1. Activity 2.4: Questions about Plants
Carbon: Transformations in Matter and Energy
Environmental Literacy Project Michigan State University
Activity 2.4: Questions about Plants

2. You are here
Use the instructional model to show students where they are in the course of the unit.
Show slide 2 of the 2.4 Questions About Plants PPT.
Discuss where the class is on the unit storyline.
The students have studied or reviewed ideas about plant structure.
They will soon be using their growing radish plants for an investigation of plant function.
In this activity, they will be reviewing what they know and discussing questions that they still have to answer.

3. Observing Radish Plants
Review the observations you have made of your growing radish plants
Optional: Watch videos of plants growing and moving
Radish plants—seed to harvest in 33 days:
Plants following light:
What have you noticed?
What would you like to investigate further?
Have students observe plants and discuss their observations.
As you show Slide 3:
Have students record observations of their growing radish plants and share what they are noticing.
Show students either or both of the videos and discuss what they notice.
Discuss questions based on these observations that the students would like to investigate further.

4. Reviewing some ways that radishes are like other plants
Slides 4-8 review what the students have learned about the structure of plants at different scales.
Slide 4 introduces the review slides
Slide 5 reminds students that, like all living organisms, plants contain systems at different scales:
Macroscopic scale plants are made of
Microscopic scale cells, which are made of
Atomic-molecular scale molecules, which are made of
Atoms (especially CHON for organic molecules)
Slide 6 reminds students of the many different kinds of macroscopic-scale plants
Slide 7 reminds students that all plants include different kinds of cells, including leaf cells, stem cells, root cells, and other specialized cells
Slide 8 organizes facts students know about plants in terms of system characteristics—structure and function.

5. Plants are made of cells
Plant cells are made of molecules
Plant molecules are made of atoms
Benchmark Scale
Power of Ten
Decimal Style
Large scale
Larger
Larger 100,000 10,000 1,000
Macroscopic
meter
Microscopic
Atomic-molecular
Smaller
Smaller
Image Credit: Craig Douglas, Michigan State University
Slides 4-8 review what the students have learned about the structure of plants at different scales.
Slide 4 introduces the review slides
Slide 5 reminds students that, like all living organisms, plants contain systems at different scales:
Macroscopic scale plants are made of
Microscopic scale cells, which are made of
Atomic-molecular scale molecules, which are made of
Atoms (especially CHON for organic molecules)
Slide 6 reminds students of the many different kinds of macroscopic-scale plants
Slide 7 reminds students that all plants include different kinds of cells, including leaf cells, stem cells, root cells, and other specialized cells
Slide 8 organizes facts students know about plants in terms of system characteristics—structure and function.
Scale: 10-8 meters = meters
Scale: 10-9 meters = meters
Scale: 10-7 meters = meters
Scale: 10-5 meters = meters
Scale: 10-1 meters = 0.1 meters
Scale: 100 meters = 1 meters
Scale: 10-2 meters = 0.01 meters
Scale: 10-3 meters = meters
Scale: 10-4 meters = meters
Scale: 10-6 meters = meters

6. Plants come in all shapes and sizes
Image Credit: Craig Douglas, Michigan State University
Slides 4-8 review what the students have learned about the structure of plants at different scales.
Slide 4 introduces the review slides
Slide 5 reminds students that, like all living organisms, plants contain systems at different scales:
Macroscopic scale plants are made of
Microscopic scale cells, which are made of
Atomic-molecular scale molecules, which are made of
Atoms (especially CHON for organic molecules)
Slide 6 reminds students of the many different kinds of macroscopic-scale plants
Slide 7 reminds students that all plants include different kinds of cells, including leaf cells, stem cells, root cells, and other specialized cells
Slide 8 organizes facts students know about plants in terms of system characteristics—structure and function.

7. All plants have many different kinds of cells
Leaf cells
Stem cells
Image Credit: Craig Douglas, Michigan State University
Slides 4-8 review what the students have learned about the structure of plants at different scales.
Slide 4 introduces the review slides
Slide 5 reminds students that, like all living organisms, plants contain systems at different scales:
Macroscopic scale plants are made of
Microscopic scale cells, which are made of
Atomic-molecular scale molecules, which are made of
Atoms (especially CHON for organic molecules)
Slide 6 reminds students of the many different kinds of macroscopic-scale plants
Slide 7 reminds students that all plants include different kinds of cells, including leaf cells, stem cells, root cells, and other specialized cells
Slide 8 organizes facts students know about plants in terms of system characteristics—structure and function.
Potato cells
Root cells

8. Some ways that all plants are alike
Their structures: What they are made of
Their functions: What they do
All plants have systems, such as roots, stems, and leaves
All plants are made of cells
All cells are made of molecules
All molecules are made of atoms
All plants grow.
All plants use energy to move and function.
Slides 4-8 review what the students have learned about the structure of plants at different scales.
Slide 4 introduces the review slides
Slide 5 reminds students that, like all living organisms, plants contain systems at different scales:
Macroscopic scale plants are made of
Microscopic scale cells, which are made of
Atomic-molecular scale molecules, which are made of
Atoms (especially CHON for organic molecules)
Slide 6 reminds students of the many different kinds of macroscopic-scale plants
Slide 7 reminds students that all plants include different kinds of cells, including leaf cells, stem cells, root cells, and other specialized cells
Slide 8 organizes facts students know about plants in terms of system characteristics—structure and function.

9. Comparing Ionic Grow and Radishes
How are the molecules alike and different?
Plant nutrients in Ionic Grow:
Calcium nitrate (Ca(NO3)2)
Potassium nitrate (KNO3; K = potassium)
Ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3)
Nitric acid (HNO3)
Phosphoric acid (H3PO4)
Potassium sulfate (K2SO4)
Nutrition label for radishes
As you show Slide 9:
Ask students to read the names of the molecules in Ionic Grow and the radish food label.
Ask students to discuss how the molecules are alike and different.
If necessary remind students of the two basic kinds of molecules that they learned about in Systems and Scale: organic and inorganic.
Student should notice that:
The plant nutrient molecules are all inorganic and do not contain carbon atoms
Besides water, the main molecules in radishes are all organic and contain carbon atoms

10. What else do we know about matter and energy in plants?
What are rules about matter should we follow when investigating and explaining how plants grow, move, and function?
What are rules about energy should we follow when investigation how plants grow, move, and function?
Review the Three Questions and Rules to Follow.
Show slide 10 of the PPT. Discuss with students how the rules about matter and energy also apply to radish plants.
Show slide 11 with the Three Questions. Remind students that when explaining plants, they will be answering the Three Questions which describe movements and changes in matter and energy
Review the rules to follow with students. Have students discuss how the rules to follow can apply to plants.

11. Good answers to questions about plant cells
Answer each of the questions (numbered 1-4) below to explain how matter and energy move and change in a system. Note that matter movement is addressed at both the beginning (1) and end (4) of your explanation.
Question
Where are molecules moving?
How do molecules move to the location of the chemical change?
How do molecules move away from the location of the chemical change?
Evidence We Can Observe
Moving solids, liquids, and gases are made of moving molecules.
A change in mass shows that molecules are moving.
Rules to Follow
All materials (solids, liquids, and gases) are made of atoms that are bonded together in molecules.
Scale: The matter movement question can be answered at the atomic- molecular, cellular, or macroscopic scale.
Question
How are atoms in molecules being rearranged into different molecules?
What molecules are carbon atoms in before and after the chemical change?
What other molecules are involved?
Evidence We Can Observe
BTB can indicate CO2 in the air.
Organic materials are made up of molecules containing carbon atoms:
• fuels • foods
• living and dead plants and animals
decomposers
Rules to Follow
Atoms last forever in combustion and living systems.
Atoms can be rearranged to make new molecules, but not created or destroyed.
Carbon atoms are bound to other atoms in molecules.
Scale: The matter change question is always answered at the atomic- molecular scale.
Review the Three Questions and Rules to Follow.
Show slide 10 of the PPT. Discuss with students how the rules about matter and energy also apply to radish plants.
Show slide 11 with the Three Questions. Remind students that when explaining plants, they will be answering the Three Questions which describe movements and changes in matter and energy
Review the rules to follow with students. Have students discuss how the rules to follow can apply to plants.
Evidence We Can Observe
We can observe indicators of different forms of energy before and after chemical changes:
• light energy • heat energy
• chemical energy stored in organic materials
• motion energy
Question
What is happening to energy?
What forms of energy are involved?
What energy transformations take place during the chemical change?
Rules to Follow
Energy lasts forever in combustion and living systems.
Energy can be transformed, but not created or destroyed.
C-C and C-H bonds have more stored chemical energy than C-O and H-O bonds.
Scale: The energy change question can be answered at the atomic- molecular, cellular, or macroscopic scales.

12. Looking back at Expressing Ideas and Questions
Do the ideas on your Expressing Ideas and Questions Tool match with what you now know about plant structure and function?
Do the ideas follow the rules about matter and energy?
Has your thinking changed about what happens to things that plants need inside plants:
Water?
Soil nutrients?
Air?
Sunlight?
Don’t erase your previous ideas, but instead make changes and additions in a new color.
Look back at the Expressing Ideas and Questions Tool.
Show slide 12 of the PPT. Have students look back at their 1.2 Expressing Ideas and Questions Tool for Plants Growing. Students should consider their ideas in light of what they have learned in Lesson 2. Students can add to or change their ideas in a different color pen or pencil.

13. Questions about Radish Plants
What questions do you have about how radish plants grow, move, and function?
Allow students to share new questions.
Show slide 13 of the PPT. Have students share out any new questions they have about how radish plants grow, move, and function.

14. Exit Ticket Conclusions Predictions How are all plants similar?
How do you think we could find out more about how radishes grow, move, and function?
Have students complete an exit ticket.
Show slide 14 of the 2.4 Questions about Plants PPT.
Conclusions: How are all plants similar?
Predictions: How do you think we could find out more about how radishes grow, move, and function?
On a sheet of paper or a sticky note, have students individually answer the exit ticket questions. Depending on time, you may have students answer both questions, assign students to answer a particular question, or let students choose one question to answer. Collect and review the answers.
The conclusions question will provide you with information about what your students are taking away from the activity. Student answers to the conclusions question can be used on the Driving Question Board (if you are using one). The predictions question allows students to begin thinking about the next activity and allows you to assess their current ideas as you prepare for the next activity. Student answers to the predictions question can be used as a lead in to the next activity.

15. Learning Tracking Tool
Record the activity chunk name “Questions about Plants.”
Discuss what you did during the activity chunk and record your ideas in the column, “What Did We Do?”
Discuss with your classmates what you figured out will help you to answer the unit driving question. Record your ideas in the column “What Did We Figure Out?”
Discuss questions you now have related to the unit driving question and record them in the column “What Are We Asking Now?”
Have a discussion to complete the Learning Tracking Tool for this activity.
Show slide 15 of the 2.4 Questions about Plants PPT.
Pass out a Learning Tracking Tool for Plants to each student.
Have students write the activity chunk name in the first column, "Questions about Plants."
Have a class discussion about what students did during the activity chunk. When you come to consensus as a class, have students record the answer in the second column of the tool.
Have a class discussion about what students figured out during the activity chunk that will help them in answering the unit driving question. When you come to consensus as a class, have students record the answer in the third column of the tool.
Have a class discussion about what students are wondering now that will help them move towards answering the unit driving question. Have students record the questions in the fourth column of the tool.
Have students keep their Learning Tracking Tool for future activities.
Example Learning Tracking Tool
Activity Chunk: Questions About Plants
What Did We Do? "Zoom into" food and examine nutrition labels to learn about the materials in plants, animals, and food including organic materials (fats, carbohydrates, and proteins).
What Did We Figure Out? Plants are made of small and large organic molecules that contain matter and chemical energy, as well as water and minerals.
What Are We Asking Now? Where does a plant's mass come from? What happens when plants are left in the light and in the dark?