them in the desert, in the arctic, in the rainforest, in the prairie, or
in the woods. Many flowers even grow in lakes and streams. Trees have
them, so do grasses and weeds. Did you ever wonder why plants make
flowers? It's not to look beautiful or feed the bees. The real job
of a flower is to make seeds. Seeds make new plants.
What's Inside A Flower?
In the center of each flower is the pistil. The sticky top is
called the stigma. Below it is a long tube called the style. The round
part at the bottom is the ovary. Inside the ovary are the ovules, or
unformed seeds, waiting to grow. Around the pistil are the stamens. Each
stamen has a thin stem-like part called the filament and a rounded tip
called the anther. The anthers make pollen. Green leaves called sepals
protect the outside of the flower. The colorful petal s of the flower
have an important job to do, too.
Flowers' Attraction
A flower's colors and its sweet smell work like signs to
attract visitors called pollinators. Red and pink petals are most
attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds. White flowers usually
attract moths and bats. Yellow and orange petals mostly invite bees. The
petals of many yellow flowers also have ultraviolet "landing
pads" invisible to us, but easy for a bee to see.
Flowers make a sweet juice called nectar that pollinators like to
eat. When animals come to drink the flower's nectar, pollen clings
to their bodies. They carry the pollen to the next flower, where it
sticks to the top of the pistil. From there it travels down to the ovary
and joins the ovules to make seeds. Once a flower's seeds have
formed, the flower's petals quickly fade and die. The flower's
work is done.
Flower Power
Flowers have many other uses, too. They are beautiful to look at.
Flower scents are used to make perfumes. Foods like broccoli and
flavorings like saffron come from flowers. Flowers are used for
decorating and for celebrating special occasions and events. They are
even used to cover floats in parades!
DID YOU KNOW??
Roses were first grown by people in Asia 5,000 years ago.
DID YOU KNOW??
Scarlet gilia flowers start out red to attract hummingbirds. Later
they turn white to attract hawkmoths.
DID YOU KNOW??
Bees rarely visit red flowers. They can't see the color red.
DID YOU KNOW??
White flowers usually bloom at night, because they are pollinated
by nocturnal creatures like moths and bats.
DID YOU KNOW??
Scientists in China fou nd a 140-million-year-old fossilized flower!
Vocabulary
Carefully follow the arrow clues and fill in the missing letters.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Weekly Lab
Watch a real flower and a paper flower "drink" water.
You need: a fresh white flower (like a carnation or a daisy), food
coloring, water, 2 cups, scissors
Step 1: Put a freshly cut carnation or daisy in water with food
coloring.
Step 2: Let it sit overnight. Watch what happens to the petals.
Draw a picture of your flower the next day.
Step 3: Now, cut out this 4-petal flower shape and fold each of the
petals inward.
Step 4: Gently place your folded flower on the surface of a cup of
water. Watch what happens?
Bonus: Observe and draw some flowers (try daffodills, roses,
tulips, or lilies.) Carefully remove their petals. Draw the pistil and
stamens in each flower. Now pull open the bottom part of the pistils.
What do you see?
Water moves up the stem to the flower's petals and makes them
open.
Weekly Problem
It is WHY-FLY's Mom's birthday. WHY-FLY wants to buy her
flowers. He has his $10 allowance in his pocket.
1) How much will 3 roses, 4 lilies, 3 carnations, 8 ferns, and 5
daisies cost?
2) How much change will he get back from $10?
3) Can he still buy a lily?
How about an iris?
Violets 15 [cts.] each
Ferns 5 [cts.] each
Daises 10 for $1
Irises $1.25 each
Lilies $1 each
Carnations 35 [cts.] each
Roses 3 for $2.50
Which flowers would you buy with $10.00?
DID YOU KNOW??
Each U.S. state has its own official flower. What's your
state's flower?
Writing for Science
On a botany expedition to Boiling Bottom Bog, Professor Venus Fly
Trap (the world's foremost expert on insect-eating plants) has
discovered a brand new and VERY weird gigantic flower never, ever seen
before. WHY-FLY, her assistant on this expedition, needs to e-mail the
University about their strange discovery. Help him write a detailed
description of this strange new flower, so he can send it on their
laptop computer. As discoverers, they can name their new plant. What
should they call it?
Challenge
Make a dried flower bookmark.
You need:
small, flat flowers like
pansies or violets
leaves
construction paper strips
clear Contact[R] paper
an old phone book
ribbon or yarn
a hole punch
scissors
* Place a few flowers between pages near the back of the phone
book. Put some others in the middle.
* Close the phone book and weigh it down with something heavy.
* Let your flowers dry inside the phone book for 10 days or more.
* Arrange your dried flowers and some leaves in a nice design on
construction paper. Cover them with clear Contact[R] paper. Trim the
Contact[R] paper to fit.
* Punch a hole near the top of your bookmark and tie on a ribbon.
Puzzle
Long ago, people sent messages with flowers. Each flower had its
own meaning.
What does WHY-FLY's flower message mean?
You make me happy.
I love you.
I am jealous.
You make me sad.
I like you.
I miss you.
Don't be silly.
I didn't do it.
I'm sorry.
What's your birth flower?
January: Carnation
February: Violet
March: Hyacinth
April: Daisy
May: Lily of the Valley
June: Rose
July: Larkspur
August: Gladiolus
September: Aster
October: Marigold
Nov: Chrysanthemum
December: Narcissus
DID YOU KNOW??
14-leaf clo vers have been found. Do you think they are any
"luckier" than the 4-leaf kind?
DID YOU KNOW??
There are about 350,000 kinds of plants in the world. 250,000 of
them are flowering plants.
DID YOU KNOW??
Crocus flowers act like "natural" thermometers. They open
and close to tiny differences in temperature.
Pick 4 flowers of your own and send a message to a friend.
Background
"A weed is a flower growing in the wrong place." George
Washington Carver
Everyone loves flowers. They add beauty, color, interest, and
fragrance to our world. Flowers also provide food and shelter to many
kinds of insects and other animals. Why are plants so spectacular and
made up of so many intricate parts? Plants make flowers in order to
reproduce. The true job of a flower is to make seeds.
All fl owers began as wild flowers many millions of years ago. Until
recently, scientists thought the most primitive flowers belonged to the
magnolia and water lily families. New developments in genetic analysis
have shown that an inconspicuous flowering shrub, Amborella, which grows
only on the island of New Caledonia in the South Pacific, probably has
this honor. Scientists believe that a relative of the Amborella may have
first developed 145 million years ago, about the same time birds first
appeared.
Modern flowers are as complicated as they are beautiful. In the
center of a typical flower is the pistil. The sticky top is called the
stigma. Below it is a long tube called the style. The rounded part at
the bottom is the ovary. Inside the ovary are the ovules, or unformed
seeds, waiting to grow. Around the pistil are the stamens.
Each stamen has a thin stem-like part called the filament and a
rounded tip called the anther. The anthers make pollen. Green leaves
called sepals protect the outside of the flower. The colorful petals of
the flower have an important job to do, too.
Pollinators
The fantastic variety of flower shapes, markings, fragrances, and
structures represent the many strategies flowers have evolved to attract
pollinators. Generally, red and pink petals are most attractive to
butterflies and hummingbirds. White flowers open at night and usually
attract moths and bats. Yellow and orange petals mostly invite bees. In
addition, the petals of many yellow flowers have ultraviolet
"landing pads" invisible to us, but easy for bees to see. Some
flowers even mimic the shape and color of the female of a particular
insect to fool males that are eager to mate.
Flowers make a sweet juice called nectar that pollinators like to
eat. When animals and insects come to drink the flower's nectar,
pollen clings to their bodies. When they travel to the next flower, they
carry the pollen with them. At the next flower, this pollen sticks to
the top of the pistil. From there it travels through the style to the
ovary and fertilizes the ovules. Once a flower's seeds have formed,
the flower's petals quickly fade and die. Soon a fruit or seed pod forms. The flower's work is done.
Flower Structure
Not all plants reproduce by making flowers. Plants that make
flowers are called angiosperms from the Greek words meaning
"seed" and "receptacle." Other plant groups include
ferns, spore-bearing plants, and conifers. Conifers develop their seeds
inside cones. This group includes pine, hemlock, spr uce, and cedar. Many
plants also reproduce by other means, like sending off runners.
Flowers bloom almost everywhere on Earth, except Antarctica. As far
back as 3000 BC, the Egyptians were growing a wide variety of flowers
from seeds in their gardens. These included such modern favorites as
poppies, water lilies, and jasmine. People value flowers for their
variety of shapes and colors as well as for their fragrance. Because
flowers are so beautiful and unique, they are often used as decorative
ornaments (like corsages and boutonnieres) and displayed or given to
express emotions in times of joy and happiness, as well as at times of
sorrow. Flowers are displayed at weddings to express joy and love, at
funerals to show remembrance and sympathy, and at religious occasions to
symbolize different aspects of spiritual meaning.
Flowers Uses
Flowers have many other uses, too. Inside our homes and offices, we
may use cut flowers and flowering plants for decoration. We use flowers
to add beauty to the outside of our homes through landscaping. We wear
or carry flowers to celebrate important events (like weddings, proms,
and graduation.) Flowers are given on holidays like Mother's Day,
Valentine's Day, and birthdays. The essential oils from flowers
like jasmine, mimosa, and rose are used to make perfumes. Foods like
honey and broccoli, and flavorings like saffron also come from flowers.
Many herbal medicines are made from flowers like lavender, chamomile and
hibiscus. One of the most unusual uses for flowers is to cover floats in
parades, like the spectacular Rose Bowl Parade!
National Science Education Standards
Unifying Concepts and Processes (K-8)
* Systems, order, and organization
* Evidence, mo dels, and explanation
* Constancy, change, and measurement
* Form and function
Standard A: Science as Inquiry (K-8)
* Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
* Understanding about scientific inquiry
Standard C: Life Science (K-4)
* The characteristics of organisms
* Life cycles of organisms
* Organisms and environments
(5-8)
* Structure and function in living systems
* Regulation and behavior
* Diversity and adaptations of organisms
DID YOU KNOW??
91% of flowers depend on animals to pollinate them. The rest spread
their pollen through water or by wind.
STATE FLOWERS
Alabama Camellia
Alaska Forget-me-not
Arizona Saguaro
Arkansas Apple Blossom
Californi a Golden Poppy
Colorado Columbine
Connecticut Mountain Laurel
Delaware Peach Blossom
Florida Orange Blossom
Georgia Cherokee Rose
Hawaii Hibiscus
Idaho Syringa
Illinois Violet
Indiana Peony
Iowa Wild Rose
Kansas Sunflower
Kentucky Goldenrod
Louisiana Magnolia
Maine Pine Cone & Tassel
Maryland Black-eyed Susan
Massachusetts Mayflower
Michigan Apple Blossom
Minnesota Lady's Slipper
Mississippi Magnolia
Missouri Hawthorn
Montana Bitterroot
Nebraska Goldenrod
Nevada Sagebrush
New Hampshire Purple Lilac
New Jersey Violet
New Mexico Yucca
New York Rose
North Carolina Dogwood
North Dakota Wild Prairie Rose
Ohio Scarlet Car nation
Oklahoma Mistletoe
Oregon Oregon Grape
Pennsylvania Mountain Laurel
Rhode Island Violet
South Carolina Yellow Jasmine
South Dakota Pasqueflower
Tennessee Iris
Texas Bluebonnet
Utah Sego Lily
Vermont Red Clover
Virginia Dogwood
Washington Rhododendron
West Virginia Rhododendron
Wisconsin Violet
Wyoming Indian Paintbrush
District of Columbia American Beauty Rose
Level Pre-A
Main Concepts: Flowers grow all over the world (except in
Antarctica). Flowers make seeds.
Picture Activity
Ask your students if they recognize any of the flowers in
WHY-FLY's wreath. Make a list of flowers your students know by
sight. Explain that the little boxes show different places
(environmen ts) where flowers grow. Flowers grow everywhere, except in
Antarctica. They grow in hot deserts, warm wet rainforests, cold icy
regions, and in forests and woodlands -- and right where your students
live. Explain that flowers that grow in different environments have
different needs. Flowers that grow in the dry desert do well without
much water. Flowers that grow in the freezing arctic can withstand very
cold temperatures. Read what WHY-FLY is saying. Explain that flowers do
more than just look and smell pretty. They have a job to do. They make
the seeds for the plant, so new flowers can grow.
Vocabulary
Have your students cut out the petals and fold them on the dotted
lines. Then have them glue the petals onto the matching numbers on the
flower.
Weekly Problem
Answers: A) 5 (apple blossom) B) 3 (trillium) C) 6 (lily) D) 4
(dogwo od) E) 5 (poppy). A and E both have 5 petals.
Storytelling
Answers: From top left (going counter-clockwise) - 3) new plants
emerging from the soil, 1) planting seeds, 5) beans growing on the full
grown plant where the flowers had been growing earlier, 2) a little
sprout starting to grow in the soil, 4) full grown plants with flowers.
Explain that flowers make seeds, like the beans in No. 5. These seeds
will make new plants.
Challenge
You need: chocolate, butterscotch, or vanilla pudding, paper plates
or bowls, pink construction paper. (You can use other colors of paper,
but pink works well.) For this fun activity, they will be making tulip flowers using their own handprints. Draw (or glue on) several stems and
leaves before beginning. Give each of your students a small dollop of
pudding on a paper plate to use for printing. Make sure they wash t heir
hands before beginning this activity, so finger licking can be part of
their "clean-up." (Other materials, like paint, can also be
used for this activity.)
Weekly Lab
You need: cut flowers, flower seeds, paper cups, potting soil,
water, small round lollipops (e.g., DumDums[R] brand) or pipe cleaners,
magnifying glasses, scissors. This "Flower Power" Lab consists
of 3 parts. In the first part, they will be planting their own flower
seeds. Marigolds and zinnias are 2 hardy, fast-growing flowers, which
transplant easily into home flower beds. In the second part, they will
closely look at and dissect a flower. The best way to really learn about
the parts of flowers is to observe them directly. If possible, try to
bring in 2 or 3 different kinds of flowers. Daffodils, roses, tulips,
and lilies work well. (Florists and large grocery store chains with
< br>floral departments will often provide old flowers for free, if you let
them know you are using them for a school project.) In Part 3, they will
be making their own flower model with sepals, petals, and seed parts.
Have them cut out the 2 sets of petals and the sepals and slide them up
onto the lollipop stick (poke small holes in the centers, if needed).
You may also want to tape these pieces to secure them to the lollipop
stick. Pipe cleaners can be used instead of lollipops. Form a small ball
at the end of the pipe cleaner to represent the seed parts. When they
have finished their models, have them look at a real flower and find the
same parts.
Level A
Main Concepts: Flowers grow all over the world (except in
Antarctica). Flowers make seeds, so new flowers can grow.
Picture Activity
Ask your students if they recognize any of the flow ers in
WHY-FLY's wreath. Make a list of flowers your students know by
sight. Explain that the little boxes show different places
(environments) where flowers grow. Flowers grow everywhere, except in
Antarctica. They grow in hot deserts, warm wet rainforests, cold icy
regions, and in forests and woodlands - and right where your students
live. Explain that flowers that grow in different environments have
different needs. Flowers that grow in the dry desert do well without
much water. Flowers that grow in the freezing arctic can withstand very
cold temperatures. Read what WHY-FLY is saying. Explain that flowers do
more than just look and smell pretty. They have a job to do. They make
the seeds for the plant, so new flowers can grow. You may also want to
mention that each season has its own kinds of flowers as well.
(Daffodils, hyacinths, tulips, crocus, azaleas, and dogwood are all < br>
types of spring flowers. Chrysanthemum, goldenrod, and sunflowers are
types of fall flowers.)
Vocabulary
Have your students cut out the petals and fold on the dotted lines.
Then have them paste the petals onto the matching numbers on the flower.
Weekly Problem
Answers: A) 6 (narcissus) B) 4 (dogwood) C) 5 (poppy) D) 4
(fireweed-evening primrose) E) 6 (lily) F) 5 (violet). A and E - 6
petals. B and D - 4 petals. C and F - 5 petals. Scientists who study
flowers (botanists) often use the number of petals of a flower to help
identify its "flower family" ties.
Writing for Science
Answers: From top left (going counter-clockwise) - 3) new plants
emerging from the soil, 1) planting seeds, 5) beans growing on the full
grown plant where the flowers had been growing earlier, 2) a little
sprout starting to grow in th e soil, 4) full grown plants with flowers.
Explain that flowers make seeds, like the beans in No. 5. These seeds
will make new plants. Have them write a story about the order of the
pictures. Ask if they have vegetable or flower gardens at home. Have
them share their gardening experiences with the class.
Challenge
You need: chocolate, butterscotch, or vanilla pudding, paper plates
or bowls, pink construction paper. (You can use other colors of paper,
but pink works well.) For this fun activity, they will be making tulip
flowers using their own handprints. Draw (or glue on) several stems and
leaves before beginning. Give each of your students a small dollop of
pudding on a paper plate to use for printing. Make sure they wash their
hands before beginning this activity, so finger licking can be part of
their "clean-up." (Other materials, like paint, can also be
used for this activity.)
Weekly Lab
See TN Level Pre-A - WEEKLY LAB. In addition, when they have
finished making their flower models, have them look at a real flower and
find the same parts. Help them identify the different flower parts -
petals, sepals, seed parts, stem. For the Did You Know?? - The Rafflesia is the biggest flower in the world. Hold up a meter or yardstick for
your students to actually see the width of this flower. You can also
draw a 3 foot circle to show its size. The Rafflesia grows only in
Indonesia. It is a parasite. Unlike other plants that make their own
food with their leaves, the Rafflesia steals its nourishment from the
roots of nearby trees. When it is blooming, it smells a lot like rotten
meat. This smell helps attract flies, which it needs for pollination.
Rafflesia can weigh up to 36 pounds, and when it opens, it makes a
hissin g sound.
Level B
Main Concepts: Flowers bloom all over the world (except in
Antarctica) and in nearly every season. Flowers make seeds so plants can
reproduce. People also have many uses for flowers.
Weekly Problem
Answers: 1) Each apple blossom has 5 petals. 2) There are 25 petals
in all. Ask your students how they arrived at their answers. Some will
count every petal. Others may figure out that they can count by 5s to
reach the answer.
Writing for Science
There are many flowering plants that grow in the water. The water
lily is one of the most beautiful. In this adventure, WHY-FLY is on a
water lily that is being swept away on a swiftly flowing river.
Encourage them to use their imaginations to solve WHY-FLY's dilemma
- where is he going and how will the story end?
Challenge
Y ou need: chocolate, butterscotch, or vanilla pudding, paper plates
or bowls, pink construction paper. (You can use other colors of paper,
but pink works well.) For this fun activity, they will be making tulip
flowers using their own handprints. Draw (or glue on) several stems and
leaves before beginning. Give each of your students a small dollop of
pudding on a paper plate to use for printing. Make sure they wash their
hands before beginning this activity, so finger licking can be part of
their "clean-up." (Other materials, like paint, can also be
used for this activity.)
Weekly Lab
This "Flower Power" Lab consists of 3 parts. In the first
part, they will be planting their own flower seeds. Marigolds and
zinnias are 2 hardy, fast-growing flowers, which transplant easily into
home flower beds. In the second part, they will closely look at and
dissect a flo wer. The best way to really learn the parts of flowers is
to observe them directly. If possible, try to bring in 2 or 3 different
kinds of flowers. Daffodils, roses, tulips, and lilies work well.
(Florists and large grocery store chains with floral departments will
often provide old flowers for free, if you let them know you are using
them for a school project.) In Part 3, they will be making their own
flower model with sepals, petals, and seed parts. Have them cut out the
2 sets of petals and the sepals and slide them up onto the lollipop
stick (poke small holes in the centers, if needed). You may also want to
put a small piece of tape around these pieces to secure them to the
lollipop stick. Pipe cleaners can be used instead of lollipops. Form a
small ball at the end of the pipe cleaner to represent the seed parts.
When they have finished their models, have them look at a real flower
and find the same parts. Help them identify the different parts -
petals, sepals, seed parts, stem. For the Did You Know?? - The Rafflesia
is the biggest flower in the world. Hold up a meter or yardstick for
your students to actually see the width of this flower. You can also
draw a 3 foot circle to show its size. The Rafflesia grows only in
Indonesia. It is a parasite. Unlike other plants that make their own
food with their leaves, the Rafflesia steals its nourishment from the
roots of nearby trees. When it is blooming, it smells a lot like rotten
meat. This smell helps attract flies, which it needs for pollination.
Rafflesia can https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsaVuq0ULck weigh up to 36 pounds, and when it opens, it makes a
hissing sound.
Level C
Main Concepts: Flowers bloom everywhere (except in Antarctic a).
Flowers make seeds, so plants can reproduce. Inside the flower are
special parts that enable this to happen. Many plants need animal
pollinators to spread their pollen. People use flowers in many ways.
Vocabulary
See TN Level B - VOCABULARY.
Weekly Lab
This lab consists of 2 parts. In the first part, they will closely
look at (examine) and dissect a flower. The best way to really learn the
parts of flowers is to observe them directly. When they open the bottom
of the pistil, they will see the ovules inside. If possible, try to
bring in 2 or 3 different kinds of flowers. (Florists and large grocery
stores with floral depts, will often provide old flowers for free, if
you let them know you are using them for a school project.) Encourage
them to draw their flower pictures with as much detail as possible. In
the second part, they will be planting their own flower seeds. Marigolds
and zinnias are 2 hardy, fast-growing flowers, which transplant easily
into home flower beds.
Weekly Problem
Answers: 1) Each apple blossom has 5 petals. 2) There are 25 petals
in all. 3) They would need 15 more flowers to make 100 petals. Ask how
they arrived at their answers. Some will count every petal. Others may
figure out that they can count by 5s to reach the answers.
Writing for Science
There are many flowering plants that grow in the water. The water
lily is one of the most beautiful. In this adventure, WHY-FLY is on a
water lily that is being swept away on a swiftly flowing river.
Encourage them to use their imaginations to solve WHY-FLY's dilemma
- where is he going and how will the story end?
Challenge
In this activity, your students will be making their own flower
model. You may want to put a small piece of tape around the petals and
sepals to secure them to the lollipop stick. When they have finished
their models, have them look at a real flower and find the same parts
that they included in their flower models. Help them to identify the
different parts - petals, sepals, stem, pistil, stamens, and leaves.
Puzzle
Answer: WHY-FLY's flower message says (in any order):
"I'm sorry. Don't be silly. I didn't do it. I like
you."
DID YOU KNOW??
There are about 350,000 kinds of plants in the world. 250,000 of
them are flowering plants.
Level D
Main Concepts: Flowers bloom everywhere (except in Antarctica).
Flowers make seeds, so plants can reproduce. Inside the flower are the
special parts that enable this to happen. Many plants need animal
pollinat ors to spread their pollen. People use flowers in many ways.
Vocabulary
Answer: The Rafflesia is the biggest flower in the world. It is
three feet across. To find the missing letters in this puzzle, they must
follow the trail of each set of arrows. Some boxes need to be filled-in
first, before they can discover others. Tell them to look above and
below a box as they follow each arrow's path. As an extension, hold
up a meter or yardstick for your students to actually see http://ambler.temple.edu/about-arboretum/news the width of
this flower. You can also draw a 3 foot circle to show its size. The
Rafflesia grows only in Indonesia. It is a parasite. Unlike other plants
that make their own food with their leaves, the Rafflesia steals its
nourishment from the roots of nearby trees. When it is blooming, it
smells a l ot like rotten meat. This smell helps attract flies, which it
needs for pollination. Rafflesia can weigh up to 36 pounds, and when it
opens, it makes a hissing sound.
Weekly Lab
In this 2-part lab, your students will be observing flowers and
growing their own. In the first part, they will examine, dissect, and
compare 2 different flowers. The best way for them to really learn the
parts of flowers is to observe them directly. Have them carefully
examine their flowers. When they open the bottom of the pistil, they
will see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsaVuq0ULck the ovules inside. If possible, try to bring in several
different varieties of flowers. (Florists and large grocery store chains
with floral departments will often provide old flowers for free, if you
let them know you are using them for a school project .) Encourage them
to draw their flower pictures with as much detail as possible. In the
second part, they will be planting their own flower seeds. Marigolds and
zinnias are 2 hardy, fast-growing flowers, which transplant easily into
home flower beds.
Weekly Problem
Answers: 1) $3.25 2) $1.75 3) yes, he would still have enough money
to buy 1 lily or 1 iris. He could not buy both. Have them make a list of
the flowers they would buy with $5.
Writing for Science
Bogs and swamps have poor soil for plant growth. The extra water
washes away important nutrients (mostly nitrogen). To survive, plants
like the Venus Flytrap catch insects, which provide them with the
nutrients they need to grow. Encourage them to use their imaginations to
write about Dr. Fly Trap's exciting discovery. Ask if they have
ever seen "Little Shop of Horrors," abou t a very strange and
hungry "alien" Flytrap.
Challenge
See TN Level C - CHALLENGE.
Puzzle
Answer: WHY-FLY's flower message says (in any order):
"I'm sorry. Don't be silly. I didn't do it. I like
you." For the bottom box "Make a flower change color"
activity, they will be putting a freshly cut carnation or daisy in water
with food coloring. As the water moves up the stem to the petals, the
flower will change color. They can also try splitting the flower's
stem down the middle and putting each half in a cup of differently
colored water to see the result.
Level E
Main Concepts: Flowers bloom everywhere (except in Antarctica).
Flowers make seeds, so plants can reproduce. Inside the flower are the
special parts that enable this to happen. Many plants need animal
pollinators to spread their pollen. Dif ferent colors of flowers attract
different pollinators. Many yellow flowers have special ultraviolet
markings to attract bees.
Vocabulary
See TN Level D - VOCABULARY.
Weekly Lab
Water moves continuously up from the roots through a living plant.
As the colored water moves up the stem to the petals, the white flower
will change color. They can also try splitting the flower's stem
down the middle and putting each half in a cup of differently colored
water. (For the next part, they can also draw the 4-petal flower shape
on construction paper.) After cutting out the shape, have them fold the
petals into the center and place it gently onto the surface of a cup of
water. As the paper cut-out absorbs the water and the "cells"
of the paper fill, the petals will slowly unfold. This same type of
water movement into the cells of a fresh flow er is what causes it to
bloom and "open." Bonus: When they open the pistil, they will
see the ovules inside.
Weekly Problem
Answers: 1) $8.45 2) $1.55 3) yes, he would still have enough money
to buy 1 lily or 1 iris. He could not buy both. Have them make a list of
the flowers they would buy with $10.
Writing for Science
See TN Level D - WRITING FOR SCIENCE. In addition, ask them how
WHY-FLY will send a sample of this strange Flytrap back to the
university without getting devoured himself. (Remember - he's a
fly!)
Challenge
This activity works best when the flowers have had ample time to
dry.
Puzzle
See TN Level D - PUZZLE. Have them identify the birth month flowers
for themselves and family members.
Level F
Main Concepts: Flowers make seeds, so plants can reproduce. Inside
the flower are the special parts that enable this to happen. Many plants
need animal pollinators to spread their pollen. Different colors of
flowers attract different pollinators. Many yellow flowers have special
ultraviolet markings to attract bees.
Weekly Lab
Lab A: Water moves continuously up from the roots through a living
plant. As the colored water moves up the stem to the petals, the white
flowers will change colors. The flower with the split stem will turn the
2 colors of the water in the cups. After cutting out the 4-petal shape,
fold the petals into the center and place it gently onto the surface of
a cup of water. As the paper cut-out absorbs the water and the
"cells" of the paper fill, the petals will slowly unfold. This
same type of water movement into the cells of a fresh flower is what
causes it to bloom and "op en."
Lab B: They will be examining, dissecting, and comparing 2
different flowers. The best way to really learn the parts of flowers is
to examine them directly. When they open the bottom of the pistil, they
will see the ovules inside. Try to bring in several varieties of
flowers. (Florists and large grocery stores with floral departments will
often provide old flowers for free, if you let them know you are using
them for a school project.) Encourage them to draw their flower pictures
with as much detail as possible. In the second part, they will be
planting their own flower seeds. Marigolds and zinnias are 2 hardy,
fast-growing flowers, which transplant easily into home flower beds.
Weekly Problem
Answers: 1) $8.45 2) 42 [cts.] 3) $8.87 4) $1.13 5) No.
Writing for Science
Bogs and swamps have poor soil for plant growth. The ext ra water
washes away important nutrients (mostly nitrogen). To survive, plants
like the Venus Flytrap have special leaves to catch insects, which
provide them with the nutrients they need to grow. Encourage them to use
their imaginations to write about this strange discovery. Ask if they
have ever seen the movie or play "Little Shop of Horrors"
about a very unusual and hungry "alien" Flytrap. Also, ask how
WHY-FLY will send a sample of this strange plant back to the university
without getting devoured himself. (Remember - he's a fly!)
Challenge
This works best when the flowers have had ample time to dry.
Puzzle
See TN Level D - VOCABULARY.
DID YOU KNOW??
Roses were first grown by people in Asia 5,000 years ago.
https://www.thefreelibrary.com/F lowers.-a062258319
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