Exploring and explaining germination, growth and development
A 32-page booklet, containing complete instructions for activities at each life cycle stage. The booklet also includes important background information about plant physiology and how to grow Fast Plants. A Growth, Development and Reproduction kit is available. You can also conduct all the investigations explained in the booklet using seeds from a packet of Standard Wisconsin Fast Plants seeds (or seeds from Fast Plants you grow yourself) and your own potting mix and growing system. Either way, you'll need to plan for providing adequate light. Learn about all these factors in the How to Grow files on the Fast Plants website.
1. Resource Title: Exploring and Explaining Germination, Growth, and Development in Wisconsin Fast Plants
2. Resource Type: Downloadable PDF Booklet
3. Subject & Topic: Biology, Life Science, Botany, Plant Physiology, Plant Life Cycle, Genetics & Inheritance, Environmental Factors
4. Target Audience/Grade Levels: Middle School, High School (adaptable for elementary investigations as well)
5. What's Included (Specifics & Quantity): This 32-page PDF booklet provides complete instructions and background information for hands-on investigations throughout the entire plant life cycle of Wisconsin Fast Plants. It covers germination, growth, development, flowering, pollination, fertilization, and seed development. The booklet includes student activities, growing tips, background information on plant physiology, black-line masters for data tracking (e.g., Tracking Growth and Development data sheet), and materials lists for each activity, such as Petri dishes for germination, metric rulers, hand lenses, and dried bees for pollination.
6. Quality/Resolution: High-quality, printable PDF file for classroom and personal use.
7. Potential Uses & Applications: Ideal for classroom plant setup, conducting inquiry-based plant investigations, and hands-on science investigations. Educators can use this resource for student-designed experiments, data collection in plant studies, and analyzing plant growth data. It supports project-based plant learning and phenomenon-based science lessons related to plant growth and development. Investigations can be conducted with a "Growth, Development and Reproduction kit" or with basic materials like Fast Plant seeds, potting mix, and a growing system.
8. Educational Value & Benefits: This booklet allows students to explore plant growth investigation, seed germination experiments, and flowering and reproduction lessons. It fosters a deeper understanding of plant physiology, the stages of plant growth, and how genetics plus environmental factors (like light and nutrition) influence growth, development, and reproduction. Students engage in observing growth and development, tracking changes in plant appearance, counting leaves and flower buds, and measuring plant height, supporting evidence-based reasoning in science.
9. Key Features/Highlights: Features activities for each life cycle stage of Wisconsin Fast Plants, from seed to seed in 35-45 days. It provides detailed instructions and background on how to grow Fast Plants, including essential considerations like providing adequate light. The content aligns with core plant biology concepts and can be used to teach about plant structure and function.
10. Terms of Use: Provided for non-profit educational use, with materials designed to be modified to suit teaching needs.
- Educational Resources -- Grade Level: Elementary
- Educational Resources
- Educational Resources -- Grade Level: Secondary
- Educational Resources -- How to grow Fast Plants
- Educational Resources -- Grade Level: Middle School
- Educational Resources -- Grade Level: Elementary -- Current Elementary Resources
- Educational Resources -- Grade Level: Middle School -- Current Middle Level Resources
- Educational Resources -- Grade Level: Secondary -- Current Secondary Resources
- Educational Resources -- Investigations with Fast Plants
- NGSS.1.LS1.1 Use materials to design a solution to a human problem by mimicking how plants and/or animals use their external parts to help them survive, grow, and meet their needs.* [Clarification Statement: Examples of human problems that can be solved by mimicking plant or animal solutions could include designing clothing or equipment to protect bicyclists by mimicking turtle shells, acorn shells, and animal scales; stabilizing structures by mimicking animal tails and roots on plants; keeping out intruders by mimicking thorns on branches and animal quills; and, detecting intruders by mimicking eyes and ears.]
- NGSS.3.LS1.1 Develop models to describe that organisms have unique and diverse life cycles but all have in common birth, growth, reproduction, and death. [Clarification Statement: Changes organisms go through during their life form a pattern.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment of plant life cycles is limited to those of flowering plants. Assessment does not include details of human reproduction.]
- NGSS.3.LS3.1 Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence that plants and animals have traits inherited from parents and that variation of these traits exists in a group of similar organisms. [Clarification Statement: Patterns are the similarities and differences in traits shared between offspring and their parents, or among siblings. Emphasis is on organisms other than humans.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include genetic mechanisms of inheritance and prediction of traits. Assessment is limited to non-human examples.]
- NGSS.4.LS1.1 Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction. [Clarification Statement: Examples of structures could include thorns, stems, roots, colored petals, heart, stomach, lung, brain, and skin.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to macroscopic structures within plant and animal systems.]
- NGSS.MS.LS1.4 Use argument based on empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support an explanation for how characteristic animal behaviors and specialized plant structures affect the probability of successful reproduction of animals and plants respectively. [Clarification Statement: Examples of behaviors that affect the probability of animal reproduction could include nest building to protect young from cold, herding of animals to protect young from predators, and vocalization of animals and colorful plumage to attract mates for breeding. Examples of animal behaviors that affect the probability of plant reproduction could include transferring pollen or seeds, and creating conditions for seed germination and growth. Examples of plant structures could include bright flowers attracting butterflies that transfer pollen, flower nectar and odors that attract insects that transfer pollen, and hard shells on nuts that squirrels bury.]
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