THESlS

                           

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This is to certify that the
thesis entitled

A Student—Centered Botany Course for
High School Students

presented by

Heather Faye Alice Neiswonger

has been accepted towards fulfillment
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MS Jegree in Biological—Sciences

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Date 4 December 1997

 

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1/98 mus-pm

A STUDENT-CENTERED BOTANY COURSE FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
By

Heather Faye Alice Neiswonger

A THESIS

Submitted to
Michigan State University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of

MASTERS OF SCIENCE
College of Natural Science
Division of Science and Mathematics Education

1997

ABSTRACT

A STUDENT-CENTERED BOTANY COURSE FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

By

Heather Faye Alice Neiswonger

A one semester high school botany course was revised with a focus on student
involvement. The premise of the unit was three fold: First, this unit was developed to
increase student appreciation of plants. Secondly, to teach students that plants are living
organisms that respire, consume stored reserves (eat), release substances (excrete), grow,
reproduce, respond to stimuli, and adapt. Students were greatly encouraged to develop
the laboratory activities and class discussion centered on student ideas. Lastly, this unit
was taught to help students apply what they have learned about plants and environment to
their own lives.

Alternative assessments were used including journal writing, oral interviews, essay
writing, laboratory exercises, group work, and observations. Student retention rose
tremendously with this unit versus botany units of the past. Students were able to recall
details of the plants with evidence of learning from laboratory experiences. Statistical
analysis of pre and post tests displayed an increase in learning. Students reported an
increase in content details, classroom cooperation, laboratory techniques, and the love for

botany.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank my students for their help and patience during the
development of this unit. They were very open to new ideas and were very helpful with
their comments and suggestions. I am so very lucky to work with such a wonderfial group
of students each year.

Dr. Merle Heidemann and Dr. Kenneth Nadler provided me the inspiration and
support to develop and teach this unit. Many hours were spent by email, phone, and in
person helping me on this project. Thank you both so very much.

Without the support of my classmate, Bill Hodges, I think this thesis would have
been more difficult to finish. It was fun to work with you and our little unwritten
competition kept us both going. Congratulations to you, Bill, as you are also receiving
your Masters Degree this semester.

Finally, I need to thank my family. My fiance, David Peterson was so helpful when
the computer would not do as I had hoped. Thank you David for your support and

proofreading. And, a special thanks to my puppy, Petey, for warming my feet as I typed.

iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................ vi
LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................................. vii
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 1
Statement of problem and rationale of study ............................................... 1
Review of pedagogical literature ................................................................ 3
Review of scientific literature ..................................................................... 7
Demographics of the classroom ................................................................. 10
IMPLEMENTATION OF UNIT ........................................................................... 11
IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION OF
LABORATORY EXERCISES .............................................................................. 14
EVALUATION OF EFFECTIVENESS OF UNIT ................................................ 23
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS .................................................................. 29
BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................. 33
APPENDICES ...................................................................................................... 35
Appendix A: Michigan Essential Goals and Objectives for High School
in the Life Sciences ............................................................. 35
Appendix B: Get Help With Kelp! ........................................................... 37
Appendix C: Seeds Alive! ....................................................................... 39
Appendix D: Superplant! . . .Or Not? ......................................................... 40
Appendix E: Congratulations! You are a parent! .................................... 45
Appendix F: We're going to PUMP you up! ........................................... 47
Appendix G: Flower Dissection ............................................................... 49
Appendix H: Plantenstein! It's Alive! ...................................................... 50
Appendix 1: Starch Munching Enzymes in Seeds! ................................... 53
Appendix J: Plant Adaptations ................................................................. 55

iv

Appendix K:
Appendix L:

Appendix M:
Appendix N:
Appendix 0:

Appendix P:

A-MAZE-ing Light Experiments ......................................... 57

Other Tro-I-Pic Experiments ............................................... 59
Sample Permission Slip ....................................................... 63
Pre/Post Test ...................................................................... 64
Pre/Post Test Scoring Rubric .............................................. 65
Fall Interview Questions ..................................................... 67

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1 - Science Subjects Taught at Each Grade Level ................................... 5
Table 2 - Table of Pre-test and Post-test Scores ................................................. 24
Table 3 - Introductory Statistical Analysis of Pre-test Data .............................. 25
Table 4 - Introductory Statistical Analysis of Post-test Data ............................. 25

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1 - Life Cycle of Brassica rapa ................................................................... 8
Figure 2 - Plantenstein ........................................................................................... 50
Figure 3 - Plantenstein Propagation ....................................................................... 51

vii

INTRODUCTION

Statement of problem and rationale of study:

Many high school students think botany, or studying plants, sounds like a boring
' class. In addition, several students also think it sounds like a easy class to take or a "blow-
ofi" class that does not require much thinking or work. In fact William Ganong wrote in
1910, "most people undoubtedly consider botany a much easier subject than zoology."
Why do students believe this to be true? My purpose begins with changing students' views
of botany. I want my students to enjoy botany and to enjoy learning about science
through the avenue of botany. .

More importantly, students rarely refer to plants as living organisms. Most
teenagers don't even notice plants unless it is a household chore to water them or to mow
the lawn each week. However, plants are the ultimate source of energy in our lives and
are somewhat closer to our daily interests than some other areas of science. Therefore,
another purpose of this project is to help students learn that plants are a group of
important, diverse, living organisms that respire, consume stored reserves (eat), release
substances (excrete), grow, reproduce, respond to stimuli, and adapt. Also, students
should understand that plants play an important role in their lives; take the information
they learn and apply it to their own plants, lawns, and other botanical experiences.

I have taught at least one section of a course on Botany for four years, which is a
semester course option for students to take in the life sciences. I have never enjoyed using
a text book as the main driving force in my teaching. However, when faced with a topic in
which I had little training, the textbook was an obvious starting point to begin my

1

2

planning. I also relied heavily on the Michigan Essential Goals and Objectives for Science
Education (MEGOSE). (See Appendix A for detailed objectives assigned to life sciences
and specific ones included in the botany unit).

In the past three years of teaching botany I usually began with taxonomy and
classification. Then I would lead the students up the taxonomic ladder of the plant
kingdom, beginning with algae, mosses and ferns and eventually touching on higher plants
such as flowering plants. With this organization, students never had time to study the
higher plants and their detailed characteristics. On the other hand, I saw the need to keep
plant evolution on the forefront. In addition, as we worked through the material, students
unfortunately sought out answers from me instead of thinking on their own.

Therefore, I wanted to streamline the discussion of lower plants (algae, mosses,
and ferns) to allow more time for investigation into the higher plants (seed plants). I had
never really ”covered" hormones, artificial propagation, response to stimuli, adaptations,
plant nutrition, and life cycles of higher plants in the past. These topics were treated
superficially in the past with a small reading assignment or lecture. However, my new unit
was designed to allow the students time to question and investigate these topics on their
own. I wanted the students to confront their misconceptions about botany and construct
new knowledge about higher plants through experimentation and class discussion. In
doing this, I redesigned 12 weeks of curriculum and created new laboratory exercises for

the botany course.

B . [ I . I H | .
I have always thought I had an understanding of the latest pedagogy. I have been

trained in the conceptual change model, where students construct their own knowledge
through dispelling their misconceptions and building new ideas. (Strike and Posner, 1992)
In this format of teaching, learning is a process of creating personal meaning from new
information and prior knowledge. Students are encouraged to analyze, compare, predict,
and hypothesize about the natural world. In a traditional setting knowledge exists outside
the student, is teacher centered, creates passive learners, and has a heavy reliance on
textbooks. In a conceptually based classroom, knowledge exists within the student where
students are cooperative learners that are actively involved in testing their ideas. (Schulte,
1996) However, I had not successfully transferred some of those teaching strategies fi'om
my biology course to my botany courses. Therefore, in this new botany unit the students
and I developed more hands-on laboratory activities where the students investigate and
question.

Most of us remember listening to lectures and memorizing diagrams and flow
charts in our biology classes in high school. Unfortunately, we were passive learners in
this setting and we never were given the opportunity to really think and question. Too
often high school science courses are stuffed with content that overwhelms students and
teachers. Rapidly expanding textbooks emphasize memorizing answers rather than
exploring questions. The later is what I believe to be true science and I want my students
to be engaged in science not just study what others have learned. (Sousa, 1996)

Through my education training I have learned some of the latest terms given to this

age old idea of education. Some call it the "Constructivist Approach" while others call it

4

the "Conceptual Change Model.” To me they are very similar where the basis for each
centers on students doing the questioning and investigating that leads to their constructing
their own knowledge. (Strike and Posner, 1992.)

To prepare students for success in the future, schools must emphasize how to
critically think, analyze, and apply information rather than just acquire information.
(Schulte, 1996) It was once assumed that rote basic skills should be taught and mastered
before going on to higher order thinking skills. However, formulating thoughts are
commonly requested in today's workplace. In 1989, W was written
by The American Association for the Advancement of Science with a goal to change
science, mathematics, and technology education across the country. The focus of the
document was around scientific inquiry as the basis for learning:

Teaching related to scientific literacy needs to be consistent
with the spirit and character of scientific inquiry and with
scientific values. This suggests such approaches as starting
with questions about phenomena rather than with answers
to be learned; engaging students actively in the use of
hypotheses, the collection and use of evidence, and the
design of investigations and processes; and placing a
premium on students' curiosity and creativity.

In addition to this focus on students, whole school curriculums are mentioned in
this text. Schools do not need to be asked to teach more and more content, but rather to
focus on what is essential to scientific literacy and to teach it more efi‘ectively. This relates
to another problem in my botany course: I was feeling the stress of "getting through" the
information but students were not actively involved. I found myself in the position of re-

working the curriculum for the course from the beginning to the end.

The old way of memorizing information year after year has not set our society

5

ahead. Knowledge is said to be expanding geometrically, with the world's knowledge base
quadrupling in this century. (Comish, 1996) At this pace, no individual can be expected to
keep up by memorizing new information. In addition, workplace requirements push us
away from fact based curriculum. To prepare our students for the future, we must
emphasize application over memorization. Thinking and questioning should be the rule in
any curriculum and this was true of my new botany unit.

The basis for our science curriculum in my school district stems from the Michigan
Essential Goals and Objectives for K-12 science (MEGOSE). (1991) Three years ago a
small subcommittee of K-12 teachers surveyed the teachers in my district on what they
taught at each level and their opinions on those topics. Then the subcommittee divided up
the MEGOSE objectives for each grade level. K-7 students now learn a little of life,
physical and earth science each year. The objectives for grades 8-12 are more specific as

you can see here in Table 1.

Table 1: Science Subjects taught at each grade level

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grade Level Science Subjects in Curriculum
8 Physical Science‘
9 Earth Science and Ecology“
10 Life Science“
11 Physical Science and/or Life Science
12 Physical Science and/or Life Science

 

’denotes what is required for the 11th grade Science Proficiency Test

6

The objectives were assigned to each teacher as were the areas they were required
to teach. Some in-service time was provided to help teachers learn how to teach any new
objectives assigned to them. At my level in 10th grade, the objectives under the title of
Cells, Living Things, Evolution, Taxonomy, and Heredity were to be taught. (Appendix
A) The Cells and Living Things objectives were covered in a semester biology class that
all 10th grade students took in their first semester at the high school.

Then the 10th grade students chose between zoology, botany, human physiology,
and genetics for the second semester. In this second semester, the remaining objectives of
Taxonomy, Evolution, and Heredity were infused into each course. Therefore, all 10th
grade students were taught the information they need for the state requirements before the
proficiency test in the 11th grade. In addition, 11th and 12th grade students can opt to
take additional courses in these four areas if they wish. Students who take an additional
life science semester revisit the objectives again in a difi‘erent setting and theme.

As previously stated, the focus for this thesis is the botany course. I have taught
the botany course four years, and this project took place in the fourth year. In terms of
curriculum, I have felt the pressure of covering the state objectives and teaching more
specific botany objectives. Since there were no specific botany objectives in MEGOSE or
my district, I spent most of my research summer thinking about what is most important
for a botany student to learn.

As a thoughtful writer on teaching botany, William F. Ganong (1910) states that
structure, morphology, and experimental physiology of higher plants are very important to
a botany course. Although this was many years ago, I found his work to be very

interesting. He also suggests that a firll semester to a year of botany should be ofi‘ered to

7

all students. I started to look at my previous curriculum in this light. I had a full semester
to teach botany but I wasn't giving the students enough time to investigate morphology or
experimental physiology in higher plants. In fact, they weren't really learning much about
higher plants at all because I spent so much time on the general state objectives and the
lower plants. Ganong suggests that this too can work for many teachers.

There are teachers who do not agree that it is best to begin

in a general course in botany with the study of familiar

higher plants, but who prefer some other plan, usually the

study of the plants by groups, beginning with the lower

forms.

Keeping this in mind, I did want the students to have more time to study the higher

plants but starting the semester with taxonomy and lower plants still was important to me

and the development of the curriculum.

3' ['l'fil'll‘

In my new botany course, the major theme I tried to stress throughout the
semester was that plants are living organisms that consume stored reserves (eat), respire,
release substances (excrete), grow, reproduce, respond to stimuli, and adapt to their
environment. Several of these topics were covered in general biology; however, I wanted
my students to discover these characteristics in plants. I focused on the life cycle of
flowering plants, hands-on genetic studies, plant nutrition, adaptations, hormones, and
tropisms.

The primary source I found most 1188111] in my research of these topics was the

WW.” (1989) Previously, teaching life cycles, plant

nutrition, and genetics was done using the textbook and worksheets. I also thought there

8
was too little time for the students to investigate science around these topics. The
Brassica rapa (WFP)“‘ is a relative of the mustard plants and has a very short life cycle.
Students were able to germinate, grow, cross-pollinate, and observe the entire life cycle in
a little over one month. Students were able to see several generations and explore genetic
questions in the course of our semester. Figure l is a diagram of the life cycle of the

Brassica rapo.

 

Figure 1: Life Cycle of the Brassica rapa

In addition to studying the life cycle of a seed plant, students were able to study
basic genetics through growing these plants. The genome of these plants is well known
and seeds can be ordered with a specific genotype.

I was unfamiliar with the topic of plant hormones. In plants, the division, growth,
maturation, and differentiation of cells is controlled by a diverse group of hormones. Plant
hormones are mainly produced in apical meristem, in young leaves, and in growing seeds
and developing fruits. Plant hormones control branching patterns, stem elongation rates,
and responses to stimuli. (Devlin, 1983)

Some major kinds of hormones include auxins, cytokinins, and gibberellins. Auxin
is a well known plant hormone also known as indoleacetic acid (1AA). High
concentrations of auxin stimulate elongation of stem cells and inhibit elongation of root
cells. Growing roots manufacture hormones called cytokinins. These hormones move
upward in plants and some cytokinins stimulate cell division and can cause seeds to sprout.
Cytokinins inhibit elongation and cause cells to grow thicker. They also stimulate lateral
bud growth.

The last hormone, gibberellin, is most commonly used in the laboratory exercises I
created. Gibberellin was first found in Japanese rice plants in the 1920's. It was thought
that some long, tall and spindly rice plants had a disease found to be caused by a firngus
Gibberellafirjikuroi that produced the hormone. Later it was discovered that higher
plants also produce gibberellins. (W areing and Phillips, 1981)

A plant's response to a stimulus is another important characteristic to study. This

can be mimicked by applying hormones to the plants. Tropism is another term for a plant's

10

response to a stimulus. Phototropism is a plant's response to light while gravitropism is a
response to gravity. Students were also interested in chemotropism, a response to

chemicals, and thigmotropism, where a plant responds to touch. (Goodin, 1984)

WW

I teach in a suburban area of Lansing, Michigan with the high school housing
grades 10-12. The population of the high school was approximately 1100 students during
the time of this study including 120 students with disabilities. The school population is not
ethnically diverse, with approximately 90% of the student body being Caucasian.
However, the population is very socio-economically diverse.

The high school has been very progressive in professional development. The
school restructured its Wednesday mornings to include a three hour block of time for
teachers to work with faculty from a local university, while students would not arrive until
11:20 am. for classes. The high school was also a recipient of the Michigan Exemplary
Schools Award in both 1989 and 1993. The National Exemplary School Award was given
fi'om the US. Department of Education in 1993. Change is commonplace and support is
often found in both departments and whole staff.

The botany class for this study was taught in the spring of 1997. It was made up
of 20 high school students with 9 seniors, 6 juniors and 5 sophomores. The class
consisted of 11 males and 9 females during the study. Four students in the class were
classified as special education students, mostly all LD (low development). Three quarters

of the students planned to go on to a four year college directly after high school.

IMPLEMENTATION OF UNIT

As stated previously, the main area of the botany course that needed changes was

the second half when the higher plants were studied. In addition to adding new techniques

and laboratory exercises in teaching the higher plants, I needed to streamline the

discussion of the lower plants to provide time for in-depth study of the higher plants. In

the past I taught most of the semester on environmental issues, lower plants, and the

student individual projects. I used to end up with only a couple of weeks to teach life

cycles of higher plants, hormones, nutrition, tropisms, and other topics related to higher

plants. A basic outline of the new semester is as follows and a "*" denotes topics where

new techniques and laboratory exercises were added for this study. These techniques and

laboratory exercises will be summarized and informally evaluated in the next section.

Weeks 1-3:

Week 4:
Week 5:
Week 5-6:
Week 7:

Week 8:

Week 9-10:

Weekll:

Week 12:

Week 13:

Taxonomy, Survey of Kingdoms Monera and Protista
Start individual project (library research, design and set-up)
Algae“

Mosses

Ferns

Introduction of new unit (thesis) with start of seed plants“
Seeds and Roots

Mitosis and start Wisconsin Fast Plants (WFP)T"*

Stems and Leaves

Leaves, Photosynthesis, and Earth Day projects

Meiosis and flowers"

ll

12

Week 14: Genetics"

Week 15: Plant nutrition", houseplants, and artificial propagation"
Week 16: Adaptations“ and hormones" in higher plants

Week 17: Responses to stimuli in higher plants“

Week 18: Final evolution discussion tying the semester together
Week 19-20: Work on final project presentations and papers

Student presentations of final projects to class

The individual projects mentioned above were assigned to students each year that I
taught botany. Basically, students chose a topic they were interested in studying on their
own such as the effects of acid rain on plants, grafting as a means of artificial
propagation, pesticides afi‘ect on plants, or plant hormones. Students researched their
topic in the library, designed experiments, recorded data, and presented findings on their
projects throughout the semester. The experiments were set-up in the classroom and
students would have time (5 minutes) each day to make observations before whole class
instruction. Their final assessment included a detailed paper outlining their project and
what they had learned. They were also required to discuss at least three specific topics in
their individual projects that were part of the whole class curriculum. The final exam
grade was 50% a written exam and 50% their individual paper and presentation.

In terms of new teaching techniques, my intent was for the class to be student
centered, where student questions directed the investigations. Quite often class would
begin with a question from the previous day. I often began class with a journal question

or two about where we have been and where the class would like to go next, keeping in

13

mind that I also had a background plan. Rarely did I need to step in and steer the class in
a direction I had wanted. On the contrary, students' questions almost always lead down

the same path I had planned.

IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION OF LABORATORY EXERCISES

This section summarizes each laboratory exercise or hands-on activity
incorporated into this unit. My summer research focused on creating these new
interesting and meaningful laboratory exercises for the students. A rationale of each
exercise is also included in this section. Often these laboratory exercises were used as a

reference for students as they were encouraged to design their own labs on occasion.

Algae has been used as a medicine for centuries. Mariners once used algae as a
medicine where they wrapped wounds in bandages of kelp, or seaweed. Several of my
students have asked whether this were true so I worked on a lab exercise for them during
my summer research. (Appendix B)

The students placed kelp soaked discs on bacterial cultures of Bacillus subtilis.
The students also prepared discs of other antibacterial products found in the local
drugstore. The students looked for a zone of inhibition around each disc after 2-3 days.
This zone is an area where the bacterial growth has diminished and evidence of the
product on the disc killing the bacteria. The students gained knowledge of bacterial
cultures and sterile techniques. Students also were able to connect this information to a
previous unit on the kingdom Monera.

The best level of antibacterial results, or the best "zone of inhibition", occurred
with some of the over the counter products but students did observe at least a small zone
of inhibition around the kelp disc. Therefore, I would consider this lab a success.

14

l 5
Algaeficcdiestl

I decided to enhance the algae unit with some samples of algae fi'om local grocery
stores and health food stores. Students also found through research that algae are ofien
used as a thickener and additive in low fat foods. Previous to this activity students
thought algae were just some seaweed that they really never encountered. In this activity,
we prepared ”Algae Milkshakes" and tasted other algae rich foods. We also read articles
on the importance of Algae. Students really enjoyed this day of Algae and still referred to
it later in the semester.

The students liked tasting difi‘erent kinds of algae and learning about how it is
used. The students were able to apply their knowledge of algae growth, uses, and
structure to other plant groups. When later studying asexual and sexual reproduction in
seed plants, several students referred back to our discussions on algae. I saw more
evidence of enthusiasm and knowledge retention after this activity than in previous years

without the Algae food fest.

SeediAliva

This laboratory exercise was used to help students see that seeds are alive.
Tetrazolium is a solution farmers and seed production corporations use to detect seed
viability. The students placed the seeds in the tetrazolium solution and afier a few hours
the embryo inside is dyed pink from the carbon dioxide production as a result of cellular
respiration. (Appendix C)

When I introduced this lab to my students it was in the middle of a class discussion

on whether or not a seed was alive. I was very pleased with the discussion but the

16
students were at a point where they needed to test their hypotheses. Since they
considered something that was alive would give off carbon dioxide, I mentioned I had this
test for them to use. I was very pleased that the students were able to use the tetrazolium
test as evidence of their ideas on seeds. When I had taught about seeds before, the
students were lead to the textbook or diagram to find out what a seed was. The students
as well as myself were much more involved in the discovery of seed viability with this

laboratory than in the past.

III . E El I l E .

I adapted several lab exercises from the WT”. (See
Appendices D-G for detailed protocols). I chose the WFPTM because of their short
growing cycle and ease of use by students. I previously was not successful at teaching the
life cycle of flowering plants because I lacked a good model. With the W“, students
could question, investigate, discuss and answer their own questions about the life cycle of
seed plants.

1. mm

The other exercises that we conducted with WFPTM included the plant

nutrition study. (Appendix D) Students studied the effects of under and over fertilizer
application on WFP nu. Each lab group planted with varying fertilizer pellets in each
container.

Unfortunately, several of the students' plants died and our results varied with some
plants with only 1-2 fertilizer pellets doing well and some with 10-15 pellets doing just as

well. It was easier when I had students just add a variable amounts of plant food to house

17

plants. Students could always see signs of under nourishment, such as yellowing, curled,
or dying leaves, with plants not fed. Students also saw these signs with overfeeding house

plants.

2. Qansnahrlaticnsllcumamntl

We also conducted genetic studies on the WFPT“. (Appendix E) Students
acted as bees with cotton swabs and cross-pollinated the WFPT". They grew Fl
heterozygous wild-type plants and crossed them. Students also observed the growth of
the F2 rosette and wild-type flowers and their role in reproduction.

The offspring were some tall and some short plants which lead to a
discussion on dominant and recessive traits. This was very successful and interesting to
the students. For the first time, I felt like the students were actually excited about plant

genetics. Obviously, reading about Gregor Mendel had not been enough in the past.

3. Wit—10.11.1191
This was a hormone lab that was the students' favorite. I adapted this lab

from the gibberellic acid (GA) experiment in the Wisconsin Fast Plants manual, (Appendix
F). Students took the short plants (rosette) from their genetic crossing of the second
generation of plants, F2. They added GA to the leaves every other day for a week and
recorded the results.

The short plants that were not given GA stayed the same height while those that
were given GA grew several centimeters over the others. Obviously, students were able

to see that GA is a growth hormone in plants. This was another one of the laboratory

l8

experiences students referred to several times throughout the semester. In terms of
teacher preparation and cost, this lab exercise was very easy and the results were

wonderful.

4. Elmer Dissection

Students studied the anatomy of the WFP” flowers. We also dissected
flowers from a local flower shop. Each group dissected a rose, daisy, carnation, iris, lily,
dandelion, and some other various flowers and identified and sketched the parts in each
flower. (Appendix G)

Flower structure and function were also studied with the WFP”. In the past
students would only dissect flowers from the local florist. We again investigated flowers
this way this year. However, the students had more basic knowledge of flowers before the
dissection this time because of their work with the WFPT". Their ability to identify flower
parts and discuss their functions was greatly enhanced after acting as "bees" in cross

pollination of their Fast Plants.

El . ' I , E I'

In the past, students read about artificial propagation in their textbook and we
drew upon their prior knowledge of vegetative propagation in class discussions. I often
had a cutting in the classroom for them to observe but the students had no opportunity to
reproduce plants vegetatively (asexually). Therefore, I adapted a laboratory exercise fi'om
giro}! Labs book to help students study artificial propagation. (Appendix H)

A student asked about a cutting I had on my desk and several others offered their

19

ideas as to how plants can reproduce asexually. This conversation lead them to engage in
this exercise, "Plantenstein. " I brought in several different vegetables and plants for the
students to use and students brought in cuttings from their homes as well. Questions
arose as to how to conduct vegetative propagation successfirlly, which lead us to the video
laser disc player and their textbooks as resources. The students were researching their
questions, not mine.

After some discussion on various techniques, such as layering, cuttings, and
grafting, the students tried some of these techniques. I gave them this written procedure
as a guideline after they had basically designed this lab themselves. This was a long term
project since it takes weeks for some plants to begin developing roots.

Students were impressed and amazed by each others' work. They were quick to
check on the progress of their plantenstein everyday which increased enthusiasm for
botany. I even had two students say they had some cuttings of spider plants at home from
their parent's plants. This activity also sparked two students to research more on grafting
and its possibilities as their individual projects.

During this laboratory experience, students were driving the discussion and the
investigations which was what I had planned. For the first time teaching vegetative

propagation, students were excited to transfer their knowledge to their home gardens.

5 l l . . l '
Hormones were one of the topics I had trouble fitting into my old curricular

structure. I developed two experiments to help students study these in two contexts, one

of which was discussed in the Wisconsin Fast Plant lab section above. This second lab

20

allowed students to see the effects of hormones and enzymes on seed germination.
Normally, in germinated barely seeds the hormone gibberellic acid stimulates the
production of the enzyme a-amylase in the aleurone layer of the endospenns. This enzyme
then digests the starch in the seed for the embryo.

In this experiments, students place cut barely seeds with embryos removed on
starch agar with gibberellic acid (GA). The GA supplements the induction of a-amylase by
the embryo. Students developed the agar plates with iodine and "halos" appear where the
starch has been digested. (Appendix I)

The students were able to observe the halos in the starch agar showing where the
enzyme had digested some of the starch in the agar in place of digesting the starch in the
seed. The students really enjoyed this lab and understood the concepts well. Before
incorporating this lab, students rarely imagined hormones playing a role in seeds. This lab

prompted more discussions on hormones throughout the plant and their functions.

W

I chose plants fiom local stores that had thick leaves (jade, aloe), aromatic plants
(geranium), and other plants displaying adaptations. After obtaining about 10 different
plants I placed them around the lab with some basic questions about adaptations. The
students moved through the lab stations answering the questions I had prepared for them.
I also had them list more questions that arose during their small group discussions at each
table. See Appendix J for a detailed description.

Setting up plant adaptations lab stations shifted the focus of learning fi'om me and

back to the students. We began the class with a discussion about plant adaptations. At

21

one point the students had exhausted their own ideas and needed some situations to fiiel
more discussion and questioning. I presented this lab at that point and when we later went
back to the plant adaptation discussion, the students were able to draw upon the examples
they had seen rather than simply asking me for the answers. Their small group discussions
in the lab created more questions to study firrther. This lab exercise also connected well
with a field trip to the MSU gardens and greenhouses. Students connected plants and

information from this activity to what they had seen on the trip.

FINE: 1.] E . .

Both of these experimental protocols were written during my summer research
(See Appendices K and L). However, most students designed their own experiments
using these protocols as references. The idea of plants responding to stimuli of light,
water, and gravity came up in class one day. After some discussion the students broke up
into groups and each group took one stimuli and related tropism to study. The
phototropism group designed a set-up where a plant had a light on one side of it only and
they observed it grow toward the light. The geotropism group turned plants on their side
and upside down. The hydrotropism group decided to limit the water given to the plant
and only water the plant in one place each day.

This was a long term experiment (1-2 weeks) since it takes days for a plant to
show its response to light. Each group was able to see the plant grow toward the light, in
fact the group with the maze had their plant twist through the maze twice. The

geotropism groups were able to see the changes in the plants growth toward the north.

22

The hydrotropism group had a bit more trouble because their plants died since they were
trying to limit the water to one place but they did see the root grth increased in the
direction toward the water.

I also brought in a Mimosa plant for the students to investigate. They were each
able to "play" with the leaves. When you brush your finger across one of its leaves or
stems it fold up its leaves and appears to wilt, or thigrnotropism. I was pleased to see

students connect this response to turgor pressure and osmosis during these trials.

EVALUATION OF EFFECTIVENESS OF UNIT

I used several difi‘erent methods of evaluation for this unit. Students
participated in this evaluation by their own choice. Students and parents were informed
about my thesis unit and that evaluation would be part of the unit but not part of their
grade. They received grades for labs and tests. However, the pre-tests, post-tests,
surveys and interviews were not part of their class grade and were used to gather
information about the effectiveness of this unit. All of the students and parents agreed to
be part of the study as they filled out and returned a permission slip. (Appendix M)

I evaluated this unit on two levels. One was the measuring students' improvement
with a pre-, and post-test. Another was comparing interviews with students of a past class
with the class in this study. In addition to these two formal evaluations, I also had
informal conversations with students and read and analyzed the journals they kept as a
record of their learning throughout the semester.

The data obtained from the pre-, and post-test instruments provided information
on whether students had learned basic content. I looked for their ability to name
characteristics of life and how each are displayed in plants. I wanted the students to use
their lab experiences as evidence of these characteristics. I asked this question in a variety
of ways to see how well they really understood the information and to provide different
styles for students to respond. Appendix N shows the instrument I used for both the pre
and post test.

I designed a rubric to assess their responses to the pre and post test, using a 0-3
point scale, where 0 was low and 3 was high. I finalized the rubric after reading all of the

23

24

assessments. (Appendix 0). Scores for each student are shown in Table 2. The mean,

median and mode for both the pre and post test are shown in Tables 3 and 4.

Table 2: Table of Pre-test and Post-test Scores

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Student Pre-test Score Post-test Score
1 8 (44%) 17 (94%)
2 7 (3 9%) 12 (67%)
3 5 (28%) 14 (78%)
4 4 (22%) 11 (61%)
5 10 (56%) 13 (72%)
6 s (44%) 15 (83%)
7 7 (3 9%) 13 (72%)
8 3 (17%) 7 (3 9%)
9 s (44%) 14 (73%)
10 3 (17%) 6 (33%)
l l 8 (44%) 15 (83%)
12 4 (22%) 13 (72%)
13 2 (1 1%) 16 (89%)
14 10 (56%) 16 (89%)
15 9 (50%) 13 (72%)
16 8 (44%) 11 (61%)
17 s (44%) 13 (72%)
18 4 (22%) 11 (61%)
19 5 (28%) 13 (72%)
20 2 (11%) 12 (67%)
Avg: 39% Avg: 72%

 

25

Table 3: Introductory Statistical Analysis of Pre-Test Data

 

 

 

 

 

High Score 10 (56%)
Low Score 2 (11%)
Mean Score 6.15 (34%)
Median Score 7 (39%)
Mode Score 8 (44%)

 

 

 

 

Table 4: Introductory Statistical Analysis of Post-Test Data

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

High Score 17 (94%)
Low Score 6 (33%)
Mean Score 12.75 (71%)
Median Score 13 (72%)
Mode Score 13 (72%)

 

26

The null hypothesis in this situation would suggest that any difi‘erences in the
scores between pre and post tests would be due to chance. The alternative hypothesis is
that any increase in post test scores would be due to real learning on the part of the
students.

To determine whether or not there is a real difference between the scores, I first
found the gain between the pre and post test scores for each student. Then I averaged the
gains to find the sample mean, or x bar. This value was 6.5 and the standard deviation of
the sample was 2.7. The null hypothesis would predict that the population mean (of the
gain) will be close to zero. The alternative hypothesis states that the population mean (of
the gain) will have a positive difi‘erence, significantly greater than zero.

I used the t test to compare the means between the pre and post tests. The
resulting t was 10.77. At the 0.05 significance level on the t table and a 19 df resulted in a
critical value of 1.729. Therefore, I rejected the null hypothesis since my t was greater
than 1.729. I can statistically conclude that the treatment given to the students did in fact
impact their learning and was not due to chance.

I also interviewed a group of students from the botany course I taught the year
prior to this group in the study. I also interviewed a group of students from this study
group the following fall after they had the botany course. Therefore, the same amount of
time had passed for each group between finishing the botany course and the interview.

I was looking for both opinions about the botany class in general and retention of
content material. I was pleasantly surprised to see that students in both groups
overwhehningly enjoyed botany. Several students gave examples of which labs they liked.

However, the study group was much more detailed in their description and was more

27

specific about what they had learned. For example, where one student in the "old" class
described the flower dissection as "interesting and fim" a student in the study class was
able to describe names of the parts of the flowers and drew upon his knowledge of the
WFPT'" in his explanation:

"Yea, I really liked the flower dissection even though it sounded

kinda gay I think the fast plants got me into it at first since we

saw the little buds and anthers and petals. But the bigger flower

dissection was cool because we could really see the parts. I didn't

know roses had lots of ovaries or that the ovary was down in the

stem part in the purple flower ..... the iris."

Students in the old class all said they enjoyed the individual projects the best.
These were projects the students chose to study. I had incorporated these projects in the
old curriculum and kept them in the new curriculum since they worked so well. The
individual projects ran the entire semester and the students were in charge of documenting
all changes, writing a detailed report and presenting what they had found. I did notice that
the students in the study course were much more detailed in reporting their results and
were able to connect their individual projects to other content in the course much better
than students in the past.
However, the study group of students also listed other labs as their favorites. The

"Seeds Alive" lab and the WP” labs were also well-received. When I asked them why,
they often responded that those labs helped them "learn more and actually see stuff
happening." The tetrazolium test in the "Seeds Alive" lab served as a common thread in
our classroom discussions. Students drew upon the seeds creating carbon dioxide through

cellular respiration as evidence as a characteristic of life.

It was my perception that our class discussions increased with this new curriculum.

28

Instead of me up in front lecturing on botany, students generated ideas together and
questioned one another. I was still looked to for the final "answer". However, much of

the learning and decision making had occurred by that point.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the entire semester was a clear improvement compared to the past few
years of teaching botany. My time up fi'ont lecturing decreased as students were more
involved in thinking about and planning the course. From the interviews, my students
were also more interested in botany since they were more actively involved. I was also
much happier teaching this new curriculum and approach.

I worked hard to involve my students in designing more experiments rather than
handing out a "cookbook" lab for them to mindlessly work through. The Wisconsin Fast
Plants (WFP)T'" provided several opportunities for students to design their own
experiments with the WFPT’". Several students mentioned the WFPTM during interviews as
a means to practice the pollinating techniques they learned and to actually see the genetic
traits appear. They were able to tie information covered in lecture or class discussion to
the plants. For the first time, my students were able to conceptualize the role of each part
of the flower since they were actively involved in monitoring the life cycle of the plants.
Since the students were acting as pollinators they had to learn the appropriate flower parts
and they followed their development.

One of my goals for the unit was to help students conceptualize that plants are
living organisms that consume stored reserves (eat), respire, grow, release substances
(excrete), reproduce, respond to stimuli and adapt. In the past my students were able to
describe these at a superficial level without much laboratory evidence to support their
claims. However, this group of students that were taught this new unit drew upon
laboratory experiments for an understanding of each characteristic of life. I was very

29

30

impressed with their retention of details. The anatomy of the flower was much more
emphasized in the study group compared to the old group. I was also impressed with their
level of detail in describing processes in plants such as cellular respiration with results
from the tetrazolium lab as evidence. For the first time in years I saw students really
understand this complex process since I saw less confusion on their faces and they used to
forget all about cellular respiration when asked about energy in cells. With this study
group, students were able to explain how plant cells use energy not just how they make
glucose through photosynthesis. I am definitely going to use this laboratory and
discussion in my other biology classes.

The genetics objectives that are required to be taught by the state were better
understood by students with this unit. Genetic problems used to be so abstract with
students constructing Punnet squares and trying to visualize the ofl‘spring. With growing
one generation (F,) of plants, crossing them, harvesting the seeds, and planting the next
generation, students were able to follow the emergence of genetic traits. Once the
students grew the F2 generation they immediately saw traits emerge in the expected ratio.
This was much more effective than doing Punnet squares on paper. This would be
another unit I would like to transfer to my biology class. However, since it involves plants
and so much time it might not work well. I will continue to look into other ways to teach
our genetic objectives in that class.

One area I feel needs some work is the plant hormone unit. Actually, time was the
big roadblock. Unfortunately, this topic was left to the end of the course and we simply
ran out of time. We did conduct the gibberellic acid lab on the WFP m but I don't think

the students really understand that hormones are a regular part of life and not just

31

something you "take" to build you up. There was a lab I tried during my research using
the hormone 1AA that was not too successful but I would like to try again. The hormone
unit was not as complete as I would have liked. The halo half seed lab that displayed the
use of hormones was helpful and I will continue to use it.

Even though the individual projects were not new in this unit, the level of
enthusiasm was higher than in the past since the students had more ownership in all areas
of the course. They would come to class early and check on their experiments. The level
of class discussion not centered on me rose tremendously, compared to past years, since
the students designed their own experiments to test their misconceptions. Of course, I
directed them and gave them ideas at times, but the background design was often done as
a class before I would hand them a lab or activity. Students became astute listeners of
each other for the first time. I had been able to do this in my biology classes but since I
lacked background knowledge and laboratory ideas in botany, I was not successful in
transferring this kind of teaching to my Botany class in the past. Now students challenged
each other and constantly said, "let's test your idea in lab!"

Comparisons of pre and post test data indicates the knowledge gained by students
during this course. In the pretest students had to leave some questions blank due to lack
of knowledge or they reverted to the 5th grade level answers. With the post test I had
students requiring the entire hour to answer the five essay questions. Student took extra
paper and elaborated each question with details from lab. A few students chose not to go
into so much detail but with probing and interviewing I could see their grth as well.
The content retention the following fall after this new unit was much more detailed and

specific than the past fall interview of students taught the old way.

32

This unit was more than just a unit. I redesigned about 12 weeks of material of the
semester and finally incorporated my true teaching style into the teaching of botany. I feel
the botany students are now able to describe how a plant is a living organism and they
have increased their appreciation for plants. The course used to be known as a boring
class about plants. Now, the rumors mention the words "fun, challenging, and student
directed". This unit is still a work in progress and I look forward to the continuing

challenge.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Baker, Dale R. and Michael D. Pilburn. WWW
Schoolflassmoms. Allyn & Bacon. Needham Heights, MA. 1997.

Bonnet, Robert L. and Daniel G. Keen. MW. TAB
Books. Blue Ridge Summit, PA 1991.

Cash, Terry, Steve Parker and Barbara Taylor. MW. Random
House. New York. 1990.

Cohen, Joy. and Eve Pranis. We National
Gardening Association. Vermont. 1990

Cornish, E. "Educating Children for the let Century." Wm. Volume 4.
1986. pp 12-17.

Dashefsky, Steven H. WWW TAB Books.
1995.

Devlin, Robert M. and Francis H. Witham. muggy. Wadsworth Publishing Co.
1983.

Ganong, William F ,.PhD IheIQthinsBotanistLAManuamflnfonnarionllmn.
W. The Macmillan Co. New York. 1910.

Goodin, J .R. and David K. Northington. W51. Times Mirror/Mosby
College Publishing. 1984.

Harlow, Rosie. and Gareth Morgan. WW. Random House.
New York. 1991

Hopkins, William G. W. John Wiley and Sons Inc. New
York. 1995.

Michigan State Board Of Education. WWW
Education. 1991.

Nadler, Kenneth. W Michigan State University. 1970.

mm. American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Washington DC. 1989. pp 4-5, 25-28.

33

34

Shulte, Paige L. "A Definition of Constructivism." W. National Science
Teachers Association. Arlington VA. Vol. 20 No. 3. 1996. pp 25-27.

Smith, Marian. "Plant Growth Responses to Touch-Literally a "Hands-on" Exercise!"

WW. Volume 53. No. 2. February 1991.

Sousa, David A. "Are We Teaching High School Science Backward?" MW
AssociationofSecondamSchoolknncinals Vol 80 No 577. February 1996. pp
9-15.

Strike, Kenneth A. and George J. Posner. "A Revisionist Theory of Conceptual Change."

'11 1,111 '1‘ 1°41 " 1111.11 1 :11. 131; :11

Practice. Albany: State University of New York Press. 1992. pp 147-176.
Swartz, Delbert. W. The Ronald Press Company. 1971.
Walpole, Brenda. 11W. Random House. New York. 1988.
Wareing, P.F. WW. Perganon Press. New York. 1981

W. University of Wisconsin, Madison. Carolina Biological
Supply Company Publishers. 1989.

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A

APPENDIX A

MICHIGAN ESSENTIAL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR HIGH SCHOOL

Cells:

N:—

7.

Living Things:
1 .

.V'PP’N

Heredity:

Evolution:
1 .

2.

3.

IN THE LIFE SCIENCES

Classify cells/organisms on the basis of organelle and/or cell types.
Explain how multi-cellular organisms grow, based on how cells grow and
reproduce.

Compare and contrast ways in which selected cells are specialized to carry
out particular life functions.

Compare and contrast the chemical composition of selected cell types.
Compare the transformation of matter and energy during photosynthesis
and respiration.

Explain how essential materials move into cells and how waste and other
materials get out.

Explain how cells use food to grow.

Classify major groups of organisms on the basis of the five-kingdom
system.

Describe the life cycle of an organism associated with a human disease.
Explain the process of food storage and food use in organisms.

Explain how living things maintain a stable internal environment.
Describe technology used in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of
diseases.

Explain how characteristics of living things are passed on from generation
to generation.

Describe how genetic material is passed from parent to young during
sexual and asexual reproduction.

Explain how new traits may be established in individuals/populations
through changes in genetic material (DNA).

Describe what biologists consider to be evidence for human evolutionary
relationships to selected animal groups.

Explain how a new species or variety may originate through the
evolutionary process of natural selection.

Explain how new traits might arise and become established in a population.

35

Ecosystems:

1. Describe common ecological relationships among species.

2. Explain how energy flows through familiar ecosystems.

3. Describe general factors regulating population size in ecosystems.

4. Describe responses of an ecosystem to events that cause it to change.

5. Describe how water, carbon dioxide, and soil nutrients cycle through
selected ecosystems.

6. Explain the effects of agriculture and other human activities on selected
ecosystems.

Constructing Knowledge:

1. Develop questions or problems for investigation that can be answered
empirically.

2. Suggest empirical tests of hypotheses.

3. Design and conduct scientific investigations.

4. Gather and synthesize information from books and other sources of
information.

5. Discuss topics in groups by being able to restate or summarize what others
have said, ask for clarification or elaboration, and take alternative
perspectives.

6. Reconstruct previously learned knowledge.

Reflecting on Knowledge:

1. Justify plans or explanations on a theoretical or empirical basis.

2. Describe some general limitations of scientific knowledge.

3. Explain how common themes of science, mathematics, and technology
apply in selected real-world contexts.

4. Discuss the historical development of key scientific concepts and principles.

5. Evaluate alternative long-range plans for resource use and byproduct

36

APPENDIX A

disposal in terms of environmental and economic impact.

APPENDIX B

APPENDIX B

W

Algae has been used as a medicine for centuries. Mariners wrapped wounds in
bandages made of kelp, or seaweed. These mariner and other folk remedies have received
renewed interest in recent years. Scientists are studying the antimicrobial qualities of
many species of algae.

Kelp and seaweeds are brown algae. Brown algae are multicellular and can grow
quite large. Some look like aquatic plants with root systems and blades that resemble
leaves. The cells of brown algae contain chlorophyll, responsible for photosynthesis, but
their golden-brown pigment usually masks all other colors, including green.

Materials;

10 g powdered kelp

distilled water

parafilm

plates of Bacillus subtilis on nutrient agar (6)

filter paper (use a hole punch to make discs, rinse in rubbing alcohol)
forceps

ruler

Bunsen burner

Procedure;

1. Label three plates "kelp" and three plates "control".

2. Mix a few drops of distilled water with the powdered kelp until it is slightly soupy.

3. Place 12 filter paper discs in the kelp soup. Soak for 10 minutes.

4. Soak 12 filter paper discs in distilled water.

5. Place 4 discs on the appropriately labeled petri dish. Place one disc in each
quadrant of the plate. Seal each plate with parafilm and store in a cupboard for
two days. *Use sterile techniques during transfer. Heat forceps in burner to kill
bacteria left on it.

6. After two days, measure the "zone of inhibition" around each filter paper disc.

This is the area where the bacteria are no longer present. Measure this distance in
mm.

37

38

APPENDIX B

Results;

 

Plate Zone of Inhibition (in mm)
Kelp 1
Kelp 2
Kelp 3

 

 

 

 

Control 1

 

Control 2

 

Control 3

 

 

 

 

Conclusion;

Write a conclusion for this experiment:

How could we extend our study here? What other experiments would you like to
try along these lines of testing medicinal purposes?

Some: DashefskY. Steven. "Using algae for medicinal purposeS". WWW
TAB Books. New York. 1995. Pps. 116-120.

APPENDD( C

APPENDIX C

W

Throughout the semester we have been investigating lower plants which do not
produce true seeds for reproduction. Today we will start with seed plants which are in the
sub-phylum Sperrnopsida. Some questions we have had include: what are seeds made up
of? Are seeds alive? Let's answer some of those questions today.

There is a test that professionals who test seeds for viability use called the
Tetrazolium test. This test will stain pink the area of a seed that is undergoing respiration.
We will conduct this experiment in lab.

Procedures:

1. Seeds were soaked in a warm water solution overnight to soften them.
The tetrazolium solution has also been pre-mixed. (0.1% solution which is
1 part of the 1% solution with 9 parts water. The 1% solution is 1 gram of
tetrazolium powder in 100 ml distilled water)

2. Place the seeds in 30 ml of the tetrazolium solution overnight. Record the
results below. Ifyou need results within the hour, slice the seeds
longitudinally.

E 1° . .

From the information given in the introduction, what do you predict will happen?
Bosnia;

Draw a picture and describe the results of the seeds soaked in the tetrazolium
solution overnight:

0 . l C l . ,
1. What part of the seed do you think was dyed pink? Why?

2. How do you think professionals like farmers might need to use the tetrazolium
test?

Adapted fi'om Botany 301 Lab Manual. Kenneth Nadler. 1970

39

APPENDIX D

APPENDIX D

W
Introduction;

Previously we have discussed the necessary materials for a plant to live a healthy
life. They include light, water, C02, and minerals. There are three main minerals that are
required for normal growth that are obtained through the air or water. They include
carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. However, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are also
essential and are obtained in the form of ions in solution which are absorbed by plant
roots.

These nutrients are usually filtered through the system of soil, air, and water for
most outdoor plants but when it comes to house plants or gardens, humans seem to think
their magical plants come in a bottle. Often we will add these in the form of "Miracle
Grow" or some other commercial product. The dosage for most plants is once a week at
most, with several types of plants only needing a feeding once every month or two. 80, it
makes since that the manufacturer would know, right? Well, let's find out if more plant
food could produce a superplant!

Materials;

18 RCBr seeds (Wild type fast plants)

31 fertilizer pellets

Six film containers with holes in the bottom

6 felt wicks

soil, water, light

ruler

Procedures;

1. Label each plant with the number of fertilizer pellets you will add to each
(0,1,2,4,8,16).

2. Place the wick in each container with 1/2 of it inside and the other 1/2 outside. Fill
each container 3/4 full of moist soil.

3. Place the appropriate number of fertilizer pellets in each container as marked.

4 Lightly cover the fertilizer pellets with soil to bring soil level right near the top.
(Add soil to container 0 too.)

5. Add three seeds into each container. Lightly cover the seeds with soil.

40

41

APPENDIX D

6. Water your containers from the top with a dropper and water. Repeat this for 3
days. Place the seeds on the self-watering container under the grow lights.

7. When the plants come up, thin to one plant per cell.

E 1' . .
Which level of fertilizer do you predict will provide the best nutrient level for the plant.
Why?

Remus;

Record your results in the data table below:

-measure height fi'om cotyledonary node (where the cotyledons are attached) to tip of
plant.

-record the number of true leaves, don't count the cotyledons here.

-general appearance should include plant color, size of stems, leaves, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

0 Fertilizer Pellets:
Date Height # of leaves General Appearance:
(mm)
1 Fertilizer Pellet:
Date Height # of leaves General Appearance:

(In!!!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

42

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPENDD< D
2 Fertilizer Pellets:
Date Height # of leaves General Appearance:
(min)
4 Fertilizer Pellets:
Date Height # of leaves General Appearance:
(Inn)
8 Fertilizer Pellets:
Date Height # of leaves General Appearance:

(mm)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

43

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX D

16 Fertilizer Pellets:

Date Height # of leaves General Appearance:
(M)

Q . l C I . .

1. Which nutrient concentration level produced the healthiest plant? Describe the
grth and appearance of that plant.

2. How would you tell whether or not a plant was experiencing stress fiom too high a
fertilizer concentration? Can you distinguish nutrient-excess symptoms from
nutrient-deficiency symptoms? How?

3. a. Does the day at which the cotyledons begin to turn yellow differ for each

nutrient level?
b. At which nutrient level do the cotyledons turn yellow earliest? Explain.

4. Why do you think too much fertilizer causes these symptoms exhibited here?

Explain.

44

APPENDIX D

5. Some compounds are more soluble in water than others, and soil pH is important
in determining nutrient solubility. Devise an experiment which explores the
relationship between soil pH and nutrient availability.

Experiment adapted from "Plant Nutrition" from the mm. 1989

APPENDIX E

APPENDIX E

W

Ok, not really....but I got your attention! At any rate, we are going to experiment
with sexual reproduction IN PLANTS! Gregor Mendel, known as the father of genetics,
conducted similar experiments on pea plants in his garden in 1865. We will be "crossing"
wild type tall plants (F ,) predicting the genotypic and phenotypic ratio, planting their seeds
and harvesting the next generation. (F2)

To complete this exercise, we will need to recall some definitions. Restate the
definition of each term below. Use your notes or your book if you need some help.

Genotype:
Phenotype:

P, generation:
F, generation:
F2 generation:
Punnet Square:
homozygous:
heterozygous:

Procedures;

1. You will be given the seeds from F, generation of a mating of two parent plants.
The parents were both homozygous for their trait, one being tall and one being
short. (Tall is dominant) using a punnet square, predict the genotypic and
phenotypic ratios of their offspring below:

2. You are going to mate the F, generations to produce the F 2 offspring. When the
flowers are open and the pollen is exposed, you will act as the bee and cross
pollinate them. To do this, obtain a Q-tip and lightly brush along the flowerDs
anther of one plant. Carry that pollen to the stigma of another flower by lightly
brushing across it. Take some pollen ofi‘ of the plant you just brushed and take it
back to the original plant.

3. Continue this process, with flowers in pairs, until all have been pollinated. Place
the plants back on the water system, under the lights.

4. Repeat this process for the next 2-3 days. On the last day of pollination, remove
any unopened buds and mark the date on the pot label. Water and document
growth, changes, and any other notes on the progress of your plants in your
journal weekly.

45

46

APPENDIX E

Allow the seeds to mature. Seed pods begin to elongate within 3-5 days and seeds
mature in 20 days.

Ifyour plants now (F ,) were the ofi‘spring in #1, predict the offspring when
crossing them here. (You are predicting the F2 generation here. Use a punnet
square and give the genotypic and phenotypic ratios)

20 days after the last pollination, the seeds should be ready to harvest. Remove
them from the watering system and allow them to dry for 5 days. Harvest the
seeds by gently rolling dry seed pods between your hands over a collecting pan.
Plant the seeds following the planting instructions given. Continue documenting
growth, changes, etc in your journal weekly.

0° lCl"

Source:

What were the results of your F2 plants? How many were tall? How many were
short?

What is the class average of tall : short plants in the F2 generation? Does this
match your prediction done above in #6 of the procedures?

Are your tall plants homozygous or heterozygous? (F,) How could you find out?

Draw the life cycle of the plant, rapid-cycling brassicas, below. Label the
following parts or stages of development: diploid, haploid, asexual, sexual,
gametophyte, sporophyte, fertilization.

What kinds of problems or special concerns came up during this experiment?
What did you learn during this experiment?

"Mendelian Genetics", mm. University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Carolina Biological Supply Company Publishers. 1989.

APPENDIX F

APPENDIX F

IME'EC going IQ EMME I!!!" up!

Normal plant growth depends upon several different factors. We have already
learned that plants need water, sunlight, C02, and nutrients to become healthy. However,
there are also internal factors that regulate growth and development in plants, called
hormones. Hormones are organic substances produced in one tissue and transported to
another tissue, where their presence results in a physiological response. Some examples of
hormones include; auxins and gibberellins. Auxins are hormones that promote root
development in low concentrations, however, they can inhibit the grth of lateral stems
in higher concentrations. In this experiment we will investigate the role of gibberellins on
the growth of a homozygous rosette plant, which is short with its leaves flat against the
soil.

Materials;

6 rosette plants (8 days old) 2 droppers

ruler, tape Gibberellic Acid solution (.Olg/ 100ml water)
Distilled water

Procedures;

1. Label 3 plants "GA" for Gibberellic Acid. Label 3 plants "control".

2. Drop one small drop of GA on each leaf of the three plants labeled "GA". Drop
one small drop of water on each leaf of the control plants. Repeat this every other
day from day 8 to day 16 of the growth. Remember these plants are on day 8
today. Keep your solutions refiigerated. ‘

3. Measure the grth in cm of each plant on days you add the water or GA.

Results;

 

Date Age of Plants Height of GA plants Height of Control

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

47

48

APPENDIX F

D . l C l . _
1. How do your plants results compare with the class results? Ifthere are
differences, how could you account for them?

2. What is the effect of GA on plant grth in the rosette plant?

3. Make a comparison of the water-treated plants and the GA-treated plants. Do
your results prove that the rosette is a gibberellic acid-deficient mutant? Explain.

4. How would you describe the role of Gibberellic Acid in plants?

5. Read the information in your text and in the handout provided to you on
Gibberellic Acid. Describe in detail the specific role this hormone has on plants.

6. Ifyou were to cross (mate) one plant that got GA with one that did not, what
would you expect the ofi‘spring to look like? Why?

7. What environmental factors can affect stem elongation?

8. Would varying the location of the application affect the plant grth response?
Design an experiment to test your hypothesis.

This experiment was adapted from "The Effects of Gibberellic Acid on Wild-type and Rosette Plants," Wisconsin
W. 1989

APPENDD( G

APPENDIX G

“WER D'SSECTION!

Today we are going to dissect several flowers to identify their reproductive and
non-reproductive parts. List the flowers your group has been assigned below. Draw
pictures of the external anatomy and the internal anatomy of each flower. Using your
textbook, label all parts clearly on each flower.

 

Flower 1: Flower 2:
Flower 3: Flower 4:
Flower 5: Flower 6:

49

APPENDDI H

APPENDIX H

 

 

 

 

 

FIGURE 2: Plantenstein

Plants and some simple animals such as sponges have an adaptation for survival
that humans lack - the ability to regenerate an entire new organism fi'om a piece of the
original one. Although starfish can restore their missing legs, and even humans can
regenerate skin cells to heal a wound, neither we nor most other animals can produce an
entirely new organism fi'om parts. Many plants, however, are capable of mm

W producing a new, complete individual from part of

another one.
Unlike reproduction from seed, only one parent is involved in vegetative

propagation. Rather than containing genetic material fi'om two parents, the ofi‘spring
produced asexually are the same genetically as the parent plant, that is they are clones.

50

51

APPENDIX H

In nature, vegetative reproduction is quite common in plants. Over millions of
year, plants have developed adaptations to be able to reproduce in difi‘erent ways. Most
plants that naturally reproduce vegetatively will also reproduce from seeds. Some of the
structures plants use to reproduce vegetatively include tubers (potatoes), bulbs (garlic),
runners (strawberries), rhizomes (iris), and crowns (asparagus). Because every cell in a
plant contains all of the genetic information for that plant, many plants can also be
propagated fi'om parts such as leaves, roots, and stems.

 

Rhizome (iris) Bulb (tulip) Bulb (garlic) fisher (New) Runners (strawberry)

FIGURE 3: Plantenstein Propagation

Human take advantage of these plants' reproductive abilities not only by planting
the structures illustrated, but also by using artificial propagation techniques. For instance,
we propagate house plants by taking cuttings from leaves, stems, or roots. With the
proper warmth and moisture, plant growth hormones stimulate the production of roots,
and sometimes leaves, at the cut surface. Another method, one of the most sophisticated
vegetative propagation techniques used by human, is "tissue culture," in which a new plant
is produced fiom just a few cells of the parent under carefully controlled conditions.

Today, we will try to propagate a variety of different plants. We will plant some
directly in soil and others in warm water to wait for roots to form. You may want to ask
at home if there are any plants you could take a small cutting from to try to propagate!

Materials;

1 large tub or container per group

4-6 small cups or beakers

Potting soil, water

plant cuttings, vegetables, leaves, etc. (Healthy cut with leaves)

W
1. Fill a long, narrow tub with soil. Using your cuttings from several plants in the
classroom, seeds, onions, beets, and potatoes plant them in your tub in the form of

52

APPENDIX H

a face. Be sure to take an identical cut of each and place each individual cutting in
a cup of water.

2. Sketch below your face and label which plants you used in each place of your face:

3. Water your "Plantenstein" and place it in the window. Place your cuttings that are
in water in the window too.

4. After a few weeks, gently tug on each "re-planted" portion. Observe any changes
that occurs in the water propagated samples too. Include your results in your
answers to the questions below.

0‘ 1C!"

1. Generally describe the grth of each type of cutting, both in soil and in water.

2. How do face parts grown from seeds difi‘er fiom those grown fi'om plant parts?

3. How is one small piece of a leaf or a root "know" how to grow the whole plant?
4. Describe at least 3 advantages to vegetative propagation.

5. Describe at least 3 disadvantages to vegetative propagation.

6. What other types of plants or plant parts would your like to propagate? Why?

Experiment adapted from "Plantenstein". WW National
Gardening Association. Vermont. Pg. 141 1990

APPENDIX I

APPENDIX I

W51

We have been studying seeds, their anatomy and how they germinate.
When seeds germinate, the embryo digests the starchy endosperrn by producing the
enzyme a-amylase, secreted by another layer of endosperrn, the aleurone cells. The
sugars fi'om this digested starch is the useable food for the embryo. In germinated wheat,
the hormone gibberellic acid stimulates the production of this enzyme by the aleurone
layer.

Normally, the wheat embryo produces Gibberellic Acid (GA) after being
soaked in water. The GA is then transported to the aleurone layer which produces the
amylase enzyme to break down the starch. In this experiment, we will remove the embryo
and try to induce this response with adding GA to an agar for the seeds. We will also add
starch to the agar to see if the enzyme will digest this starch.

Materials;

25 hulled wheat seeds (soak in distilled water overnight)
1% Clorox solution

1 mg Gibberellic Acid

Petri dishes

parafihn

Iodine reagent

Sterile forceps, paper towels, water

Sterile 500 ml Erlenmeyer flask

Procedures;

alonefoumu

1. Bring lOOOml of distilled water to a near boil. Add 30g of agar and stir to
dissolve. Add 2g of soluble starch and stir until the mixture is transparent.

2. Carefully weigh 1 mg (.001 g) of gibberellic acid into 100 ml of methanol
(0.01mg/ml, final concentration)

3. Remove 1.0 ml of the above solution and add this to 100 ml of methanol.
Label this solution #4.

4. Remove .2ml of solution #4 and add to 1.8 ml of methanol. Label this
solution #3.

53

54

APPENDIX I

5. Remove .2111] of solution #3 and add to 1.8 ml of methanol Label this
solution #2

6. Remove .2111! of solution #2 and add to 1.8 ml of methanol. Label this
solution #1.

7. Divide the starch agar into 200 ml amounts using the flasks.

8. Add 1.0 ml of each of the GA standards to each flask. The remaining agar
will be the control.

9. Pour each solution into labeled sterile petri dishes and store in the
refrigerator until needed.

1. Cut the embryo off of each seed using a razor blade. Use the results of the
Tetrazolium lab to guide your cuts.(pink portion is the embryo) Discard the
embryo.

2. Sterilize the half-seeds in 1% Clorox solution for 20 minutes.

3. Rinse them several times in distilled water and blot dry on sterile paper
towel.

4. Place 5 half-seeds, cut end down, on each agar plate uniformly.

5. Apply parafilm on each plate and incubate in the cupboard for two days.

6. After 48 hours, develop the plates with iodine reagent. Measure the halo
around each seed. Record below.

Results;

Record the diameters of the halos here:

Conclusion;

1.

Sources:

Write a statement concluding what you learned from this experiment.

How could we further the study of hormones and enzymes?

Nadler, Kenneth. W. Michigan State University. 1970.
Hach, Cheryl. Michigan State University, Division of Science Education Masters
Thesis Research. 1996.

APPENDIX J

APPENDIX J

W

Teacher Instructions:
Set up six lab stations students can rotate through to observe
several difi‘erent plant adaptations. Basically, students should be able to
recognize that leaves have different adaptations that enable them to survive
in specific environments.

a. One potted plant with a plastic bag over it. Water well before hand. One
plastic plant with a bag over it. You may also want to try a cactus with a
bag over it too. Students should see water droplets on the first plant's bag.

Ihcuathuesticns;

What does this setup help us infer about leaves?
(Students should recognize that an important
firnction of leaves is to transpire or release water.
Review how water is important for photosynthesis,
however, excess water is given off or transpired
through the stomata in the leaves.)

b. Jade plant leaf, Lettuce plant leaf. Which one can hold the most water?
Why?

Ihouahmussiions;

Place two sponges at the same station. (same
size)Wet both and place one in a plastic zip-lock
baggie. How does this artificial example display
what is happening in the leaves.

(Share with the students that many leaves found in
dry environments are thick and fleshy. Thicker
leaves, like the thick sponges, an hold more water
than thin leaves can. Many dry-environment plants
also have a waxy coating. The waxy coating
(simulated by the plastic bag on the sponge) on
many dry-climate leaves prevents water from
escaping.)

c. Large stem plant (cactus) and a thin stemmed plant (ivy)

W5.

How does having a thick stem and spines instead of
leaves help the cactus survive?

55

56

APPENDIX J

(The cactus stems serve as storage tanks for water.
They also carry out photosynthesis normally carried
out by the leaves of other green plants. Spines do
not photosynthesize or have stomata, and thus water
loss from the plant is reduced. Since the stem's
surface area is relatively small compared to its
volume, the stern transpires relatively little water.

(1. Place a geranium, mint, or other aromatic plant with lettuce, radish or other
unscented plant.

Ihoushmuasflans;

How do you think the leafs aroma might be an
adaptation for survival? What examples can you
think of in nature? Have you ever used unscented
bug repellent?

(Share that many plants produce scents that repel
predators or attract pollinators.)

e. Hairy leaf (bean, tomato, lamb's ear) and a smooth leaf.

Ihcuahmuestions;

Do you think a bald head or a hair covered head
would dry out faster? How do people cope with
extremes in climate such as cold and wind? How do
you think leaf hairs might feel to an insect looking
for a meal?

f. Epiphytes (plants that grow without soil, in the air)
One plant in soil

What role does soil play for the potted plant?
How does the plant without soil get what it needs?

(Epiphytes have adapted to live high in trees in the
rainforest. They have adapted to take in necessary
nutrients from the air.)

APPENDIX K

APPENDIX K

Have you ever noticed a plant growing toward the light? We know that plants
need light to undergo photosynthesis. The light reaction of Photosynthesis is where the
plant uses the direct light energy to break water to release oxygen and hydrogen for later
reactions. A plant's response to light in its environment is called PHOTOTROPISM. In
this investigation, you will design a maze to observe how a plant will respond to meet their
basic need for light.

Procedure;

Using a shoe box and scraps of cardboard, you will create a maze with one hole
for light at one end of the maze. You will then place a plant at the opposite end of the
maze inside the box and observe the growth of the plant over two weeks. We will also
place the same kind of plant out of a maze and measure its grth as a control. After you
have designed your maze, sketch your maze on paper and predict which path the plant
may take.

El'°'

Sketch of maze and predictions of growth:

Predictions of growth of control plant:

Results;

 

Date/plant in Measurements Additional Results
maze or out?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

S7

 

58

 

Date/plant in Measurements Additional Results
maze or out?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

{1° lEl"

1. Generally describe the grth of plant in the maze and the plant without the maze
over the two weeks. Why do you think these results occurred?

2. How do you think the plant in the maze box would have grown if there had NOT
been a hole in the box? Why?

3. In your own words, what do you think is going on inside of the plant for these
results to occur?

4. What part of the plant seems to be responding to the light the most? Read the
attached information PHOTOTROPISM and explain why this special grth is

occurring.

Source: WWW. National Gardening Association. Vermont. 1990.

APPENDIX L

APPENDIX L

Now that we have experimented with a plant's response to light, let's see if other
things can induce a special response. Have you ever wondered why roots grow down and
stems grow up? Is this always true? Do plants grow this way in space, without gravity?
Do plants grow in response to the amount or placement of water? LET'S FIND OUT!

EARIJ; mam
Procedures;

1. Germinate some radish or corn seeds in moist paper towel overnight. Place
one seed in each dish with the seed pointing to a difl‘erent position in each dish. Point a
seed at 12:00, 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00. Place some wet paper towel behind the seeds to
lightly press them against the petri dish. Tape the lid on to the dish and place in a
cupboard to eliminate any light from the experiment. Check your seeds daily and
document below in data table one below. (Figure 1)

2. Prepare another petri dish with one seed in the middle of the dish.

3. Place the petri dish on its end with 12:00 straight up in some clay on a
table. Each day when we check our seeds, document any changes and rotate the dish one

quarter of the way with tomorrow putting 3 :00 on top, the next day 6:00 on top, and so
on. Document any growth or changes in data table 2 below.

E I. . _
What do you predict what will have happened after one week in each petri dish?
12:00 dish:
3:00 dish:
6:00 dish:
9:00 dish:

Rotated dish:

59

Results:

60

APPENDIX L

DATA TABLE 1: Seeds at positions on a clock.

 

Date /
Dish Type

Results

 

Date:

 

 

 

 

:“PNE‘

 

 

 

 

 

61

APPENDIX L

DATA TABLE TWO: Rotated Seed

 

Date Results

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q . l l . ,

1. Generally describe the growth of the seeds over the course of the experiment.

2. The title of this experiment is 'geotropism'. In your own words, describe what
you think this term means.

3. Read the section in your text about geotropism. Describe the specifics that are

occurring in the plant for this reaction to occur.

4. How do you think raising food in space might be different from growing crops on
Earth? What concerns may arise?

62

APPENDDI L

Ban]; demtropism
Procedures;

1. Tape three seeds in a row on a strip of cardboard. Place the strip of

cardboard in the center of a coated paper plate. Tape one rolled up wet paper towel on
one end and one dry paper towel on the other end. Place the set-up in a ziploc baggie and
observe the results over the next week. Keep the baggie in a cupboard throughout the
experiment to eliminate light from the experiment.

El"‘

What do you think will happen to the seed growth over the next week? Why?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beams;
Date Results
0 . l C l . _

Source:

Generally describe the growth of the seeds over time. Why do you think these
results occurred?

How do you think the plant 'knew' where to grow? What parts of the root play a
role in this experiment?

What other kinds of experiments could we design to observe more tropic
responses?

WW. National Gardening Association. Vermont. 1990.

 

APPENDIX M

 

APPENDD( M

** This is a sample of the permission slip sent to students and parents of the study
group. This same permission slip was used October 1996, April 1997, and
October 1997.

Date: October 5, 1996

To: Students and Parents of Botany

Dear Students and Parents,

As discussed previously in class, we will be studying how plants are living
organisms. We will be experimenting on plants to show that they eat, excrete, grow,
reproduce, respond to stimuli, and adapt. In past years of Botany we have not done some
of these experiments and studies. I am interested in studying whether this approach helps
you better understand this concept. I am presently working to complete my Master's
thesis at Michigan State University and I would like to use data collected from your pre
and post assessments, samples fi'om your journals, and data from interviews. Your name
will not be used in my thesis, that is fine. There is no penalty in denying permission to use
your data and you will not be at any personal or academic risk. Ifyou have any questions
or concerns feel flee to call me at the high school at 694-2162.

Sincerely,

Ms. Heather Neiswonger

 

I give Ms. Neiswonger my permission to use data collected fi'om my pre and
post assessments, my journal entries, and interviews. I understand that Ms. Neiswonger
will maintain my confidentiality with all of my student data.

I do not wish for Ms. Neiswonger to use my data as part of her Master's thesis. I
understand there is not penalty for choosing to do so.

 

 

Student signature Date

 

 

Parent/Guardian signature Date

63

 

APPENDIX N

 

‘-

APPENDIX N

W W
1. Are plants alive? How do you know?

What are the characteristics of a living thing? (Name at least 4)

Describe how a plant displays these characteristics of life. Be specific.

Draw the parts of the plant that are involved with EACH of the characteristics you
described above. Link each characteristic to the appropriate part.

Describe laboratory experiences you have had that have helped you discover plants
are living organisms. Be specific and include experiences connected to each
characteristic of life.

Create a concept map with these terms: (Use the back of this paper)
"Interconnect as many as possible

hormones genes traits
stimuli light grth
leaves reproduction

 

APPENDIX 0

APPENDIX 0

W

o-
1-
2-

o-
1-

I used a scale of 0-3 (0 being low)
Are plants alive? How do you know?

No answer, just a "yes", negative information, nothing correct for reasons
"yes" and 1-2 characteristics that are poorly explained

"yes" and 2-3 characteristics that are somewhat explained. Or just list the
characteristics of life.

"yes" 3, 4 or more characteristics of life fiilly explained in detail.

What are the characteristics of a living thing? (Name at least 4)

No answer

1-2 characteristics of life (eat, breathe, grow, reproduce, respond to stimuli,
excrete, adapt.)

3-4 characteristics of life

More than 4 characteristics of life

Describe how a plant displays these characteristics of life. Be specific.

No answer, may only explain one briefly or incorrectly

Explains 1-2 with vague explanations

Cites specific labs and evidence on 2-3 characteristics. May describe 4 but they
are very vague

Explains 4 and more characteristics in detail by citing labs and evidence

Draw the parts of the plant that are involved with EACH of the
characteristics you described above. Link each characteristic to the
appropriate part.

Nothing or a plain plant with nothing labeled.

Draws a part of a plant with l characteristic labeled. Or draws a detailed plant
with 1-2 characteristics labeled.

Draws whole plant or at least 3 main parts (roots, stems, leaves, flowers) Explains
2-4 characteristics with this diagram.

Draws whole plant and labels 4 or more parts linked to the characteristics.

65

1-
2-
3-

1-
2-

66

APPENDIX 0

Describe laboratory experiences you have had that have helped you discover
plants are living organisms. Be specific and include experiences connected
to each characteristic of life.

Nothing

Describes 1 lab and links it to l characteristic

Describes 2-3 labs and links them. May have vague or incorrect descriptions.
Describes 4 or more labs and links them in detail to the characteristics.

Create a concept map with these terms: (Use the back of this paper)
“Interconnect as many as possible

hormones genes traits
stimuli light growth
leaves reproduction

Nothing or 1-4 terms linked but no connecting terms or arrows. No detailed
descriptions ofl‘ of the terms.

Has most terms linked but not with explanations. May have a few explanations.
Has all terms linked, some arrows but lacks detailed explanations and descriptions.
Lacks multiple connections.

Links genes to traits and explains. Links genes to controlling reproduction.
Light is absorbed by leaves and used for photosynthesis to make glucose.
Stimuli can be a hormone, light, or other tropisms.

Stimuli can lead to growth.

This concept map is in good form with all terms connected with arrows and
connecting terms above the arrows. There are other bubbles to make fiirther
connections.

APPENDIX P

APPENDIX P

Master's Thesis: Fall Interviews-Pu Thesis students

10.

(*Also used with Post Thesis students)
Describe a little about my project to the student. (no names used, be honest, etc)
What do you remember about Botany?
-what first comes to mind?

What words would best describe how you feel about Botany?

What words would best describe what and how you learned in Botany?

What did you most enjoy? Why?

What did you most dislike? Why?

What does it mean to be alive?

Is a plant alive? How do you know?

Describe how a plant displays characteristics of life.

What labs helped you learn this?

(10 b. Do plants excrete? proof? Do plants reproduce? proof? Do plants eat? proof?)

11.

Concept map with key terms ..... words on cards...

67

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