I. Curricular Framework

Concept:

Interdependence (2 of 2)

Essential Question:

What role do structure and function play in the Circle of Life?

Bridge:

Structure and Function

Content:

Plant Anatomy

Outcomes:

II. Standards Aligned

III. Instruction and Assessment

1. Connect: Connecting to the Concept Experientially

2. Attend: Attending to the Connection

Assessment, Phase One, Level of Engagement, Fascination:

3. Image: Creating a Mental Picture

Objective: Students will look at the structure and function of each part of their backpack, and imagine at least one structural change they could make to improve its function.

Activity: Students will work with a partner and list or draw each structure on or in their backpack and explain what its function is. When finished, the students will use their imaginations to brainstorm at least one structural change they could make to improve the function of their backpack. Students should draw a picture of the enhanced backpack.

Assessment: Quality of pictures exhibiting changes to backpacks.

Assessment, Phase Two, Seeing the Big Picture:

4. Inform: Receiving Facts & Knowledge

Objective: Instruction on how all of the parts/structures (roots, stems & leaves) of a plant work together (system) to efficiently carry out photosynthesis (function), making possible the interdependent relationship with respiration.

Activity:
1) Referring to the backpack activity, ask students what the overall function of a backpack is (to carry their stuff, etc.). Then ask what the overall function of a plant is (photosynthesis). Elicit more background knowledge as to what they already know about the different parts of a plant and what role in photosynthesis is.
2) Using lecture, laser-disk, video and large-scale models, instruct students on:
• the structure and function of roots, stems and leaves, focusing on the similarities between each of the structures
• the 3 forces involved in transporting water through a plant (osmosis, capillary action and transpirational pull)
• the connection between the ability of plants to make protein and the nitrogen cycle (If plants only make carbohydrates in photosynthesis, how can a plant make protein that contains nitrogen in addition to carbon, hydrogen and oxygen?)

3) As time permits, invite a guest speaker on genetically modified crops or other agricultural topic.

Assessment, Phase Three, Success with Acquiring Knowledge:

5. Practice: Developing Skills

Objective:
-text questions
-leaf, light & starch inquiry
-stomata inquiry
-root/stem lab
-water transport inquiry

Activity:
"Is light necessary for the production of starch in plants?" from Biology: As Scientific Inquiry by Ron Thompson. Students design an experiment in which one plant is place in the dark and one in the light for 1-3 days, starch tests are conducted on the leaves (must heat the leaves in water to break down the cell walls and boil in alcohol to extract the chlorophyll before applying iodine solution to determine if starch is present or not). Once students are certain that they do need light for starch production, many contradictions are presented such as "How come potatoes are made of starch when they grow under ground in the dark?" This is followed by a second experiment in which the leaves without starch that had been in the dark are placed in beakers in the dark, one with water and one with glucose solution. After 1 day, the glucose leaf tests positive for starch even though it had been kept in the dark. Students must then modify their previous conclusions. Glucose is needed to make starch, but light is needed to make glucose (photosynthesis).

2) Microscope labs to look at the structure and function of:
• stomata
• monocot and dicot leaves
• roots
• monocot and dicot herbaceous stems, woody stems

3) Study guides, annual ring and twig growth worksheet, questions from text.

4) Water transport inquiry lab (PDF file with each experimental set-up is attached). Students must hypothesize and design experiments using bean plants to determine:

• What role does the amount of leaf surface area play in the movement of water through a plant?

• Which plays the most important role in the movement of water through a plant, the absorption of water by the roots or the evaporation of water from the leaves?

5) As time permits, have students work with growing plants using hydroponic technology.

Assessment: Success of experiment.

Assessment, Phase Four, Success with Acquiring Skills:

6. Extend: Extending Learning to the Outside World

Objective: Plant research with fast plants - choose a performance assessment

Activity:
1) Conduct a long-term inquiry using Wisconson Fast Plants such as, "What effect does growth hormone (Gibberellic Acid) have on the height/length of a plant

2) Plant and Interdependence Performance Assessment: Students choose a topic to research that is an application of plant structure and function and its interdependent role in the "Circle of Life." Students then present what they have learned in a format that they prefer. Rubrics are also distributed so that students are clear on what they will be assessed on and to increase the level of performance.

Assessment: Success of presentation.

7. Refine: Refining the Extension

Objective: Refine performance assessment with a partner - compare to rubrics.

Activity: A few days before the Performance Assessments are due to be shared, students meet with their partner to show or "talk through" their project, comparing the work to the rubric This peer-editing process should include suggestions by each partner for ways to refine the final product.

Assessment: Success of peer-edit

8. Perform: Creative Manifestation of Material Learned

Objective :Share projects in teams and choose one to share with class

Activity: In teams of 4, students share their final products for the Plant and Interdependence Performance Assessment. Each team chooses 1 to share with the whole class (this saves on presentation time.) Projects such as models, artwork, and illustrated books are displayed in the classroom afterwards and, due to their visual nature, most videos are viewed by the entire class. There should be a celebratory feeling for all of the new learning.

Assessment: Success of project.

Assessment, Phase Five,Performance, Creative Use of Material Learned: