Articles tagged as "Plant growth, health and reproduction"
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Making a root move through a maze
A fun way to demonstrate gravitropism, by making the roots of a seedling grow through a maze.
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Tree Rings - The Science of Dendrochronology
The science of tree rings is known as dendrochronology. By studying cut sections of tree trunks you can determine the age of the tree, how fast it grew and what the climatic conditions were like during this time. This is a complete teaching package that can be used with pupils, with a case study of a forested area in North Staffordshire where trees were cut down. It is suitable for pupils at key stages 2 and 3.
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Thigmotropism is an adaptive growth response shown by plants to mechanical stimuli, such as being touched. This resource gives some ideas of ways that structural responses can be explored, providing opportunities for individual student investigations.
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A-level set practicals - microscopy of root tip mitosis
An improved and simplified version of this well-known practical, designed specifically for use for the new A-level practical specifications.
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Ins and Outs of Water - biology, chemistry and physics for 11-14 students
This collection of resources for 11-14 students uses the topic of plants to address important scientific ideas in biology, chemistry and physics. While investigating how plants have evolved to grow and flourish in many different environments, the students can cover topics including pure and impure substances, energetics, forces, physical changes and more. The resources involve a mixture of independent investigations, engaging and hands-on practicals, and activities to identify misconceptions and strengthen understanding.
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Plant Needs - biology, chemistry and physics for 11-14 students
This collection of resources for 11-14 students uses the topic of plants to address important scientific ideas in biology, chemistry and physics. While investigating how plants have evolved to grow and flourish in many different environments, the students can cover topics about atoms, elements and compounds, energy, and the particle model. The resources involve a mixture of independent investigations, engaging and hands-on practicals, and activities to identify misconceptions and strengthen understanding.
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Seed Dispersal - physics and biology at Key Stage 3
This collection of resources for 11-14 students uses the topic of plants to address important scientific ideas in biology and physics. While investigating how plants have evolved to disperse their seeds in different environments, the students can cover topics about forces, pressure in fluids, and forces and motion. The resources involve a mixture of independent investigations, engaging and hands-on practicals, and activities to identify misconceptions and strengthen understanding.
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Animations on key topics in plant biology, including photosynthesis, xylem and phloem, and cell growth and division.
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Revising A-level Biology: Plants 'R' Mint
'Revising A-level Biology: Plants ‘r’ mint' is an innovative revision resource, designed to encourage synoptic thinking and to develop a broader understanding of biology in A2 students. Each of the four student revision packs brings together a range of topics in animal, human and plant biology, centred on a common theme. The revision packs are intended to stretch and challenge students.
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Tropisms - how do plants grow in space?
This short activity uses recently published research into plant behaviour, conducted on the International Space Station, to get your students thinking more about tropisms.
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Video clip - Production of oxygen in plants
This BBC video clip demonstrates a classic experiment to investigate the production of oxygen by plants in sunlight. The design of Ingenhousz’ experiments can be discussed. The control of variables controlling photosynthesis such as light and heat etc. can be considered, and the way that only one variable can be changed while all others are controlled if firm conclusions are to be drawn.
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Video clip - How commercial growers increase crop yield
This video clip from the BBC (from the TV series Botany: A Blooming History) looks at how commercial growers manipulate the limiting factors of photosynthesis to increase crop yield. A lesson 'starter' when discussing limiting factors.
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Video clip - Norman Borlaug and selective breeding of wheat
This video clip from the BBC (from the TV series Botany: A Blooming History) introduces the American scientist Norman Borlaug, the man behind the 'green revolution' credited with saving over a billion people from starvation.
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Video clip - The case for genetically modified crop plants
This video clip from the BBC (from the TV series Botany: A Blooming History) looks at the case for genetic modification of crop plants, and could be used for a useful stimulus for a class discussion.
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Video clip - Genetic engineering to increase productivity in rice
This video clip from the BBC (from the TV series Botany: A Blooming History) discusses the importance of genetic engineering for feeding a growing population, introducing a group of research scientists working on rice. It can be used in the context of global warming and the ecology of LEDCs. It can also be used to discuss limiting factors and photosynthesis.
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Cress seeds are cheap and easy to grow, and offer a useful way to look at the germination process.
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Mung beans are cheap, reliable and easy to germinate, and offer a useful way to look at topics including plant growth, cells, plant nutrition and hydroponics.
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Beetroot make a useful and easily available resource for the science lab, for topics including cell structure, plasmolysis and membrane permeability.
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Great little plants for the lab, radishes can be used for investigations covering plant growth, plant nutrition and phototropism.
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Using Spider Plants in the Lab
Spider plants are a useful, cheap and reliable resource for investigating topics including asexual reproduction and the role of plant hormones.
