Plant Life Cycle

Seed  Plants produce all types of seeds. Bean seeds are produced in pods. As the pod matures on the plants, it dries and splits open in the sun. The seeds fall naturally to the earth or gardeners can remove them for storage or planting later.

Germination  Germination means sprouting. Bean seeds germinate or sprout when water dissolves or cracks open the hard casing around the seed. Warmth speeds the process along. After the casing splits, the first thing to emerge from the bean seeds are the roots. Slowly, roots unfurl from the seed, reaching out for moisture and nutrients. Roots look like white threads as they grow out from the bean seed.

Leaf Growth  After the seed germinates and the roots grow, the bean plant begins to push out a single stem. As the stem emerges from the soil, two little leaves emerge.  Within the leaves are special cells containing chlorophyll, which transforms sunlight into usable energy for the plant. As the plant receives warmth, moisture, sunlight and carbon dioxide, it is able to transform these elements into nutrition for growth and maintenance. New leaves emerge, and soon an entire plant is formed.

Flowering  The end of the bean plant's life cycle is flowering. Flowers are the reproductive portion of the plant, and plants begin reproducing as soon as they are able to do so.  As the flowers are pollinated or fertilized, seed pods develop.  Dry bean pods yield beans for storage or recipes, or the pods naturally split over time and drop the beans onto the ground. That returns the life cycle of the bean plant to its starting point once again, seeds, and the cycle begins anew.

The life cycle of some plants include the process of pollination. Pollination is helped by  A. wind, water, and insects.  B. sun, water, and roots.  C. humans, sun, and stems.  D. roots, wind and stems.

The roots of a tree are used mainly to support the tree and  A. kill earthworms near the tree.  B. stop loss of nutrients.  C. take in water from the soil.  D. make food for the tree.

Because deserts are hot and dry, desert plants  A. need lots of water.  B. lose lots of water.  C. lose water very slowly.  D. don’t use water at all.

The parts of the plants that make seeds are the  A. roots.  B. stems.  C. flowers.  D. leaves.

If you want to measure how tall a tree grew in one year, which of the following facts MUST you know about the tree?  A. In what type of soil it is growing.  B. What kind of tree it is.  C. The height of the tree at the beginning of the year.  D. How many days it has rained during the year.

Green plants use _____________ to produce their own food.  A. nitrogen  B. oxygen  C. water  D. sunlight

Leaf A Leaf B Leaf C Leaf D  Choose one leaf. Describe TWO ways in which this leaf is SIMILAR to the other leaves.  Give THREE examples of DIFFERENCES between the leaves.

The Earth’s Motion

The earth revolves around (orbits) the sun once  A. approximately every 24 hours.  B. a month.  C. a year.  D. a millennium.

The Earth rotates on its axis once  A. approximately every 24 hours.  B. a month.  C. a year.  D. a millennium.

The Earth  A. is the center of the solar system.  B. rotates around the moon.  C. is the third planet from the sun.  D. orbits between Mars and Jupiter.

What is the center of the solar system?  A. the sun  B. the Earth  C. the moon  D. the Milky Way

What is an orbit? A. The sun’s path around a planet. B. A planet’s path around the moon. C. A planet’s path around the sun. D. The sun’s path around the moon.

Which of the following is a source of light?  A. earth  B. a planet  C. a star  D. the moon

What explains how day and night occur in different parts of Earth?  A. Earth rotates on its axis.  B. Earth revolves around the sun.  C. The sun rotates on its axis.  D. The sun revolves around the galaxy.

Why is it that the moon can sometimes be seen during the day as well as at night?  A. The moon reflects light from the sun all the time.  B. The sun goes around Earth and the moon every day.  C. Earth reflects light from the moon all the time.  D. The moon goes around Earth every day.

Earth’s rotation (turning on its axis) causes  A. The seasons to change.  B. The moon to appear as different shapes.  C. Day and night.  D. Solar eclipse.

The moon revolves around Earth. This causes  A. Earth to be warmer at night.  B. Earth to rotate more rapidly.  C. The moon to shine more brightly than other objects in the sky.  D. The moon to appear as different shapes during the month.

A full moon occurs about  A. once a day.  B. once a week.  C. once a month.  D. once a year.

 Identify TWO ways that the moon is different from Earth. Be sure to explain how they are different.  Identify TWO ways that the moon is similar to Earth. Be sure to explain how they are similar.

Turn and Talk: Where is the sun’s light coming from in this image of the moon?

Sunlight

DRAW A PICTURE OF THE MISSING PHASE OF THE MOON.

If you drew the last quarter moon phase, you are correct!

SOUND Click here for a short clip on the physics of sound Click here for a short clip on the physics of sound.

Which bar on the instrument will produce the sound with the lowest pitch when struck? A. Bar 1 B. Bar 2 C. Bar 3 D. Bar

If a string on a guitar is plucked, it will make a sound. A sound is produced because the string is  A. expanding  B. vibrating.  C. becoming warmer.  D. shrinking.

Rocks and Minerals

The Rock Cycle

Metamorphic Rocks Metamorphic rocks have been changed over time by extreme pressure and heat. Metamorphic rocks can be formed by pressure deep under the Earth's surface, from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates. Uplift and erosion help bring metamorphic rock to the Earth's surface. Examples of metamorphic rocks include anthracite, quartzite, marble, slate, granulite, gneiss and schist.

Igneous rocks are formed  A. by the action of wind and rain.  B. by sedimentation.  C. by the cooling of molten magma.  D. by earthquakes.

Melted rock material is called  A. sedimentary rock.  B. metamorphic rock  C. magma.  D. mineral rock.

When magma cools and solidifies, it becomes  A. Igneous rock.  B. Sedimentary rock.  C. Metamorphic rock.  D. Melted rock.

Sedimentary rocks are derived from  A. Lava  B. Magma  C. Molten rock  D. Rock fragments deposited in layers of loose material, usually on the ocean basins.

Layers, called strata, are consolidated under pressure into  A. igneous rock.  B. sedimentary rock.  C. metamorphic rock.  D. melted rock.

Metamorphic rocks are formed by  A. the transformation of pre-existing rocks.  B. changes in seasons.  C. erosion.  D. farming and road construction.

Limestone and shale are examples of  A. igneous rock.  B. sedimentary rock.  C. metamorphic rock.  D. none of the above.

The ability to scratch another mineral is related to  A. breakage.  B. cleavage.  C. hardness.  D. luster.

Minerals can be identified by their  A. hardness.  B. luster.  C. color.  D. All of the above.