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The exciting world of plants!

Life science students explore plants

by Sara Walsh on November 04, 2009

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.  

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.

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!"