2.5
Experiments with Plants.
Science and Technology for Children (STC) series. Developed by National Science Resources Center (Washington, D.C.). Burlington, N.C.: Carolina Biological Supply, 1992.
Program Overview
The Science and Technology for Children (STC) series consists of 24 inquiry-centered curriculum units for grades 1-6, with 4 units at each grade level. Students learn about topics in the life, earth, and physical sciences. The technological applications of science and the interactions among science, technology, and society are addressed throughout the program. The STC units, each of which takes about 16 class sessions to complete, encourage participatory learning and the integration of science with mathematics, language arts, social studies, and art. The components of an STC unit are a teacher's guide, a student activity book with simple instructions and illustrations, and a kit of materials.
Teacher's Guide
Recommended grade level:
6.
Reading level: middle 7. In Experiments with Plants, students learn how to design and conduct controlled experiments by using the 40-day life cycle of a Brassica plant as a vehicle for experimentation. They learn about the variables that affect plant growth and reproduction as they design and set up an experiment to manipulate an isolated variable. Students then plant seeds according to their experiment plans; they determine the effects of their experiments on the plants' life cycle through data collection, measurement, observation, and recording. After observing the entire life cycle, they communicate the results of their experiments. The unit concludes with 2 sets of experiments involving germination, geotropism, and phototropism. Some prior study of plants and plant life cycles is helpful, but not essential, for students in Experiments with Plants.
This is a 15-lesson unit. The teacher's guide includes a unit overview, the 15 lesson plans, an annotated bibliography of additional resources, and information on maintaining live materials. Science background information, detailed instructions on planning for and conducting each activity, an extensive assessment component, and extensions for integration and enrichment are provided.
Key to Content Standards: 5-8 (see app. C)
UNIFYING CONCEPTS AND PROCESSES: Evidence, models, and explanation; change, constancy, and measurement.
SCIENCE AS INQUIRY: Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry; understandings about scientific inquiry.
LIFE SCIENCE: Structure and function in living systems; reproduction and heredity; regulation and behavior.
HISTORY AND NATURE OF SCIENCE: Science as a human endeavor; nature of science; history of science.
Prices:
Teacher's guide (ISBN 0-89278-680-9), $24.95. Student activity book (ISBN 0-89278-634-5), $3.75. Unit, $299.95.
Publisher/supplier:
Carolina Biological Supply.
Materials:
Available locally, from commercial suppliers, or in kit.
Topic Index listings linked to this entry
Use these listings to find related entries.
Brassica, Life Sciences: Exploring with Wisconsin Fast Plants.
Experimental design, Physical Sciences: Students and Research: Practical Strategies for Science Classrooms and Competitions, Multi & Applied Sciences: Hot Water and Warm Homes from Sunlight, ~ Threads, ~ Science Experiments and Projects for Students.
Life cycle, Life Sciences: Ecology: Earth's Living Resources, Earthworms, ~ Exploring with Wisconsin Fast Plants, ~ GrowLab: Activities for Growing Minds.
Phototropism, Life Sciences: Bottle Biology.
Plant growth, Physical Sciences: Exploring Physical Science, Life Sciences: Ecology: Earth's Living Resources, Parade of Life: Monerans, Protists, Fungi, and Plants, ~ Food from Our Land, ~ How Much Is Too Much? How Little Is Too Little? Factors That Affect Plant Growth, ~ Hydroponic Instructional Package, ~ The Interrelationships of Soil, Water and Fertilizers and How They Affect Plant Growth, ~ The Lives of Plants, ~ Plants in Our World, ~ Power Plants: A Plant-Based Energy Curriculum for Grades 5 through 8, ~ Exploring with Wisconsin Fast Plants, ~ GrowLab: A Complete Guide to Gardening in the Classroom, ~ Plant Biology Science Projects, ~ Seeds and Seedlings, Environmental Sciences: Pollution, Earth Sciences: Exploring Earth Science, ~ Solar Energy, Multi & Applied Sciences: Investigating Patterns of Change, ~ The Local Environment, ~ Middle Grades Science: A Problem-Solving Approach, Seventh Grade, ~ Prime Science: Level B, ~ Prime Science: Level C, ~ SciencePlus Technology and Society: Level Red, ~ Climate and Farming, ~ Hot Water and Warm Homes from Sunlight.
Plant reproduction, Life Sciences: GrowLab: Activities for Growing Minds.
Plants, Life Sciences: Ecosystems, Exploring Life Science, ~ Glencoe Life Science, ~ Parade of Life: Monerans, Protists, Fungi, and Plants, ~ Food from Our Land, ~ How Much Is Too Much? How Little Is Too Little? Factors That Affect Plant Growth, ~ The Lives of Plants, ~ Plants in Our World, ~ Pond Life, ~ Power Plants: A Plant-Based Energy Curriculum for Grades 5 through 8, ~ Exploring Classroom Hydroponics, ~ GrowLab: A Complete Guide to Gardening in the Classroom, ~ GrowLab: Activities for Growing Minds, ~ Living in Water: An Aquatic Science Curriculum for Grades 5-7, Environmental Sciences: Environments, ~ Biology Is Outdoors! A Comprehensive Resource for Studying School Environments, ~ Living Lightly on the Planet: A Global Environmental Education Guidebook, ~ Activities to Teach Mathematics in the Context of Environmental Studies, ~ Investigating Your Environment: The MINI Edition, ~ Our Wonderful World: Solutions for Math + Science, Multi & Applied Sciences: The Local Environment, ~ Prime Science: Level A, ~ Prime Science: Level C, ~ Food Production: Second Module in Bio-Related Technologies Unit, ~ Forecasting the Future: Exploring Evidence for Global Climate Change, ~ Science Is . . .
Seed germination, Life Sciences: Glencoe Life Science, ~ Bottle Biology, Environmental Sciences: Acid Rain, Multi & Applied Sciences: The Local Environment, ~ Science Interactions: Course 1, ~ Climate and Farming, ~ Food Production: Second Module in Bio-Related Technologies Unit.
Seeds, Life Sciences: Glencoe Life Science, ~ Fungi--Small Wonders, ~ Rainforest Researchers, ~ Seeds and Seedlings, ~ What Seed Is It?--A Hands-on Classroom Project, Environmental Sciences: Environments.
