Green plants are the primary producers of energy in most ecosystems, As such, they are one of the most crucial life forms on this planet. They are also one of the most diverse and noticeable forms of organism in most of the environments that children are likely to be familiar with. Given their nature, small plants are also acceptable as subjects for experimentation.
The key ideas to be developed here are:
I , Plants require certain conditions to be able to photosynthesise, which provides them with energy for nutrition and growth,
2 Reproduction in flowering plants occurs through the pollination and fertilisation of seeds.
3. Reproduction in non-flowering plants can occur in other ways.
Teaching Concepts
Click on each concept to see Subject facts, Why you need to know these, Vocabulary, Amazing facts, Common misconceptions, Questions and Teaching Ideas
Concept 3: Non-flowering Plants
It is important to be aware of how these concepts can be developed in teaching. The following is one way in which the progression can be described. It goes up to Key Stage 3, because it is necessary to know where the children will be going next.To demonstrate your own understanding of the concepts, it is useful to produce your own concept chain.
Plants need light, warmth and water to grow. Different plants require different amounts of light, warmth and water to grow best. Plants have different parts, which perform different functions, Flowering plants produce seeds in their flower heads; under the correct conditions, these seeds can grow into new plants. Some plants do not grow from seeds, but can grow from cuttings or bulbs. The size of the seed does not give any indication of the size of the adult plant. Seeds can be stored before planting.
The rate of plant growth depends on the availability of light, warmth and water. Different plants require different growing conditions. All green plants are dependent on light to produce food. Food is produced in the leaves of a green plant. Roots provide an anchor for a plant, and collect moisture. Plants have internal veins which transport moisture and nutrients around the plant. Flowering plants reproduce through a cycle of pollination, fertilisation, seed dispersal and germination. Different seeds germinate under different conditions. Seeds contain enough food for the new plant to grow and develop until it is able to make food for itself.
Green plants obtain carbon by photosynthesising complex carbon molecules from the carbon dioxide found in air. The mass of a plant comes from the combination of carbon with water to produce carbohydrate. Plants use oxygen (respiration) to convert the carbohydrate into cellulose (tough structural fibres) or starch (a food store), releasing some carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere. Each type of plant has an ideal level of light, warmth and carbon dioxide for maximising photosynthesis. The structure of a plant cell is such that when it is engorged with water (turgid), it is relatively rigid flowering plants (and non-flowering, seed-bearing plants) contain both male and female elements, which combine in reproduction.