GRADE: Fifth

CONTENT STANDARD: Life Science

CONTENT TOPIC: Plants

CONCEPT: All plants go through life cycles.

CONTENT OBJECTIVE: 5F4.00 To understand the life cycle of non-seed bearing plants

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES: The learner will:

4.01 illustrate the life cycle of a fern.
4.02 explain alternation of generation of the fern.
4.03 list examples of non-seed bearing plants.

I. Spore reproduction
II. Vegetative Reproduction
A. Corm
B. Rhizome
C. Tuber

TN COMPONENT OF SCIENCE: Habits of Mind

TN GOAL:

To enable students to demonstrate ways of thinking and acting inherent on the practice of science; and to exhibit an awareness of the historical and cultural contributions to the enterprise of science.

HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE - The knowledge and processes of science have evolved over time as an approximation of truth within cultural contexts.

3.1c The desire to understand the natural environment and to predict the course of natural events is universal.

BENCHMARK: Curiosity and interaction with the environment compel people to question and explain events that influence their lives.

TIME REQUIRED:

45 minutes

Resource books for researching different plants and ways of reproduction

Today we will discuss the way a plant can reproduce from roots, stems, and leaves instead of the more familiar way of flowers, fruits, and seeds

(Write these words on the board and write the definitions for the words.)

(Corm - an underground stem that can produce new plants.) Examples of the corm are the gladiolus and the anemone. As the new plant grows, a new corm replaces the old corm. During the next growing season the new corm will produce a new plant.

(Rhizome - another kind of underground stem that can produce new plants.) An example of the rhizome is the iris.

(Tuber - a third kind of underground stem that can produce new plants.) Examples of the tubers are potatoes, begonias, and dahlias.

(Ferns - plants that have roots, stems and leaves, but do not have flowers.) Ferns use spores to reproduce. These spores can be found on the underside of the leaves at certain times of the year. Ferns have transport vessels and have the capacity to grow as tall as trees.

We will explore various methods of vegetative reproduction, a process in which reproduction originates from the vegetative parts of the plants (Roots, stems, leaves) rather than from its reproductive parts (Flowers, fruits, seeds). Plants reproduce both sexually and asexually. Propagation by the asexual method assures having new plants exactly like the parent and in a shorter period of time than the sexual reproduction. One type of asexual reproduction, vegetative reproduction, is possible because certain parts of some plants are capable of regeneration, or reproducing their missing parts. Bulbs, corms, rhizomes and tubers are all vegetative reproduction structures.

(Divide the class into groups of four. Each group picks a plant group of either corm, rhizome, or tuber to research their form of reproduction. Each group is required to write a report, illustrate their group of plant's reproduction process, and make a presentation to the class. Illustrations and reports will be included in an appropriate bulletin board.)

When we think of plants reproducing, we usually think of using seeds for this process, but today we have learned that other parts of certain plants can reproduce. Let's name the three groups of plants that reproduce from their roots, stems, or leaves. (Corm, rhizome, tuber) Answer this question in your journal. If you were planting a flower or vegetable garden, how would this information help you?

This is the time this file has been accessed since 08/01/97.

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