Objective/Purpose: Students will be able to explain, compare, and/or contrast how adaptations displayed by plants enable them to survive in different environments. Background Information: An adaptation is the way a plant species has changed over generations to better survive in its environment. Certain plants have special characteristics to help them survive in the wet, hot, and crowded tropics. Sunlight manufactures food energy through the process of photosynthesis. usually taken up through the roots, helps the plant move nutrients through the Water, plant. Air is necessary for the photosynthesis process. It allows the plant to take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Nutrients from the soil and decaying plants and insects are absorbed through the roots and help the plant grow strong. Too much rain on a leaf can cause it to grow mold or fungus. When mold grows on a leaf, the plant get as much sunlight as it needs and the leaf may rot. Imagine can’t leaving your wet sneakers outside for start getting moldy! Some weeks. They’d probably rain forest plants have a surface that repels water and helps them stay dry. Teacher Notes Students sometimes assume an adaptation develops over the lifespan of a single plant. We therefore avoid referring to a plant as which infers that the plant actually “adapting”, thinks about adapting and then takes action to do so. Instead, we talk about the adaptation as a characteristic or structure that has developed over many thousands of generations of plants. Adaptations help meet the basic needs of a plant species. ENGAGE: Have students hold their thumbs against their palms and then untie and tie their shoes. If they have laces, have them write their name on a sheet of paper. After a few don’t minutes, re-focus them, and ask if these tasks were difficult. Explain that thumbs are an adaptation that help us do many things and that all animals have body parts and other physical adaptations that help them to survive. We will take a look at the physical adaptations that plants have for survival. ESSENTIAL QUESTION: Explain how characteristics of plants can be affected by the environment. EXPLORE:
Objective/Purpose: Students will be able to explain, compare, and/or contrast how adaptations displayed by plants enable them to survive in different environments. Background Information: An adaptation is the way a plant species has changed over generations to better survive in its environment. Certain plants have special characteristics to help them survive in the wet, hot, and crowded tropics. Sunlight manufactures food energy through the process of photosynthesis. Water, usually taken up through the roots, helps the plant move nutrients through the plant. Air is necessary for the photosynthesis process. It allows the plant to take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Nutrients from the soil and decaying plants and insects are absorbed through the roots and help the plant grow strong. Too much rain on a leaf can cause it to grow mold or fungus. When mold grows on a leaf, the plant can’t get as much sunlight as it needs and the leaf may rot. Imagine leaving your wet sneakers outside for weeks. They’d probably start getting moldy! Some rain forest plants have a surface that repels water and helps them stay dry. Teacher Notes Students sometimes assume an adaptation develops over the lifespan of a single plant. We therefore avoid referring to a plant as “adapting”, which infers that the plant actually thinks about adapting and then takes action to do so. Instead, we talk about the adaptation as a characteristic or structure that has developed over many thousands of generations of plants. Adaptations help meet the basic needs of a plant species. ENGAGE: Have students hold their thumbs against their palms and then untie and tie their shoes. If they don’t have laces, have them write their name on a sheet of paper. After a few minutes, re-focus them, and ask if these tasks were difficult. Explain that thumbs are an adaptation that help us do many things and that all animals have body parts and other physical adaptations that help them to survive. We will take a look at the physical adaptations that plants have for survival. ESSENTIAL QUESTION: Explain how characteristics of plants can be affected by the environment. EXPLORE:
Essential_Lab_Grade_5_2013.Q3.Final%20(Combined).docx