Water Movement in Plant Stems
TEKS Objective
The student is expected to observe, record, and compare how the physical characteristics of plants help them meet their basic needs such as stems carry water throughout the plant.
Essential Understanding
The student knows that organisms resemble their parents and have structures and processes that help them survive within their environments.
Science Background
Water Movement in Plants: Biology Reference (website) - Good explanation of the mechanics of plant water transport, from root to leaf.
Biology Reference
Water Movement in Plants, www.biologyreference.com
Plant Parts - Biology of Plants: Missouri Botanical Garden (website) - Basic information about plant parts and botanical terminology (e.g., photosynthesis, pollination, etc.), and a brief explanation of the difference between a fruit and a vegetable.
Plant Parts - Biology of Plants
Missouri Botanical Garden, www.mbgnet.net
Up Goes the Water - Science and Children Home Connections: Have you ever wondered how water defies gravity while moving upward from the roots to the leaves of a plant? Read this article and conduct the experiment to discover the answer for yourself.
Signature Lesson
Investigation 7 – Plants in Soil: Utah Education Network (website) - Plants need water and nutrients from the soil to survive. Observe how the stem transfers water and other important nutrients up through the stem. This is a fourth grade lesson, but it easily can be adapted for second grade.
Investigation 7 - Plants in Soil
Utah Education Network, www.uen.org
- Supporting Lessons
- Extensions
- Assessment Ideas
- Literature Connections
- Related
TEKS - Additional Resources
Supporting Lessons
Plant Parts Have Different Jobs: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (PDF) - Students model the work of the water- and food-carrying tubes inside a plant stem. Use Lesson 2.5 on page 11 (“Food Line”).
Plant Parts Have Different Jobs
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, www.wildflower.org
Elaboration Lessons and Extensions
Rainbow Flowers: National Geographic Little Kids (website) – Students observe, record and compare how water is carried up the stem of a white flower using food coloring and water.
Rainbow Flowers
National Geographic Little Kids, kidsblogs.nationalgeographic.com
Chromatography for Kids: education.com (website) - Students watch colors move as they are transported by capillary action.
Assessment Ideas
Compare how the physical characteristics of plants help them meet their basic needs such as stems carry water throughout the plant by choosing three other plants. Try the uptake of colored water on each of the new plants. Have students predict, observe and record the results of the investigation.
Literature Connections
Plant Parts. Spilsbury, Louise (ISBN-13: 978-1403405043)
Stems. Bodach, Vijaya, Khisty (ISBN-13: 978-0736863476)
The Reason for a Flower. Heller, Ruth (ISBN-13: 978-0698115590)
Additional Resources
The Life Cycle of Plants: Birmingham Grid for Learning (website) - Use this interactive set of activities to familiarize students the life cycle of plants, from seed to dispersal.
The Life Cycle of Plants
Birmingham Grid for Learning, www2.bgfl.org
TEKS Navigation
Grade 2
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