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The exciting world of plants!


 Story image 1_0
4af04ce870d7e Sharla grabs a handful of pumpkin goo!
The finished product!
The other finished product!
Team work!
Everybody gets involved with cleaning out the fruit of the pumpkin.
Kyle's first cut.
Students learned that the pumpkin shell was the ovary of the fruit.
The seeds were kept and roasted for class the next day.
The face was the most important part!
Taking turns with the Jack-O-Lantern.
Still working. . .
Designing the face.
Kayla, meticuously picking out seeds to be roasted.
Sharla grabs a handful of pumpkin goo!

Life science students explore plants

For the past few weeks, the Life Science students have been studying plants.  Prior to the lesson began, most expressed that plants were NOT the most exciting organisms in the world.  However after students learned that roots, stems, and leaves provide more exciting functions than just their 'regular' jobs (such as the roots that dig into other roots to steal nutrients), they changed their minds!  

Recently the students began to study the reproduction of plants.  They examined flowers from around the school and saw how the flowers parts exist in many varying forms--they were even able to see the ovules in the ovary of a hibiscus plant.  


 Story image 2_0
4af04ce870d7e Victoriah and Hayley enjoy the fruity goodness of a tomato and a lime!
The kiwi fruit was a big hit--many didn't know it contained so many seeds.
Christian explores the inside of an avacado.
Christopher was the lone taker on the green pepper (which is the FRUIT of the plant because it contains seeds).
Victoriah and Hayley enjoy the fruity goodness of a tomato and a lime!

As students learned the scientific definition of a fruit (a plant part with seeds), they realized that many of the plants we call vegetables are actually the fruits of a plant (including cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, and green peppers).  They examined fruits to see links between numbers of seeds and their edibility, as well as the nature of the flesh.  They also observed evidence of flower parts (a scar remaining opposite of the stem).  They were then able to eat the fruits and taste the variety of flavors provided by nature.

The next day students were again able to study fruits and seeds--by dissecting pumpkins!  As they enjoyed carving Jack-O-Lanterns, they reviewed the processes that allowed this pumpkin to grow--pollination, fertilization, seed dispersal, and eventually germination.


 Story image 3_0
4af04ce870d7e This group shows how wind can disperse seeds--those with feathery projections or wings.
Hayley is the seed begin carried away by the water currents.
Christian is the innocent bunny, hopping through the woods. . .
when Tanner, the cocklebur clings to his fur!
A natural explosion occurs. . .
spreading seeds everywhere!
This group shows how wind can disperse seeds--those with feathery projections or wings.

And finally student groups were each responsible for a skit showing the 4 methods of seed dispersal--wind, water, animals/humans, and natural explosions.  They had a wonderful acting debut!

To wrap up the outcome, students will be asked to create a "Plants in Our Lives" poster depicting all the ways that we use plants on a regular basis.  To ask a 7th grader now, "Are plants still boring?" they hopefully would respond, "No!  And they taste good, too!"

 

 

 

 

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The exciting world of plants!

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Elgin Public Schools 101 N. 4th St. P.O Box 399 Elgin, NE  68636

402-843-2455 Fax: 402-843-2475

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