1. DE Science Elementary
“5-Minute Prep” For Plants Plants and Their Parts Responses to Environment

2. Responses to Environment – The Big Ideas
Plants have different defense systems against diseases and animals.
Plants can only live in places where their needs for air, water, light, and nutrients can be met.
Different kinds of plants live in different environments.

3. Responses to Environment – Prior Knowledge
Students will have knowledge of plants prior to this study. It will help for students to use the FUN-damental, Getting to Know Plants. It will also help if they have:
Seen different kinds of plants and flowers.
Planted a seed.
Learned that plants have basic needs that need to be met in order to survive.

4. Responses to Environment – Common Misconceptions
Plants get their energy from the soil through roots.
Reality: Plants get their energy from a process called photosynthesis. In photosynthesis plants turn light energy into stored energy. Chlorophyll, the green pigment found in leaves, is critical to this process.

5. Responses to Environment – Using DE Science Content
When you close this presentation, you can review the following recommended resources for Responses to Environment.
Reading Passage: Can a Plant Live Anywhere?
eBook: How Do Plants Defend Themselves?
Video Segment: Leaves and Photosynthesis
Use the PowerPoint version of this presentation for hyperlinks to these resources or you can get to them through the browser or search feature.

6. Responses to Environment – Instructional Ideas
Read the passage, How Do Plants Defend Themselves.
Conduct a research race. Ask students to use books and the Internet to make a list of other plants that have distinct ways of protecting themselves.
Ask students to make a list of the plants and how they defend themselves with a partner while a timer is set for 15 minutes.
At the end of 15 minutes, compare lists. The group with the most correct and complete listings is named the Racing Champs.

7. Responses to Environment – Instructional Ideas
Read the passage, Plants, Plants Everywhere!
Assign each group of two students to a particular region of the world (desert, tundra, rainforest, grassland, and deciduous forest).
Ask students to use books and the Internet to learn about the types of plants that grow in their assigned region.
Ask students to write a paragraph and draw a picture to share with the class describing some of the plants and why they need to live in that region.

8. Additional Information:
State Standards:
If you wish to review your state standards regarding Responses to Environment, click here to get to the curriculum standards search feature of DES.
You can click on any standard to see what resources are available to teach it.
Additional Information:
For additional content, check the Extend section within the concept.