Plant Growth & Development
Lesson 11
Pollinating Flowers
Students will need to cross-pollinate their plants using their bee sticks from day 12 through day 18. Students will also learn more about the symbiotic relationship between the Brassica plant and the bee.
Reading and highlighting the objectives in each lesson assures that participants are with you at the beginning of each lesson.
4. Lesson set up and Management
GLE 1.2.1 Analyze how the parts of a system go together, and how these parts depend on each other.
(Lessons 1-14, 16)
*Identify the parts of a system (e.g., roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds) and how the parts go together.
*Describe the function of a part of a system (e.g., leaves are the food factories of Wisconsin Fast Plants.)
*Explain how one part of a system depends upon other parts of the same system.
*Predict and explain how a system would work if one of its parts was missing or broken.
GLE 1.2.2 Understand that energy can be transformed from one object to another and can be transformed from one form of energy to another.
(Lessons 3-8, 10-12, 16)
*Identify sources of energy in systems (light energy is the source of energy in a plant system; food energy is the source of energy in an animal system).
GLE 1.2.3 Know that substances are made of small particles.
(Lessons 1, 2, 6, 9 10, 11)
*Observe and describe that some particles can only be seen with magnification (e.g., parts of seeds, parts of flowers, parts of bees).
GLE 1.2.7 Understand the life cycles of plants and animals, and the differences between inherited and acquired characteristics.
(Lessons 3-12, 16)
*Observe and describe the life cycle of a plant or animal (e.g., Wisconsin Fast Plant).
*Describe that the young of plants and animals grow to resemble their parents as they mature into adults (e.g., Wisconsin Fast Plants; bees).
*Describe inherited characteristics (e.g., leaf shape, flower shape and color).
GLE 1.3.8 Understand that living things need constant energy and matter.
(Lessons 3-12, 16 and EXTENSIONS: students also earn information from listed books, videos, web sites)
*Identify sources of energy and matter used by plants and animals to grow and sustain life (e.g., air, water, light, food, mineral nutrients).
*Identify sources of energy and matter used by animals to grow and sustain life (e.g., air, water, light, food, mineral nutrients).
*Explain how plants and animals obtain food (e.g., plants make food from air, water and sunlight, mineral nutrients; animals obtain food from other living things.)
GLE 2.1.1 Understand how to ask a question about objects, organisms, and events in the environment.
(Lessons 1-16)
*Ask questions about objects, organisms, and events based on observations of the natural world.
GLE 2.1.2 Understand how to plan and conduct simple investigations following all safety rules.
(Lessons 1-16)
*Make predictions of the results of an investigation (e.g., growth rate of the Wisconsin Fast Plant during the growth spurt).
* Generate a logical plan for, and conduct, a simple controlled investigation with the following attributes: 1) appropriate materials, tools, and available computer technology, 2) gather, record, and organize data using appropriate units, charts, and/or graphs
*Identify and use simple equipment and tools (such as magnifiers, rulers) to gather data and extend the senses.
*Follow all safety rules during investigations.
GLE 2.1.5 Understand how to report investigations and explanations of objects, events, systems, and processes.
(Lessons 1-16)
*Report observations or data of simple investigations without making inferences.
*Summarize an investigation by describing: -materials used in the investigation, -observations, data, results, -explanations and conclusions in written, mathematical, oral, and information technology presentation formats, -safety procedures used
GLE 2.2.1 Understand that all scientific observations are reported accurately and honestly even when the observations contradict expectations.
(Lessons 1-12, 15, 16)
*Explain why scientific observations are recorded accurately and honestly.
*Explain why scientific records of observations are not changed even when the records do not match initial expectations.
*Explain why honest acknowledgement of the contributions of others and information sources are necessary.
GLE 2.2.3 Understand why similar investigations may not produce similar results.
(Lessons 3-12, 15, 16)
*Describe reasons why two similar investigations can produce different results (e.g., identify possible sources of error, different rates of plant growth).
GLE 2.2.4 Understand how to make the results of scientific investigations reliable.
(Lessons 3-12, 15, 16)
*Describe how the method of investigation insures reliable results (i.e., reliability means that repeating an investigation gives similar results).
GLE 2.2.5 Understand that scientific comprehension of systems increases through inquiry.
(Lessons 3-12, 15, 16)
*Describe how scientific inquiry results in facts, unexpected findings, ideas, evidence, and explanations.
GLE 3.2.2 Understand that people have invented tools for everyday life and for scientific investigations.
(Lessons 1-12, 15, 16)
*Describe tools (technology) invented to advance scientific investigations (e.g., rulers, plant lights, automatic watering system, magnification devices, the development of Wisconsin Fast Plants by Dr. Paul Williams for classroom investigations).
- Many plants follow a life cycle that begins with growth from a seed then proceeds through the production of many new seeds.
- Plants have different stages in their life cycle.
- To live and grow, plants need light, water, carbon dioxide from the air, and mineral nutrients from the soil.
- Flowering plants must be pollinated in order to produce seeds.
- Many plants are pollinated by bees.
- A flower’s pollen clings to a bee, but some rubs off when the bee feeds at other flowers.
Make sure students understand that they must cross-pollinate their Brassica plants. Each plant chemically recognizes its own pollen and prevents it from reaching its ovule. Pollen from another Brassica is not recognized and is allowed to reach the ovule so that seeds may be produced. The Brassica pollen grains are too heavy and sticky to be blown to other plants by the wind which is why the symbiotic relationship between the Brassica plants and the worker bees is so critical.
NOTE: If possible have your students view their bee stick under a microscope before and after cross pollination. Before cross-pollination, have students observe the hairs on the bee’s body. At higher magnifications, students will also notice tiny hairs on the bee’s wings. Students will observe that, after cross-pollination, the hairs on the bee’s body will be covered with pollen. A live bee will brush the pollen on her head and thorax to specialized pollen baskets on her hind legs.
Student Misconception
A common misconception students may have is that the bee’s wings and or body hairs are sticky and that’s why the pollen sticks to the bee when in fact, the pollen itself is a bit sticky. Have students feel both the pollen and the bee’s body to help them dispel this misconception.
Additional background for teachers:
The "pollen basket" is a bare spot on the bee’s hind legs surrounded by stiff hairs that hold a bundle of compressed pollen in place. The bee carries the pollen in the pollen basket back to the hive.
4. Lesson set up and Management
Student Management:
Students use a bee stick (dried bee glued onto a toothpick) to dust pollen from the flowers of one Fast Plant onto the flowers of another Fast Plant. This process is called cross-pollination. Wisconsin Fast Plants must be cross-pollinated because they recognize and reject their own pollen but will accept pollen from another Fast Plant.
10X magnified photo of two bee sticks after cross pollination. Note how bees are covered in pollen. The pollen clings to the hairs on the bees' bodies via tiny hooks covering the pollen grains, like Velcro®. Bees even have tiny hairs on their wings and eyes.
FINAL ACTIVITIES
Depending on the time of year when this unit is taught, the expectations you have for writing will need to be taken into account. Show student work from your classroom if available.
EXTENSIONS
Integrate classical music into your science lesson! Play "Flight of the Bumblebee" while your students are cross-pollinating their Fast Plant flowers. If you do not have "Flight of the Bumblebee" available at your school, simply click on this midi file. The file can be saved and played back on your computer and lasts for about 1 minute and 15 seconds. Make sure your students have their plant quads and bee sticks, and are sitting next to their science partners ready to cross pollinate when the music begins. Once the music stops, students stop cross-pollinating their Fast Plant flowers. Cross-pollinating using "Flight of the Bumblebee" adds excitement and fun for your students while putting a time limit on this activity. "Flight of the Bumblebee" was originally composed by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakoff (1844-1908).
Video
The Magic School Bus Goes to Seed ASIN: 1568328370
Reading Support:
The Magic School Bus: Inside a Beehive (Magic School Bus (Paper))
by Joanna Cole, Bruce ISBN: 0590257218
The Magic School Bus Plants Seeds: A Book About How Living Things Grow
by Joanna Cole, Bruce Degen ISBN: 0590222961
ScienceSaurus (use as a resource)
How A Plant Grows
Have students partner-read and write interesting facts and questions they may have on sticky notes. Students leave their sticky notes on the pages of the book until they are ready to transfer their sticky notes into their student notebooks. Students will read this book cover to cover over the course of this science unit.