Science Bellringer  Identify two traits that an offspring can inherit from a parent plant.

Plant Adaptations  Adaptation: A special trait that helps an organism survive.  Turn to page A76 and A77

Plant Adaptations  Adaptation of Deciduous Trees – they lose their leaves (become dormant) to save their energy for growth in the spring. These trees drop their leaves to save water during the winter.

Plant Adaptations  The Cactus and the Evergreen both have Adaptations.  Cactus: Its roots are shallow and wide to absorb water quickly. Its stem stores water. It also has spines to keep the plant from losing too much water through transpiration. The spines also keep animals from eating the plant to get its stored water.  Cactus Adaptations: Shallow Roots, Stem stores water, spines to keep in water and keep animals away.  Purpose: Growth and Development  Location: Desert Regions (United States)

Cactus Adaptations

Plant Adaptations  Evergreens survive in cool, dry areas and can keep their leaves for 1-18 years, unlike Deciduous trees. Some Evergreens have broad, flat leaves and others have needles. Evergreen leaves have a thick outer layer and a coating of wax to keep water in.  Evergreen Adaptation: Waxy coating to reduce water loss.  Purpose: Growth and Development  Location: Taiga Regions (United States)

Evergreen Adaptations

Plant Adaptations  Turn to page A78 – A79 to read about other interesting plant adaptations.  The Ant Plant  Adaptation: allows ants to live inside so that it can feed off of their waste and decaying bodies.  Purpose: Growth and Development  Location: Indonesia

Plant Adaptations  The Stone Plant  Adaptation: Mimics stones or pebbles so animals do not eat it because they think it is a real stone.  Purpose: Survival  Location: South Africa

Plant Adaptations  The Titan Arum Plant  Adaptation: Its pistil smells like rotting meat to attract bees for pollination.  Purpose: Reproduction  Location: Sumatra

Plant Adaptations  The Venus Flytrap  Adaptation: Lives in bogs, which are swampy areas where the soil lacks nutrients. It makes much of its own food but must also eat flies to survive. It has hairs that sense when a fly is present so that its trap can shut and it can digest its contents.  Purpose: Growth and Development  Location: United States

Plant Adaptations  Monkey Cup or Tropical Pitcher Plant  Adaptation: Lives in areas where the soil lacks nutrients so it develops “pitchers” which fill with water and attract insects. When the insects land in the water, the plant begins to digest them.  Purpose: Growth and Development  Location: Borneo, Sumatra and the Malaysian Region.

Plant Adaptations  Sundew Plant  Adaptation: Creates a sticky nectar that traps insects and allows the plant to digest the insect as its food source.  Purpose: Growth and Development  Location: Bogs and wetlands all over the world. South Africa.

Plant Adaptations  Can you think of any other adaptations of a specific plant that you know of?

Plant Adaptations  Now it’s your turn…  With your table partner, select a plant that we have discussed and complete the following sections of your Wanted Poster: Picture, Name of Plant, Definition of Adaptation, Plant’s Adaptation, Purpose of Adaptation and Location.  A Quality Project will be correct, neatly written and illustrated and have color added for detail.

Science Extra Credit  For Extra Credit – Research plants and their adaptations. Find a new plant that we have not discussed, print a picture and describe its adaptation to us. Five extra credit points!

Science Bellringer  Define adaptation.  Name 1 plant and describe its adaptation.

Extra Credit  Any Extra Credit – Plant Adaptations to share?

Plant Ecosystems  Turn to page A40  Ecosystem – includes both the living and nonliving things in an area.  Turn to A42  What makes ecosystems different – water, sunlight and soil.

Plant Ecosystems  Turn to page A44 – A45  What kinds of Ecosystems are there?  Tundra  Taiga  Grasslands  Mild forest  Desert  Tropical rain forest  Saltwater oceans  Freshwater rivers  Freshwater lakes and ponds

Tundra

Taiga

Grasslands

Mild Forest

Desert

Tropical Rain Forest

Saltwater Oceans

Freshwater Rivers

Freshwater Lakes and Ponds

Plant Ecosystems  Now it’s your turn…  Using the plant that you chose for your wanted poster, now go back and Define Ecosystem, Name the Ecosystem in which this plant could be found, and Describe the Characteristics of that Ecosystem.  Share Projects  Pass out Study Guides