Title of Module: Online Science for Children
Author: Gwen Amundsen
Prairie State College
Chicago Heights, IL
Modules used for inspiration:
“Plant Structure” by Jason Fitzgerald of Southeastern Illinois College.
Rationale for Adaptation:
The inspiration for writing this module was the stimulating science module “Plant
Structure” by Jason Fitzgerald of Southeastern Illinois College. Most
importantly, this proposal highlights the reality of using developmentally
appropriate technology in early childhood education classrooms. It also provides
a means for scientific growth for children of all ages and ability levels.
Course: Methods Course/ECED 108 Science for Children
Grade Level:
This is a college level course, but the lesson suggestions embedded in this module
are for use in grades K-3.
Description of Module:
Science for Children gives students basic knowledge of science concepts and
teaches them to integrate skills such as hypothesis testing, data gathering and
principle formulation into science education activities for children in+ early
childhood education settings. The online course will also teach students to
integrate technology into the classroom.
Transferability to Other Courses:
Other Early Childhood Education Courses (ECED)
Faculty Technology Skill Needed:
It is recommended that the instructor have a moderate level of technology skills.
Having a working knowledge of Adobe Photo Shop 6.0, and PowerPoint will
help. It has been found to be beneficial to have mastered taking an online course
prior to teaching an online course.
The Blackboard course management platform is utilized with the science
activities. Its text, video, and audio capabilities accommodate quizzing, discussion
and course management. The module will be developed for that platform.
Student Technology Skill Needed:
Minimum to none. Computer friendly. Early childhood students will work one to
one with a teacher, teacher’s assistant and/or parent helper.
Faculty Equipment Needed:
Current technology computer with Internet access
Microsoft Office installed
Scanner
Adobe Photo Shop
CD-ROM burner
Computer linked to LCD multimedia projector
Digital cameras
Student Equipment Needed:
Designated Computer Area in classroom
Computer lab access
Current technology computers with Internet access
Microsoft Office installed
Adobe Photo Shop
CD-ROM reader
Cost Involved:
Varies depending on wholesale/school discount prices for hardware and software,
approximately $1200 - $1500.
Improvement on Teaching and Learning:
The instructor/course developer will evaluate course content and instructional
design prior to initial course delivery. The course will be continuously evaluated
through instructional/student communication. OLE, a modified course evaluation
database will be used to evaluate the course at the end of each semester. The
course developer will incorporate a set of course specific, core questions into the
OLE tool. The questions can be modified in future semesters by the instructor, as
necessary. In addition the instructor will collect enrollment and retention data as
well as instructor-based evaluation of the course. The results of each step will be
used to revise the course at the end of each semester to ensure that it continues to
meet the highest possible standards of pedagogical quality and effectiveness.
Non-technology Comparison:
Putting the course online improves students’ access to early childhood education
courses. Successful completion of this course also gives them the specialized
skills of integrating technology into the early childhood classroom. Current
literature also supports the need to train early childhood teachers to integrate
technology into the classroom. In addition the use of technology is more cost
effective due to the fact that multi-media can be quite costly when integrating
scientific instruction in classroom activities.
Issues To Be Aware Of:
Copyright issues must be adhered to.
How To Use In The Classroom:
See “Science for Children” online module for a detailed description of how to
design a science lesson online and then burn the product onto a CD to be enjoyed
by everyone in class.
Educational and/or Technology Standards Addressed:
See K – 3 Standards Matrix at http://t3.k12.hi.us/t301-02/standards/k-3.htm
K-3 Standards Matrix
K-3 group has also created a Standards Community with links to more resources
for K-3 educators. Check out their Online Community at:
http://communities.msn.com/t3ers
Links to Resources to support implementation can be found at:
http://communities.msn.com/t3ers/links.msnw
CONTENT
K-3 BENCHMARKS
K
STANDARDS
1) Basic Operations and Concepts
Students demonstrate a sound
understanding of the nature and
operation of technology systems.
Use input devices for
computers such as
the mouse, keyboard,
and microphone and
various information
I
storage devices such
as disk drives.
Use a variety of
media and technology
resources for directed
and independent
learning activities and
the creations of
I
products.
1
2
3
P
M
M
P
M
M
PERFORMANCE
STANDARDS
1)The student
demonstrates to the
instructor that he or
she is able to perform
basic processes that
include e creating,
storing, editing text
information and
graphical information
on a computer.
2)The student
demonstrates
competency in
accessing information
from CD-ROMs and
other storage and
from the Internet as
appropriate media,
from software
programs, for the
student's
developmental level
K
1
2
3
I
I
P
M
I
P
P
M
Communicate
appropriate
terminology for
technology tools and
concepts.
Demonstrate proper
care procedures for
hardware and
software devices.
2)Social, Ethical, and Human Issues
Students understand the ethical,
cultural, and societal issues related to
technology. Students practice
responsible use of technology
systems, information, and software.
Work as a
contributing member
of a team (which can
include peers and
others) when using
technology in the
classroom.
Describe and
personally
demonstrate positive
social and ethical
behaviors when using
technology or as a
means of
communication or
creating a product or
service.
Give reasons for
exercising
appropriate caution
when using the
Internet.
I
P
M
M
I
P
P
P
I
P
I
P
P
M
I
P
P
M
3) The student
consistently utilizes
the proper terminology
for various hardware
I
and software program
functions when using
computers in class.
4) The student
regularly shows
responsible behavior
for the care of
I
computers and of
information stored in
computers in the
classroom.
1) The student
contributes work as a
member of a team in
creating a product of a
learning activity that
utilizes computer
technology.
2) The student gives
the characteristics of a
responsible "netizen
and some basic rules
for personal safety
when using the
I
Internet (such as
never giving out one's
name, address, or
phone number to
strangers on the net).
3) The student makes
the analogy between
stealing and software
piracy or license
I
violation and states
reasons why
intellectual property
needs to be protected.
P
M
M
P
P
M
I
P
P
M
M
P
P
M
Describe and
demonstrate the
ability to practice
responsible use of
technology systems
and software.
Identify the ways in
which concepts of
personal property
apply to technology.
3) Technology As a Tool for Productivity
Students use technology tools to
enhance learning, increase
productivity, and promote creativity.
Students use productivity tools to
collaborate in constructing
technological-enhanced models,
preparing publications, and producing
other creative works.
Create appropriate
multi-media products
and presentations
appropriate to own
developmental level. I/P
P
P
P
P
P
P
Know features and
uses of current and
emerging technology.
I/P
1)The student uses
developmentally
appropriate software
programs to create
stories, reports, or
essays that combine
any combination of
text, pictures, sounds,
and video.
2)The student
progresses
satisfactorily through
software programs
that are designed to
strengthen basic skills
and critical thinking
skills that are focused
on the various content
areas (such as
programs relating to
math, reading,
science, music, etc.).
I
I
P
M
I
P
P
P
Use similar
technology resources
(e.g., puzzles, logical
thinking programs,
writing tools, digital
cameras, drawing
tools) for problem
solving,
communication, and
illustration of
thoughts, ideas, and
stories.
I
I/P
4) Technology As a Tool for Communications
Students use technology to
communicate, to collaborate, publish,
and interact with peers, experts, and
other audiences. Students use a
variety of media and formats to
communicate information and ideas
effectively to multiple audiences.
Access, process,
organize, and
communicate
information using the
appropriate
technology
communication tools
to gather information
and to communicate
I
I/P
with others (e.g.,
Using e-mail, the
Internet, video,
telephone, wordprocessor, or paperand-pencil to create a
class poster on a
selected theme).
Describe various
technology tools and
their functions in
communication.
I
P
5) Technology As a Tool for Research
Students use technology to locate,
evaluate, and collect information from
a variety of sources. Students use
technology tools to process data and
report results. Students evaluate and
P
P
1) The student uses
electronic means of
communication to
connect with and do
interactive messaging
with another student
outside of the
classroom.
P
P
P
P
2) The student states
where to find online
sources of "experts
(live or automated)
that can help them in
creating products of
learning activity in the
classroom
I
P
P
M
I
P
P
M
select new information resources and
technological innovations based on
the appropriateness to specific tasks.
Identify and use print
and electronic
sources of databases
in the collection,
organization, and
display of data.
Process information
retrieved
electronically (e.g.,
retrieving some
statistical information
over the Internet and
turning the
information into a
chart or graph).
I
P
P
M
I
P
P
M
1) The student uses
online and standalone
electronic reference
materials, such as
CD-ROM and online
encyclopedias.
2) The student knows
what kinds of
information resources
are available at the
school library,
including the ways the
librarian can assist in
both print and online
information sources.
3) The student
demonstrates basic
awareness of what
makes information
relevant or irrelevant
to the learning task at
hand.
6) Technology As a Tool for Problem-Solving and Decision-Making
Students use technology resources for
solving problems and making informed
decisions. Students employ
technology in the development of
strategies for solving problems in the
real world.
Describe and explain
The student makes
a simple information
several analogies
system that has input,
between different
I
P
P M
process, output, and
systems, living and
feedback.
non-living, and the
way computers work.
I
P
P
M
I
P
P
M
I
P
P
P
I
P
P
M
Module
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Plants use flowers to transfer their pollen and make seeds. In this section, you will
have a chance to learn about flowering plants. Please don't pick any flowers to look
more closely; let the plant live where it is growing and instead you can visit it, take a
picture or make a drawing that you can label.
There are millions of different types of plants in the world, but most of them have
these basic parts:
<roots>
<rhizomes>
<flower>
<stem>
<leaves>
(light + water + carbon dioxide = water + oxygen + sugar)
Leaves and other parts of the plant are green because they contain a pigment called
chlorophyll which absorbs red light, and emits green light. That makes the plants
look green. (Hint, remember for the quiz later...)
Plants, like people, make new plants by combining female parts and male parts.
Plants, unlike people, can have male and female parts on one flower (monoecious),
or separate (dioecious). The male part produces pollen that is transferred to the
female part where it is fertilized and made into a seed or fruit. The seed or fruit will
then be released from the mother plant to germinate and grow in a new place.
Pollen can be transferred in a few different ways:
Animals - bats pollinate some plants by picking up the pollen when they are feeding
on the plant's nectar
Insects and Birds - these critters are attracted to flowers by their brightly colored
petals and lovely scent. The insects and birds drink the nectar and get some pollen
dust on their bodies as they are drinking. The next plant they visit will receive some
of the pollen from the bird and hopefully the pollen will travel down the stigma and
become fertilized. Click here for a photo of a bee pollinating a flower.
Wind - some pollen is so light and aerodynamic that it can fly to other plants. An
example of this is the pollen from grass that makes people sneeze in the spring. We
call this an allergic reaction.
Water - other plants have floating pollen that drifts around until it meets a female
flower to pollinate. Canadian pondweed (found in fish tanks) is a plant like this.
Seeds will germinate when these conditions are just right:
temperature, moisture, sunlight, soil type, pH
The seed contains some food from the mother plant, so it can begin to grow
immediately. Once it has developed a few roots and some leaves, it can make its
own food by photosynthesis.
(pH is a measurement of how much acid or base is present in soil or water. A low pH
number means something is acidic - like orange juice or vinegar. A high pH means
something is chemically a 'base').
<anther>
<filament>
<stamen>
<pollen>
<petal>
Another way plants attract insects is by having a strong scent. This leads the insects
to the flower where they will drink the nectar and receive the pollen along the way.
<sepal>
<stigma>
<style>
<ovary>
<pistil>
<ovule>
<receptacle>
There are lots of words that botanists use to describe flowers. The words aren't
always the most important part, but learning what each part does and being able to
recognize them is. If you would like to learn more, go to your library and search for
books about plant biology.
The Structure of Flowers
All flowers are variations on a simple, basic plan. Some flowers are tiny and hard to
see: others are showy and flamboyant, like orchids and roses. Some flowers grow in
clusters, some bloom alone. All flowers, however, have a protected ovary to contain the
seeds, and stamens to produce the pollen.
Flowers were developed by land plants. Showy petals and sweet nectar are often
produced to lure insects to the blossoms. Insects carry the pollen from flower to flower,
ensuring exchange of the information encoded in the chromosomes.
Flowers have a
well-defined
structure. When the
bud appears on the
stem, we see the
green sepals. Sepals
are the green parts
that protect a flower
bud before it opens.
There is usually one
sepal for each petal.
All together the
sepals are called the
calyx (pronounced
kay-licks). After the
flower opens the
sepals can still be
seen behind the
petals. The sepals
protect and
sometimes support
the corolla (all the
petals together).
The petals are really advertisements for insects, signaling "Nectar Here!" Nectar is
secreted at the base of the petals on the inside of the flower. The nectar is used to lure
insects to the flower, and it is placed so that the insects get a dusting of pollen as they
crawl to the nectar and lap it up. Then the insects fly off to other flowers, taking the
pollen from the first flower with them.
Let's look more closely at the parts of the flower that make the seeds.
The inside of the flower holds the reproductive parts. The stamens, which are orange in
our diagram, produce the pollen, which is represented by yellow dots. The pistil, which is
the green part in the center of the flower, is considered to be the female part: you can see
the unfertilized seeds waiting in the ovary at the bottom of the pistil.
The Pistil
The pistil is the part of the flower that produces the seeds. It consists of three parts:

the stigma – The pollen grains stick to this small sticky pad.

the style – The pollen grains grow down through this stem-like cylinder.

the ovary – This is where the young seeds wait for the chromosomes in the
pollen and where they grow into mature seeds.
The wall of the ovary protects the developing seeds. When the seeds are mature they are
often found in some sort of seed case, a pod, perhaps, or a fruit or berry. Animals and
birds that eat the fruit scatter the seeds abroad.
The Stamen
Stamens are slender structures
that hold the pollen. They consist of two parts:

the anther – a small case in which the pollen grains form

the filament – a slender stem that supports the anther
The pollen grains form in the anthers, which open when the pollen is mature. The pollen
is a fine, powdery, golden dust that is easily picked up by an insect or a finger.
A flower may receive pollen from many different kinds of plants. However, only
pollen grains from the same kind of plant will begin to grow. The pollen sticks to the
stigma and a tiny tube grows down from the pollen grain. When it reaches an unfertilized
seed, the sperm cells in the pollen slide down the tube and fertilize the seed. It may take a
day or two for the little tube to grow. Once the seed is fertilized, it stays in the ovary and
matures. The seed will have two parts: a cell that is ready to grow into a new plant, and a
food supply to help the new plant to grow.
Botanist’s In-Training Vocabulary
Students will go to trial@quia.com and design online flash cards with the following
words. Go to www.rbg.ca/cbcn/en/kids to access the following vocabulary list.
A
Aerodynamic - a shape that allows wind to travel around it so the object can go
faster and not be stopped by the wind
Agriculture - the science of raising crops or livestock for profit and subsistence
(living or survival)
Allergic reaction - when your body thinks something that you breathed or ate or
touched is dangerous, but isn't, it sometimes tries to fight it off. This can make you
feel like you have a cold or are sick when you aren't really.
Algae - a tiny plant-like organism that can make its own food. Sometimes it is only
one cell, or lots of cells together in a blob.
Alien - although we usually think alien means from another planet, it really just
means from another place. It can also mean strange or different.
Arboreta/Arboretum - a place or garden where trees and shrubs grow
Atmosphere - the mass of air surrounding the earth like a blanket. It contains all
the gases like oxygen and carbon dioxide that living things need to survive.
B
Biodiversity - the total diversity of life on Earth, regardless of how humans use
them or find them valuable, so not just food crops or cute animals - all living things
count.
Botanical garden - a garden with greenhouses and plant collections for scientific
study and people to visit.
Bud - the little bit on the end of a plant that will develop into new leaves, flower or
branch. They usually open in spring.
Burr - a rough or prickly bit of a plant that contains fruit.
C
Carbon Dioxide - a gas found in our atmosphere that has one molecule of carbon
and two molecules of oxygen.
Cell - one of the smallest bits inside every living thing. They are surrounded by a
wall called the membrane and have inside them: our DNA (strings of code that tell
our cells when to make muscle cells or bone marrow), our energy converters, the
nucleus (like a mini brain) and other things that make living things work.
Chemical - usually means a substance that has been created in a laboratory and
has certain properties that affect other matter (stuff)
Chlorophyll - the green pigment molecule that plants use during photosynthesis to
make food from the sun's energy, carbon dioxide and water.
Cloning - to make a copy of something, an exact duplicate
Cone - a group of scales joined to a central stalk that contain either ovules or pollen
(male or female parts)
Coniferous - mostly trees and shrubs that are evergreen (don't drop their needles
every fall before winter) and have true cones where they produce seeds
Colonize - to establish a new colony or group of individuals in a new place
Conserve - to keep safe and sound and prevent destruction or waste
COSEWIC - Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. They
study and decide on which plants and animals are at risk of disappearing in Canada.
Cotyledons - the first leaves on a seedling
Crop - a plant or animal that can be bred and used for profit or to survive on (like
corn, wheat or rice)
D
Deciduous - really means to fall off, but in plants it means that some parts of a
plant are shed depending on the season, like when leaves fall before winter (that's
why we call it fall...)
Dioecious - when a type of plant has some flowers that are female and others that
are male, instead of having some female parts and male parts on the same plant.
Diversity - when things are different from each other
Dormant - not actively growing, but protected and ready to grow when conditions
are right (think of a hibernating bear; dormant means sleeping in French)
E
Ecosystem - a complex community of organisms and the environment they live in.
This would include all animals, insects, fungi, plants, bacteria, soil, air, water, rocks
and people. (Don't forget that people are part of an ecosystem too!)
Embryo - a developing plant before it has left the seed. It has a root cap,
cotyledons, food source and stem, but it hasn't yet grown out of the protective seed
coat.
Endangered - in danger of extinction
Ephemeral - grows in early spring before the leaf canopy shades them out
Epicotyl - the part of the stem above the first leaves
Erosion - to slowly eat away or disintegrate with time. Soil erodes by washing away
with water, blowing with wind or sliding downslope gradually or quickly (landslide)
Evaporation - when a substance goes from liquid to vapor. When sweat
evaporates from your skin, it goes from liquid to tiny vapor particles in the air.
Extinction - when something, usually a living thing, is no longer alive anywhere in
the world. An example of this is dinosaurs or the Wooly Mammoth. They no longer
live anywhere on Earth.
F
Ferns - a leafy plant that reproduces by making spores
Fertile - producing or capable of producing fruits (that contain seeds for new
individuals)
Fertilization - when the pollen grain and ovule fuse to make an embryo (will begin
to form the seed)
Fertilize - adding something (like manure or chemicals) to the soil to make it more
capable of growing plants. They usually contain nitrogen and potassium, two things
plants really need to grow.It can also mean that a plant's egg has been fertilized
(male part or pollen has fused with the female ovule)
Fertilizer - usually a mixture you can buy at the store to enrich or improve your soil
Filament - a long thin series of cells attached to each other. This forms a long tube
that substances can travel through.
Flower - a special modified part of a plant that is used for reproduction
Foreign - from another place
Fruit - the fleshy often edible (you can eat it) part of the plant. Contains the seed.
Fuel - the material used to produce heat or burning
Fungi - plants that grow and get food by living on other plants and absorbing their
nutrients. They reproduce by making spores. They do not have chlorophyll and can't
make food by photosynthesis.
G
Geotropism - a response in plants to gravity. The roots grow down with gravity.
Germinate - when a seed begins to grow as a plant with leaves, stem and roots;
or when a pollen grain lands on the stigma and begins its way down to the ovule
Gravitropism - same as geotropism: a response in plants to gravity. The roots
grow down with gravity
H
Habitat - the place where an organism grows and lives
Herb - a plant that produces seeds, but doesn't have wood like trees or shrubs
Herbarium - a room or building that has dried plants for scientists to study
Herbicide - any substance, natural or human made, that kills plants
Hormones - a substance produced by living cells that cause specific reactions in
living organisms. There are some plant hormones that cause growth.
Horticultural plants - often plants that are bred for their beautiful flowers or
scent or appearance
I
Indigenous - produced, growing or living in a particular place
Invasive - tendency to infringe and take over
J
K
Kingdom - there are 5 kingdoms or groups to classify living things: plants,
animals, protists (single cells with a nucleus), fungi, prokaryotes (single cells without
nucleus). This is a way for scientists to classify and study living organisms. It is
called taxonomy.
L
Leaves - the flat green parts of the plant at the end of a stem that contain
chlorophyll and make food during photosynthesis
Lichen - a symbiotic relationship between fungi and algae that results in a single
form
M
Medicinal plants - plants used to cure illnesses
Molecule - the smallest part of an element that still acts like that element, itself is
composed of tiny atoms.
Monoecious - a plant that has male and female parts on the same plant.
Moss - a type of plant that doesn't flower, but has two different stages of life: one
is a mature plant that produces spores, the other is a female or male plant that grew
from a spore that somehow (usually through raindrops) be fertilized and make an
embryo. That embryo grows into a plant that produces spores. Sounds complicated
and it is.
N
Native - belong to a particular place by birth, living or growing naturally in a
particular place.
Nectar - the sweet liquid part of a fruit or flower
Nutrient - a substance that promotes growth
O
Ornamental - grown to look pretty in a garden
Ovule - encloses the embryo and will be part of the seed
Ovary - holds up the ovule and pistil (female parts)
Oxygen - an element that living things need to keep their cells alive
P
Painter Bugs - cute virtual insects that want to tell everyone how important it is
that insects and other animals spread pollen from flower to flower (they think they're
painting...). Some people think there's a whole hidden Web page with lots of Painter
Bugs on it somewhere in here at the CBCN for Kids Web site. None of the Painter
Bugs will tell us where it is. Can you find it?
Perennial - a plant that will grow every year (annuals are the ones you have to
plant each year and they don't live through the winter)
Petal - brightly coloured leaves on a flower
pH - refers to how acidic or basic a substance is (this depends on the number of
charged ions). Each unit of pH is a unit of 10, so from 6 to 7 is ten times higher. pH
is important for plants because they can only tolerate certain ranges of pH, so if the
soil is acidic (low pH), they may not survive.
Photosynthesis - a set of chemical reactions only a plant containing the pigment
chlorophyll can perform. The plant takes energy from the sun that comes in contact
with leaves in the form of light, combines it with carbon dioxide from the air and
water from the soil to make a sugar called glucose. They use this as their food
source and are the only living creatures on Earth that have this ability. Every other
life form depends on plants for food supply.
Phototropism - a response in plants to light. The stem and leaves grow up
towards the sun.
Phylum - another category in taxonomy (the classification of all living things). It is
second highest, one below Kingdom. The lowest is species.
Pigment - found in biological organisms and their chemical structure gives a colour
to whatever it covers.
Pistil - the term used for the combined female parts of a plant (ovary, style and
stigma)
Plant - any living thing that contains cell walls made from cellulose. We know them
as leafy green things that can perform photosynthesis and don't move.
Pollen - a mass of tiny grains that will land on a female part and become the male
part of an embryo.
Pollen Tube - a tube that is formed by a pollen grain and takes the male part to
the embryo sac of the flower where they will join to make an embryo and the seed
around it.
Pollination - the transfer of pollen from stigma to stamen (male to female parts)
Population - the whole number of individuals living in a certain area
Primary Producer - those organisms which can convert the sun's energy into food
(plants)
Primitive - refers to something which originated a long time ago in history and may
not be as advanced as some of the more recent life forms. A moss is primitive while
a flowering plant is more advanced because moss are dependent on lots of water to
reproduce and flowering plants can produce drought-resistant seeds.
Q
R
Rare - something that doesn't occur or exist in many places
Restoration - bringing something back to its original condition. This is very difficult
to do with natural lands and systems since we aren't always sure how they started
out.
Rhizome - a long and horizontal underground stem that holds food stores, and,
unlike roots, has buds, nodes, and usually scalelike leaves
Root - the underground plant part that absorbs water and nutrients, stores food,
anchors and support the above ground plant.
S
Seed bank - a place where seeds from different plants are dried and kept cold for
later use. They are important tools for plant conservation and the protection of
diversity.
Seed - the fertilized ovule of a flowering plant that contains an embryo. It will
germinate to produce a new plant.
Shrub - a low growing woody plant
Soil - the upper layer of earth that may be dug or plowed and in which plants grow
Species - A group of closely linked individuals, whether flora or fauna, which are
different from other groups and have many commonalities with each other
Spore - a dormant cell produced by a plant that will grow into a new individual
Stamen - contains anther and filament and produces pollen grains (male part of
plant)
Stem - the central upright part of the plant that holds up the shoots and leaves. It
transports water and nutrients from the roots to the leaves, and sugars from the
leaves to all the plant's cells.
Stigma - the female part of the plant where the pollen grains land and germinate
Style - the long tube that holds up the stigma on a flower
Symbiosis - a relationship between two living things where both benefit
T
Threatened - when there are signs of warning that something (plant) may be in
danger
Tree - a plant that produces wood using cells called xylem. It usually grows fairly
tall and keeps growing each year.
U
V
Varieties - different types or forms (shapes, sizes, colours etc.)
Vegetative growth - when a plant reproduces itself without using a seed.
Sometimes roots grow up from the ground and new leaves start a new plant.
Branches can also grow down to the ground and take root to grow as a new plant
Vines - a plant that grows in a creeping or twining way up and around walls or
other plants because their stem needs support
Vulnerable - any indigenous species at risk for a reason in nature or outside of
nature (e.g. human interference) with low or restricted population
W
Wood - the hard substance in plants that contains fibers and holds up the plant
XYZ
Xylem - a tissue in plants that transports water and keeps the stem upright
.
Experiment
The experiment will measure how water will move up through a plant (stem) by capillary
action .
Science Project: Celery Stalks at Midnight
by ed.gov
Did you ever wonder how a paper towel can soak up a spill, or how water gets
from a plant's roots to its leaves? The name for this is "capillary action."
Did you ever wonder how a paper towel can soak up a spill, or how water gets from a
plant's roots to its leaves? The name for this is "capillary action."
What you'll need
4 same-size stalks of fresh celery with leaves
4 cups or glasses
Grown-up alert!
Red and blue food coloring
A measuring cup
4 paper towels
A vegetable peeler
A ruler
Some old newspapers
Your science journal
What to do
1. Lay the 4 pieces of celery in a row on a cutting board or counter so that the place
where the stalks and the leaves meet matches up.
2. Cut all 4 stalks of celery 4 inches (about 10 centimeters) below where the stalks and
leaves meet.
3. Put the 4 stalks in 4 separate cups of purple water (use 10 drops of red and 10 drops
of blue food color for each half cup of water).
4. Label 4 paper towels in the following way: "2 hours," "4 hours," "6 hours," and "8
hours." (You may need newspapers under the towels).
5. Every 2 hours from the time you put the celery into the cups, remove 1 of the stalks
and put onto the correct towel. (Notice how long it takes for the leaves to start to
change.)
6. Each time you remove a stalk from the water, carefully peel the rounded part with a
vegetable peeler to see how far up the stalk the purple water has traveled.
7. What do you observe?
Notice how fast the water climbs the celery.
Does this change as time goes by? In what way?
8. Measure the distance it has traveled and record this amount in your science journal.
9. Make a list of other objects around your house or in nature that enable liquids to
climb by capillary action.
Look for paper towels, sponges, old sweat socks, brown paper bags, and flowers.
What other items can you find?
Capillary action happens when water molecules are more attracted to the surface they travel
along than to each other. In paper towels, the molecules move along tiny fibers. In plants,
they move through narrow tubes that are actually called capillaries. Plants couldn't survive
without capillaries because they use the water to make their food.
\
Virtual Field Study
The students will go on a virtual tour of the Chicago Botanic Gardens and have a
question and answer session with a Botanist.
http://www.chicago-botanic.org/
Specific Background Information
Plant Structure and Function
The "Typical" Plant Body
The Root System

Underground (usually)

Anchor the plant in the soil

Absorb water and nutrients

Conduct water and nutrients

Food Storage
The Shoot System

Above ground (usually)

Elevates the plant above the soil

Many functions including:
o
photosynthesis
o
reproduction & dispersal
o
food and water conduction

The principle parts of the plant used to carry water and nutrients form a ring near center
of plant. They are called the xylem and phloem. The xylem carries water and salts while
the phloem carries sugars and other compounds.
A simplified diagram of the plant stem might look like
this:
xylem
phloem
. Data will be collected in a table (see below) or presented in a graph. A digital
camera will be used to document data collection and illustrate the experiment.
Students should record the answers to questions posed in the experiment and
formulate other questions to address with this experiment.
Time (hr)
Color of dye
Distance traveled
Distance traveled in
time period
E-Portfolio
The e-portfolio will be used to access the students’ progress and understanding of
the concepts.