Framework Biology 5
An Inquiry Based Science Teaching and Learning Framework
Topic/Learning Activity
The growth response of
plants – Tropisms. OB50
Student Cohort
Student Level
2nd Year students.
B5
Prior Knowledge
OB39 – be able to classify living organisms as plants or animals.
OB 45 – identify the main parts of a typical flowering plant and their functions: the root,
stem, leaf and flower.
Stimulus to Engage
How do you get the students interested in the topic to start?
Noticing house plants bent towards window.
Never seeing a root growing upwards.
Phototropism http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze8NV7cvW8k&feature=related
Geotropism http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFCdAgeMGOA&NR=1
Science Questions
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What do you think causes plants to bend towards light?
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What do you think causes roots to grow down and not up?
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When planting seeds, is there a top and bottom for a seed?
Does it matter what way it is planted?
Learning Outcomes
Content Knowledge
The student will be able to:
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Understand the terms phototropism and geotropism.
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Understand the importance of tropisms for the survival of the plant – photosynthesis.
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Framework Biology 5
An Inquiry Based Science Teaching and Learning Framework
Process
B5
Bio
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Students will learn how to do a fair test.
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Students will be able to set up an experiment with differing light conditions
(non-directional, uni-directional, darkness).
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Students will be able to set up an experiment to investigate the effects
gravity on germinating seeds
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Students should be able to record their results in a table.
Skills
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Information processing - recording, presenting information
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Critical and creative thinking – examining evidence and reaching conclusions
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Communicating
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Working with others
Questions during Activity
Questions to drive student learning (directing them to the learning outcomes):
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How will you make this a fair test?
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How will you find out what causes the plant to bend?
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How will you find out what causes the seed’s root to grow down?
Questions to probe understanding:
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Why is has the plant that had light only from the side bent?
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Why is the plant that had light from all sides straight?
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Why does the root always grow down, no matter what position the seed is in?
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What causes plant stems to bend?
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What causes roots to grow down?
Questions to get students thinking about their own learning (metacognition):
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What affect has light on plants?
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What effect has gravity on plants?
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What result proved this to you?
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What have you learned from this activity?
Developing the Activity
How do you stimulate students to ask even more questions/think further?
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What direction might a plant’s roots grow in space?
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Do plants stay still during the day?
Possible supporting activities:
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Using a clinostat to investigate geotropism.
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Using time lapse photography to investigate the movement of a plant over a number of hours
or days. (Possibility of analysing such a video using LoggerPro to produce a graph of the
plant movements).
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Framework Biology 5
An Inquiry Based Science Teaching and Learning Framework
Questions for supporting activities:
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Why do roots grow in a circle when the clinostat is used?
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What would happen if the clinostat was turned off?
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What is causing the plant to move during the day?
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How does this movement help the plant?
Reflecting back to Learning Outcomes
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How many of your intended outcomes were achieved?
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A work sheet would assist in determining if the intended outcomes were
achieved.
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Do any of your intended outcomes need to be revised?
Additional Resources
Stimulus materials, websites, etc.:
Phototropism http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze8NV7cvW8k&feature=related
Geotropism http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFCdAgeMGOA&NR=1
Britannica video explaining phototropism and geotropism:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvZJqWSdMMk
How has the use of ICT enhanced the learning?
Evidence of enhancement:
Using YouTube clips to engage students
Additional Comments
B5
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