1. Let Science Shine On The Life Cycle of Flowering Plants
Mary Tweedy
Curriculum Support Specialist
Division of Mathematics and Science

2. Life Cycle of a Flowering Plant
SC.4.L Identify processes of sexual reproduction in flowering plants, including pollination, fertilization (seed production), seed dispersal, and germination. (Assessed as SC.3.L.14.1.)
SC.3.L Describe structures in plants and their roles in food production, support, water and nutrient transport, and reproduction.  

3. Schoolyard Field Study: Observing a Wild Flower
Materials: A partner, plastic knife, hand lens,
paper towel, wild flower (weed)
Procedures:
Pick a small plant to observe with a partner.
Dig it out of the ground carefully and shake off the dirt.
Draw your plant and label the parts.
Use a hand lens to observe each part and sketch observations.
Use sensory words to describe the your plant.
Be ready to share with the class.
Explain: Gr. 4 SF pp : What are the parts of plants?

4. The Life Cycle of Flowering Plants
Plants Parts
Click on Plant Parts to review. Play Life Science SF video: Characteristics of Plants from PD DVD or from pearsonsuccessnet.com
Word Bank: roots stem leaf flower

5. Purpose of a Flower Are Flowers More Than Just Pretty?
Engage: Read aloud Flowers: More Than Just Pretty . Discuss what we can do to find out the answer.

6. Flower Power
Essential Question: What are the parts of a flower and the function of each part?
Learning Goals:
Observe and identify flower parts.
Reconstruct a flower model.
Recognize the function of a flower,
identifying the processes of reproduction
including pollination, fertilization, seed
dispersal, and germination.

7. Let’s visit a flower garden as we read our Flower Power booklet
Students make the foldable Flower Power booklet.

8. The Parts of a Flower What are the three main parts of flowers? petals
stamens
pistil
Explain: Gr. 4 SF pp Parts of a Flower View Love Me, Love me not to see parts of the flower.

9. Parts of a Flower

10. The Stamen: Male Reproductive Part of a Flower
Anther:
pollen grains (sperm cells) grow in the anther.
Filament:
holds the anther

11. The Pistil: Female Reproductive Parts of a Flower
Stigma
Style
Ovary (carpel)
Eggs(ovules)

12. Let’s Explore the Parts of a Flower http://naturalsciences. sdsu
Materials: 1 flower, plastic knife, hand lens, ruler, tweezers, dark sheet of paper
Use the Flower Power Procedure and materials/tools and Flower Power booklet to dissect your flower.
Examine each part with the hands lens.
Complete the Parts of the Flower Observation sheet.

13. The Parts of a Flower Sepals protect the bud until it opens.
Petals attract insects.
Stamens make pollen.
Pistil contain the ovary which contains the ovules (eggs).
When fertilized, ovules grow into fruits which contain seed.

14. Parts of a Flower Quiz 3. _____ 3. 5a.. 4a.. ______ has two parts:
a. anther
b. filament
4. ______has
three parts:
a. Stigma
b. Style
c. Ovary
4b.
5.b
4c.
2. _____ 1 2.
Evaluate: Quiz - Number paper 1. – 5. Use word bank to identify the numbered parts. Then have students complete Connected Learning ?’s 1-8.
Word Bank: petal pistil sepal stamen stem

15. Flower Puzzle Page Assessment
Materials: scissors, glue stick, paper, colored pencils, Flower Power booklet
Cut out and assemble your flower puzzle.
Glue into your journal.
Label parts.
Review with video: Love me , Love me not
Explain for evaluation

16. Why Do Plants Make Flowers?
Flower Power Writing
Why Do Plants Make Flowers?
Stories Must Include:
Common & scientific name
Description of the flower
Explanation of the role of the flower in the life cycle of the plant
Use or value of the plant
Writing Assessment Rubric:
Accuracy of information
Creativity
Use of vivid vocabulary
Description of flower
Plant’s use or value

17. What is Pollination? Gizmos: Flower Pollination
Pollination is the act of transferring pollen grains from the male anther of the stamen to the female stigma.
Pollen lands on a female pistil, sperm cells move down to the ovary, fertilizing the egg cells.
Fertilization combines DNA.
The result is a seed with a tiny plant inside.
The ovary grows into a fruit to protect the seeds.
Explain: Gr. 4 SF pp Pollen on the Move

18. Pollinators
Animals, wind, and water can all help in the transfer of pollen.
We call animals or insects that transfer pollen from plant to plant "pollinators ".
The flower type, shape, color, odor, nectar, and structure vary by the type of pollinator that visits them.

19. Wind Pollination
Some flowers, such as grasses, do not have brightly colored petals and nectar to attract insects.
These flowers are pollinated by the wind.

20. Flowering plants use: the wind insects bats birds mammals
to transfer pollen from the stamen (male) part of the flower to the stigma (female) part of the flower.
View video to see View of Attraction for pollinators.

21. Check Point What is pollination?
How do flowering plants depend on other living things in order to reproduce?
Why are young plants like but not identical to their parents?
Explain for review: Students make the foldable – Plant Reproduction.

22. Gone to Seed Three main parts:
1. seed coat - a covering with two roles:
- Protects new plant called embyro
- Guards stored food called endosperm.
2. endosperm – stored food
3. embryo – The new plant with structures called seed leaves or cotyledons.
Explain: Gr. 4 SF p. 58 parts of a seed and view Gone to seed to see what happens after pollination.

23. Observing Seeds Senses & Hand Lens Sight - Looks Touch - Feels
Hearing – Sounds when dropped
Odor – Smells
Qualitative
Observations
Measurement Tools
Ruler
Tape measure
Balance
Gram mass pieces
Quantitative
Observations

24. Observing a Seed
Observe the outside of a dry bean seed with a hand lens. Draw it and write down four or more properties including length and width.
Get a wet bean seed to observe. Draw it and write down four or more properties including length and width.
Why is the wet seed larger?
Split it open and observe its parts. Draw and label its inside including the seed coat, cotyledon, and embryo.

25. Wet Bean 1st Lets make Dry Seed 2nd Let’s explore … 3rd Observations:
Length:
Width:
Mass:
Color:
Texture:
Have students explore the variables that affect seed germination by going online to and doing the Germination Gizmo.
Cotyledon or
3rd

26. How do seeds get dispersed from a plant into the ground?
Some seeds are hidden in the ground by animals such as squirrels as a winter store.
Some seeds have hooks on them and cling to fur or clothes.

27. How do birds and animals help seed dispersal?
Birds and animals eat the fruits and excrete the seeds away from the parent plant.

28. Ways Seeds are Carried Away from a Plant
Animal-carried
Animal-consumed
Water-borne
Wind-borne
Propelled
Take students on a seed scavenger hunt around the schoolyard.

29. What do seeds need to sprout?
Seed Germination
What do seeds need to sprout?
Water
Oxygen
Proper temperature
Some require proper light
How do we know?

30. Seed Germination What are the variables that affect germination?
Test your ideas on the Gizmo: Germination.
What did we learn?
Water
Proper temperature
Some require proper light
Oxygen
Click on Germination to learn more about variables that affect germination.
Students can also do the GIZMO: Germination.

31. Guided Inquiry
Problem Statement: Do all seeds germinate at the same time?
Hypothesis:
Design a Fair Test:
Variables: Test Outcome Control/Constants
Materials
Procedures:
Experiment:
Data Collection:
Results:
Conclusion:
Students work in groups following the scientific method to do an investigation. See AIMS book Primarily Plants or Budding Botanists for ideas.
Write problem statement. Identify variables…. 31