Many students have few significant experiences investigating flower structure and function, yet are expected to understand sexual reproduction in angiosperms. We present here an inquiry-based hands-on activity where middle school students compare plant reproduction to more commonly understood animal reproduction. This provides a foundation to more deeply understand topics related to plant reproduction. This activity also provides many opportunities to explicitly address the nature of science and how science works. This article addresses National Science Education Content Standards A, C, and G, and Iowa Teaching Standards 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5

Goodman, Timothy D.

Woodruff, Laurence H.

English

University of Northern Iowa

Iowa Science Teachers Journal Volume 38 Number 2 Article 6 2011 The Buds and the Bees: Inquiry into the Sexual Reproduction of Plants Timothy D. Goodman Vermillion Alternative High School, Vermillion, South Dakota Laurence H. Woodruff Olathe East High School, Olathe, Kansas Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/istj  Part of the Science and Mathematics Education Commons Recommended Citation Goodman, Timothy D. and Woodruff, Laurence H. (2011) "The Buds and the Bees: Inquiry into the Sexual Reproduction of Plants," Iowa Science Teachers Journal: Vol. 38 : No. 2 , Article 6. Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/istj/vol38/iss2/6 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by UNI ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Iowa Science Teachers Journal by an authorized editor of UNI ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact scholarworks@uni.edu. This activity provides an introduction to the structure and Because most students have likely viewed flowers only in function of flowers. Through concrete experience students passing, this activity provides a concrete experience in confront the common misconception that plants do not which we encourage students to closely observe the reproduce sexually. We situate this activity at a point in the structure of flowers. Through these observations, students school year after students have a basic understanding of create a general model of flower structure and the function of animal sexual reproduction.  While not absolutely necessary key parts.  Importantly, students do not “discover” the for this activity, we have students carefully observe the structure of flowers.  We, as teachers, play an important role behavior of bees, particularly how they interact with flowers in helping students make meaning of their observations.  to provide students with additional background on which Our questions, wait-time, and introduction of new they can draw during this activity. We designed this activity information are carefully considered to ensure students for middle school students, but it may be modified for use in remain actively mentally engaged.high school introductory biology.ABSTRACT: Many students have few significant experiences investigating flower structure and function, yet are expected to understand sexual reproduction in angiosperms.  We present here an inquiry-based hands-on activity where middle school students compare plant reproduction to more commonly understood animal reproduction. This provides a foundation to more deeply understand topics related to plant reproduction. This activity also provides many opportunities to explicitly address the nature of science and how science works. This article addresses National Science Education Content Standards A, C, and G, and Iowa Teaching Standards 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.inquiry into the sexual reproduction of plants   Timothy D. Goodman, Vermillion Alternative High School, Vermillion, South DakotaLaurence H. Woodruff, Olathe East High School, Olathe, Kansas19   The Budsand the BeesGraphic Work by Joe Taylor© 2011 Iowa Academy of Science1Goodman and Woodruff: The Buds and the Bees: Inquiry into the Sexual Reproduction of PlPublished by UNI ScholarWorks, 2011Exploring Flowers••••••When choosing what flowers to present to our students, we considered flowers that possess easily identifiable male and female parts (Figure 1). We initiate this activity by providing pairs of students one flower from our pool. We then have students carefully observe and record their observations of the flower they received. As students make and record their observations, we wander among the students observing what they are doing and writing as well as listening to what they say. If students are struggling to make and record key aspects of the flower, we ask questions such as “How does your flower differ from your neighbors’ flowers?” “What do you notice about the color patterns of your flower?”The purpose of these questions is to direct student attention to particular elements of their flower they have yet to describe.  While we could simply tell students what to look for, we want students to be curious.  Furthermore, having students make observations rather than be told what to look for more accurately models how scientists do their work.  Yet, students do need guidance in order to focus their observations.  Our guidance, as detailed below, ensures that we also meet curricular expectations.  Students often have difficulties making distinctions between some aspects of flower parts. If students are struggling to note particular structures, we don’t simply provide them magnifying glasses because this communicates that we will solve their problems for them. Instead, we ask “What would you need to get a better look?”Once any group asks for and receives permission to use a magnifying glass or dissecting scope, other groups see what they are doing and seek the same assistance. Thus, students learn to think about how to solve problems and seek their classmates’ assistance rather than always relying on the teacher.After students have recorded detailed observations in their notebooks, we have each group of two students create accurate diagrams of their flower on whiteboards. To ensure that students understand the value of creating diagrams along with their written notes, we ask the following questions: “What is the value of expressing your observations in words?” “What is the value of expressing your observations with diagrams?” “What would be lost if either of these expressions were missing?”After students have finished creating their diagrams and descriptions, we have each group of students present their       20FIGURE 1Suggested flower varieties for students to observe.Stargazer LilyGladiolaAlstroemeriaPetuniaHoneysuckle      All images used by permission (see copyright information at end of article)ISTJ 38(2) Spring 2011http://iacad.org/istj2Iowa Science Teachers Journal, Vol. 38, No. 2 [2011], Art. 6https://scholarworks.uni.edu/istj/vol38/iss2/6boards to the class. As each group presents, the same basic When disagreements arise, we askflower structures are presented, but with differing language or descriptions rather than names for structures.   “How can we use our original drawings of the flowers to come to agreement?”  When students are discussing their ideas and linking their To help students make connections among the various thinking to observations, we are sure to draw students’ flowers, we askattention to how they are acting like scientists by asking “What are some of the ways in which all of the flowers  “How might scientists use their observations to settle the class presented are similar?”disagreements?”   “What are the differences among the flowers?”   “How is the creation of our drawing like what scientists might do?”As additional groups present, we ask studentsOnce our class drawing includes all student ideas, we are  “How does this flower change/add to our thinking about typically done with one 50-minute class period.  In the next flowers?”  class session we want to further students’ thinking regarding flower structure and function as well as introduce more Students typically note that the petals might be different, but formal vocabulary.  We do not expect students to suddenly the “inside” of the flower seems to be similar.  Some classes figure out that sperm and egg cells combine to produce an of students might even claim that the stems inside the flower embryo, that pollen grains carry sperm, and that pollination all have the same pattern – one large stem in the middle and is the transportation of pollen from the male flower parts to several around the outside.the female flower parts. Though there are many ways to provide students with this information, we found a short Once students have begun noting important similarities, we video that plainly describes these relationships without use the opportunity to address the value of establishing a technical jargon ( , 1996).  Yet, the video common language for flower parts. This approach is crucial alone is not enough to promote active mental engagement for helping students come to understand that naming or encourage students to make connections between their structures is not supposed to be an act of memorization, but exploration, model development, and the video.rather a means to promote common language that will promote more effective communication about flowers. We To create interest and prepare students for what will be use this same approach in most language intensive presented in the video, we ask questions such asinstruction. At this stage in the lesson, we are not yet worried about scientific names.  For example, students may agree to  “What do you think is the purpose of the flower?”refer to stamen as “long, puffy stalks”. “What do you think is the function of each different flower part?”After all groups have presented their work, we ask students  “How do you think bees interact with flowers?”to consolidate what they have learned from the collection of diagrams. While we (the teacher) typically create a drawing Students provide a wide variety of responses to these on the front board, students tell us what to draw and how to questions and rarely provide the accurate scientific label the drawing. When completed, this class generated understanding at this time. However, now having a vested general illustration of flowers becomes the model-in-interest in the answer to the questions, they are more progress for the class.  While we were initially tempted to attentive to the video.simply find an “accurate” drawing of the parts of a flower here, we know that having the class consolidate their To further ensure students’ attention during this short video, thinking into a common student-created drawing keeps we stop the video frequently to ask open-ended questions.  students actively mentally engaged and wrestling with the Typically, we stop the video when connections might be content.  This approach also provides us with important made to previous discussions.  For example, when the video insight into student thinking.   uses the word stamen or pistil, we stop the video and askAs this drawing is being created, we work to keep the  “How does this relate to our model we created thinking and decision-making in the students’ minds rather yesterday?”  than ours.  If we notice a problematic aspect of the class drawing, we might askWhen discussing these ideas we encourage students to modify models they might have in their notebooks by adding  “Why might the kind of petals we put on our drawing not the more formal vocabulary.  We also stop the video when be important?”  new information or key concepts are introduced.  For example, when the video notes that pollen grains carry •Concept Development••••••••••           How Stuff Works21ISTJ 38(2) Spring 2011http://iacad.org/istj3Goodman and Woodruff: The Buds and the Bees: Inquiry into the Sexual Reproduction of PlPublished by UNI ScholarWorks, 2011sperm cells, we stop the video and ask When students appear to have grasped these key ideas, we then encourage students to expand their thinking about how  “So flowers make use of sperm cells.  In what other plant and animal reproduction compare. We askways might plant reproduction be similar to animal reproduction?”  “In what ways is plant reproduction similar to animal  “Given that flowers make use of sperm cells carried by reproduction?”pollen, what predictions might you have about other  “In what ways is it different?”  parts of the flower?”  We want students to make the connection between the role These open-ended questions serve to encourage students of sperm and egg cells in both animal and plant to make connections among activities and remain actively reproduction.  Students typically come to this conclusion mentally engaged during the video.  Encouraging students quite well.  Inevitably, one student notes that flowers have to discuss what they see rather than fill out a worksheet both male and female organs so plants can reproduce with better encourages student to make sense of information themselves.  In a high school biology course this notion rather than seek factoids and trivia.  Importantly, open- could lead to a discussion about the role of genetic variation.ended questions are not enough.  To encourage more student participation we are sure to provide ample wait time to encourage student response (Rowe, 1986).  Although we previously addressed some ideas regarding Furthermore, we use encouraging non-verbal behaviors, how science works or the nature of science, we revisit and such as smiling, raising our eyebrows, and open-hand expand on these ideas toward the end of the lesson.  In gestures to further promote student communication particular, this lesson lends itself to helping students (Clough, 2007). understand the use of models in science. We ask a series of questions to encourage students to consider the relationship Although we encourage students to make modifications to between what we have done as a class and what scientists their drawings during the video, we return to the class model do. For instance, students are provided a scientific diagram of the flower to re-label particular structures using of the flower parts, complete with vocabulary, for the information learned in the video, revisit the importance of purpose of comparison with our class-generated model. We agreed upon naming, and address in more detail flower ask studentsstructure and function.  This consolidation serves as formative assessment of student learning and provides an  “How is our class model similar to this model?”  opportunity for students to hear their peers explain the modifications to the class drawing.  We also revisit the To push student thinking further we ask,question, “What is the purpose of a flower?”  However, greater care is taken to have students refer to the class  “If I had simply handed you this diagram at the model of the flower as we ask further questions that have beginning of this investigation, how would that have them link function of flower parts to the structures appearing misrepresented the way science works?”in their model flower.   Some questions to explore these connections include Students may point out that our model, or the textbook model for that matter, does not exactly portray the parts of all  “What role do the different flower parts play?” the flowers we examined. We ask “How is that role related to the part’s structure?” “How do the structures help the sperm and egg cells  “Why would scientists use a general representation of interact?” flowers that is not precisely like any one flower?” “Where does pollen originate?” “Where must pollen go for fertilization to occur?” We can use this question to lead a discussion regarding the use of models to communicate relationships, the idealized We then move to helping students understand the role of nature of models, and the role of consensus in creating pollinators in plant reproduction by scaffolding student models.  Some questions we might use to guide such a thinking when asking questions such as discussion include: “What is a pollinator?”  “What is a model?” “How do bees and other pollinators interact with the  “In what ways are your drawings models?”flower?”  “What is the value of a generic model?” “How does the structure of most flowers ensure that  “We have real flowers to view, so why create a model?”bees will carry with them pollen as they move from  “How well does the generic model represent any of your flower to flower?” specific flowers?” “How do the bees benefit from this interaction?”  “How do you suppose scientists decided on a model?” “How does the plant benefit from this interaction?”••••How Science Works••••• •••• •• ••• ••• ••                       22ISTJ 38(2) Spring 2011http://iacad.org/istj4Iowa Science Teachers Journal, Vol. 38, No. 2 [2011], Art. 6https://scholarworks.uni.edu/istj/vol38/iss2/6Conclusion Plant sexual reproduction is a fundamental biology concept that will be revisited during later topics such as Mendelian This exploratory activity and the following concept genetics and plant evolution. The inquiry approach development typically require two 50-minute class periods presented here reflects how students learn (Bransford, to complete. While simply providing students with a labeled Brown & Cocking, 2000), increases students’ interest in picture of plant parts would require less time, it does not studying flowers, and more effectively advances all the promote the mental engagement and deep and robust goals we have for students. understanding of plant sexual reproduction that we want. 23ReferencesHow Stuff Works, (Producer). (1996). Assignment discovery: Bransford, J.D., Brown, A.L. & Cocking, R.R. (Eds.). (2000). plant reproduction. [Web]. Retrieved from: How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.Clough, Michael P. (2007). Synergistic Relationships: Why Rowe, M. B. (1986). Wait-Time: Slowing Down may be a Way Effective Teaching is Complex. Iowa Science Teachers of Speeding Up. Journal of Teacher Education, 37(1), 43-50.Journal, Editorial, 34(3), pp 2-3.http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/30702-assignment-discovery-plant-reproduction-video.htmStargazer Lily photo courtesy of Steve Karg.Gladiola photo courtesy of wikimedia user audreyjm529.Alstroemeria photo courtesy Stan Shebs.Petunia photo courtesy of Ramesh Ng.Honeysuckle photo courtesy of Wouter Hagens.Timothy D. Goodman teaches Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Geometry at the Vermillion School District Alternative School in Vermillion, South Dakota.  Timothy is currently working at his school to modify traditional computer-based education into discourse-based, communication centered instruction.  He has also co-authored a paper on  in the Plant Journal.  Contact Timothy at .Laurence H. Woodruff teaches General Science at Olathe East High School in Olathe, Kansas.  When asked about his success in the classroom, he credits being ‘consistently surrounded by supportive mentors, colleagues, and administrators.’  Contact Laurence at .mutator insertion sites in maizetimothy.d.goodman@gmail.comlaurence.woodruff@gmail.comISTJ 38(2) Spring 2011http://iacad.org/istj5Goodman and Woodruff: The Buds and the Bees: Inquiry into the Sexual Reproduction of PlPublished by UNI ScholarWorks, 2011

The Buds and the Bees: Inquiry into the Sexual Reproduction of Plants

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The Buds and the Bees: Inquiry into the Sexual Reproduction of Plants

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