafting. Using a
healthy plant, vegetative propagation is often faster, easier and cheaper than
growing more plants from seeds. It takes six weeks to grow a tomato seedling to
transplanting size, but you can root a stem tip cutting in half that time. In five
minutes, you can multiply one petunia or coleus into several happy plants, and it
will cost you nothing to start a new planting of grapes by sticking pruned branches
into a bed of moist soil.
A minority of flowering plants can produce seeds without the fusion of egg and
sperm (known as parthenocarpy or agamospermy). This occurs when meiosis in the
ovule is interrupted, and a diploid egg cell is produced, which functions as a zygote
without fertilization.
SBI3U
Plants-Anatomy, Growth and Function
By: Laura Pepper &
Suzette McLean-Fletcher
Advance Preparation/Teaching Ideas
Prior Knowledge
Before embarking on lesson students should have a good understanding of the
structure of plant root, stem and leaves as well as factors affecting plant growth
such as light, water, temperature and hormones (auxin and gibberellins). Teacher
must review these concepts with students. A good way to do this is to show videos
(you-tube) of these concepts and generate a class discussion.
Advance Preparation
Teacher will prepare and make ready the following facilities, equipment and
materials to be used over the period of the lessons:
Library- use of computers
Classroom multi-media system
Scalpels, small flower pots, beakers, spatulas,
Rooting media, peas, water,
Teaching ideas
Before teaching the concept of plant reproductive systems and propagation, teacher
should assess what students already know about it. This could be done using a KWL
chart (students complete the KW portion; teacher collect, assess and keep chart for
completion of L at end of lessons); diagnostic test or question and answer.
Other strategies that could be used are:
Video simulations/Gizmos (visual and auditory learners)
Laboratory activities (Lab Stations) (kinesthetic, logical-mathematical
learners)
Computer Lab stations (Visual learners)
Anticipation guide
Corporative group strategies ( Interpersonal learners)
Field Trip – visit to horticultural farm and /or orchard
SBI3U
Plants-Anatomy, Growth and Function
By: Laura Pepper &
Suzette McLean-Fletcher
Curriculum Expectations Addressed (Grade 11 Biology, Plants: Anatomy,
Growth and Function
F2.4 Investigate various techniques of plant propagation (e.g., leaf cutting, stem
cutting, root cutting, seed germination) [PR]
F3.3 Explain the reproductive mechanisms of plants in natural reproduction and
artificial propagation (e.g., germination of seeds, leaf cuttings, graphing of branches
onto a host tree)
Lesson Sequence
Many lessons would be needed to teach this concept as it is two -part, detailed and
involves several hands-on activities.
Lesson 1:
Sexual Reproduction in Plants
Hook: A song on reproduction in plants
URL: http://vimeo.com/1594115
A video will be shown to the class. Discussion will be generated.
URL for video: http://vimeo.com/1594037?pg=embed&sec=1594037
Students will be divided into groups and go through a PowerPoint
presentation (downloaded unto computers) which they will use to complete
a worksheet on reproduction in plants. Students will go up to slide 37 for this
lesson.
URL from which PowerPoint and worksheet were taken:
http://www.clickbiology.com/igcse-plant-reproduction-powerpointpresentation-worksheets/
(Scroll to bottom of page and click on link below student self study presentation for the
PowerPoint and the link below worksheet for the worksheet)
Lesson 2:
Asexual Reproduction (Natural Vegetative Propagation)
Students will watch video on asexual reproduction
You-tube video 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drcnTg7ZCoc
Advantages of asexual reproduction
Comparison of Sexual and Asexual Reproduction ( completion of worksheet)
SBI3U
Lesson 3:
Plants-Anatomy, Growth and Function
By: Laura Pepper &
Suzette McLean-Fletcher
Natural Propagation 1: Seed Germination
Gizmo
http://www.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?method=cResource.dspView&Re
sourceID=637
(a) Teacher will group students by asking them to get into groups of 3 and assign
each group to a computer.
(b) Students will assemble themselves in groups of three and sit at assigned computer
(c) Each student will be given a Student Exploration Sheet (as per Gizmo activity)
and execute the activities on the sheet.
(d) Teacher will walk around class to assist, check on progress and answer questions
as they complete task.
Lesson 4:
Artificial Propagation Techniques: cuttings-stem, leaf, roots; grafting;
layering
Teaching Strategy: Computer Lab Stations, Anticipation guide
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=GNnkYTQBlRo
Cutting-stem
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec5_9C5UIz0&feature=related
Leaf cutting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN17smOLdsA
Root cuttings
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gwCLs8LoTs
Grafting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jqlX6hqPno&feature=related
Layering
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=C-8pOPKyeLc
Students will complete work sheet as they visit each computer station
Lesson 5: Artificial Propagation Techniques continued
Laboratory Activity on Artificial Propagation
Students will work in groups
Assessment: Lab report
SBI3U
Lesson 6:
Plants-Anatomy, Growth and Function
By: Laura Pepper &
Suzette McLean-Fletcher
Field Trip to horticultural farm/and or orchard
Assessment: Worksheet (to be completed during trip)
Written report
Potential Student Difficulties and Possible Solutions
Students may find it difficult to remember terminologies. A vocabulary board/wall
will be made throughout the lesson and word puzzles used. Also students will
dissect a flower, draw and identify parts.
Students may have problems relating to vegetative structures of a plant. Actual
examples will be shown and meristematic regions identified.
Students may not understand how plants can be propagated artificially. Videos and
video simulations will be shown and done. Students will also carry out laboratory
activities.
Differentiated Assessment
Assessment FOR learning
 KWL chart
 Question and Answer
 Diagnostic Test
Assessment AS learning
 Worksheets
 Lab reports
Assessment OF learning
 Unit Test
 Culminating Activity
Portfolio- students will maintain a portfolio throughout the concept.
Culminating Activity: Students will choose how they want to do their
culminating activity




A journal entry on what they learned during lessons on Plant
Reproductive Mechanisms and Propagation (Intrapersonal)
Project-experiment demonstrating plant propagation (individual
choice of presentation) (Logical, Kinesthetic)
A song about what they learned (Musical)
A poem/story(individual choice of presentation) (Linguistic)
SBI3U
Plants-Anatomy, Growth and Function

By: Laura Pepper &
Suzette McLean-Fletcher
A PowerPoint presentation on what they learned that is taught to
the class (Interpersonal)
Teacher will device rubric for culminating activity which students will be given
before they start activity
Accommodations for ELL and IEP students
Several of the differentiated teaching and assessment strategies suggested are able
to help these students.
Extensive use of visual aids are used- videos, PowerPoint
Vocabulary wall and puzzles to help with difficulties in learning and
remembering the terminologies unique to the concept
Corporative strategies of working in groups, paired with non-ELL/IEP
students
Hands-on experimental activities
Applications and Societal Issues/Implications
1. Horticulture- Artificial plant propagation is the primary technique by which
this branch of science is carried out. Provides plants throughout the year.
2. Vital in maintaining varieties of plants and provides a way of keeping plants
from extinction due to unfavourable natural environmental changes.
3. Agriculture- growth of fruit crops, herbaceous (vegetable) crops etc.
4. Critical in achieving and maintaining economic viability/stability for many
countries, companies and persons. It is easier to grow plants from
propagation than from seeds as plants grow faster and a lot of plants can be
produced in negligible time. This means that fruiting time can be shortened
sometimes by more than 2 years improving efficiency.
Annotated References/Internet Addresses
1. http://vimeo.com/1594115
Song on reproduction in plants
2. http://vimeo.com/1594037?pg=embed&sec=1594037
Animation of plan reproduction
3. http://www.biologyreference.com/Re-Se/Reproduction-in-Plants.html
Notes on sexual and asexual reproduction in plants used in the
introduction and throughout the lessons
SBI3U
Plants-Anatomy, Growth and Function
By: Laura Pepper &
Suzette McLean-Fletcher
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=GNnkYTQBlRo
You- tube – Vegetative and Asexual Reproduction/ propagation
5. http://www.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?method=cResource.dspView&Resour
ceID=637
Gizmo used for seed germination assimilation.
6. The following sites provide short video demonstration on the various
techniques of vegetative propagation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=GNnkYTQBlRo
Cutting-stem
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec5_9C5UIz0&feature=related
Leaf cutting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN17smOLdsA
Root cuttings
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gwCLs8LoTs
Grafting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jqlX6hqPno&feature=related
Layering
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=C-8pOPKyeLc