Plant
Reproduction
Teacher’s Guide
High/Middle School
Produced by:
Brian A. Jerome, Ph.D.
Stephanie Zak Jerome
Narrated by:
Nina Keck
Production Assistants:
Matt Wimmer
Heidi Berry
Jessica Kassis
Fred Thodal
Visual Learning Company
Brandon, Vermont
1-800-453-8481
www.visuallearningco.com
Plant Reproduction
Contributors and
Reviewers:
Producers:
Brian A. Jerome, Ph.D.
Stephanie Zak Jerome, MPA
Narrator:
Nina Keck
Reviewers:
Kevin Omland, Ph.D.
Smithsonian Institution
Washington, DC
Mary Cahill, M.A.
Potomac School
McLean, Virginia
Production Assistants:
Matt Wimmer
Heidi Berry
Jessica Kassis
Fred Thodal
Susan Hurstecalderone, M.S.
Our Lady of Lourdes
Washington, DC
Use and Copyright:
The purchase of this video program entitles the user the right to reproduce or
duplicate, in whole or in part, this teacher’s guide and the blackline master
handouts for the purpose of teaching in conjunction with this video, Plant
Reproduction. The right is restricted only for use with this video program. Any
reproduction or duplication, in whole or in part, of this guide and student
masters for any purpose other than for use with this video program is
prohibited.
The video and this teacher’s guide are the exclusive property of
the copyright holder. Copying, transmitting or reproducing in
any form, or by any means, without prior written permission
from the copyright holder is prohibited (Title 17, U.S. Code
Sections 501 and 506).
062901a
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Plant Reproduction
Table of
Contents
Page
National Standards Correlations
5
Student Learning Objectives
6
Assessment
7
Introducing the Video
8
Video Viewing Suggestions
8
Video Script
10
Answers to Student Assessment and
Activity Masters
14
Assessment and Student Activity Masters
16
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Plant Reproduction
Viewing
Clearances
The video and accompanying teacher’s guide is for
instructional use only. In showing these programs, no
admission charges are to be incurred. The programs are to be
utilized in face-to-face classroom instructional settings,
library settings, or similar instructional settings.
Duplication rights are available, but must be negotiated with
the Visual Learning Company.
Television, cable, or satellite rights are also available, but
must be negotiated with the Visual Learning Company.
Closed circuit rights are available, and are defined as the use
of the program beyond a single classroom but within a single
campus. Institutions wishing to utilize the program in
multiple campuses must purchase the multiple campus version
of the program, available at a slightly higher fee.
Discounts may be granted to institutions interested in
purchasing programs in large quantities. These discounts may
be negotiated with the Visual Learning Company.
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Plant Reproduction
Standards
Correlations
National Science Education Standards
(Content Standards: 5-8, National Academy of Sciences, c. 1996)
Science as Inquiry - Content Standard A:
As a result of activities in grades 5-8, all students should develop:
• Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
• Understandings about scientific inquiry
Life Science - Content Standard C:
As a result of their activities in grades 5-8, all students should develop
an understanding of:
• Structure and function in living systems
• Regulation and behavior
• Diversity and adaptations of organisms
Benchmarks for Science Literacy
(Project 2061 - AAAS, c. 1993)
The Living Environment
By the end of the eighth grade, students should know that:
• One of the most general distinctions among organisms is between
plants, which use sunlight to make their own food, and animals, which
consume energy-rich foods.
•Animals and plants have a great variety of body plans and structures
that contribute to their being able to make or find food and reproduce.
•All living things are composed of cells, from just one to many
millions, whose details usually are visible only through a microscope.
• Food provides the fuel and building material for all organisms.
Plants use the energy from light to make sugars from carbon dioxide
and water.
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Plant Reproduction
Student Learning
Objectives
Upon viewing the video and completing the enclosed student
activities, students should be able to do the following:
•
Describe the difference between sexual and asexual
reproduction;
•
Generally define the term alternation of generations;
•
Identify the sporophyte and gametophyte phases in mosses and
ferns;
•
Differentiate between reproductive processes in seedless and
seed-producing plants;
•
Identify reproductive structures of gymnosperms, including
pollen, male cones, female cones, eggs and naked seeds;
•
Describe the process of fertilization in gymnosperms;
•
Identify reproductive structures of angiosperms, including
pollen, stamen, anther, filament, pistil, stigma, style, ovary, egg,
and seed;
•
Describe the process of pollination and fertilization in
angiosperms; and
•
Define the terms seed dispersal and germination.
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Plant Reproduction
Assessment
Preliminary Test:
The Preliminary Test, provided in the Student Masters section, is an
assessment tool designed to gain an understanding of student preexisting
knowledge. It can also be used as a benchmark upon which to assess
student progress in accomplishing the objectives stated on the previous
pages.
Video Review:
The Video Review, provided in the Student Masters section, can be used as
an assessment tool or as a student activity. There are two main parts. The
first part contains questions titled “You Decide” that can be answered during
the video. The second series of ten questions consists of video review
questions to be answered at the conclusion of the video.
Post-Test:
The Post-Test, provided in the Student Masters section, can be utilized as an
assessment tool following student completion of the video and student
activities. The results of the Post-Test can be compared against the results of
the Preliminary Test to assess student progress.
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Plant Reproduction
Introducing the
Video
Begin by defining the term reproduction for the class. Divide the students
into groups. Ask students to name different ways in which reproduction may
occur in plants. Allow each group about five minutes to construct a list and
then discuss the examples as a class. Have one representative from each
group write their list on the board. Next, ask students to list the benefits of
some of these reproductive processes in plants. Remind them that these may
include food, medicine, and clothing. Discuss these examples as a class and
add the list to that already on the board. Leave the lists on the board during
the video. After viewing the program, ask students to add to the list
examples they may have learned from the video.
Video Viewing
Suggestions
You may want to photocopy and distribute to students the video
review provided in the Student Master. You may choose to have your
students complete this Master while viewing the program or
following its conclusion.
The program is approximately 20-minutes in length and includes a
ten-question video quiz. Answers are not provided to the Video Quiz
on the video, but are provided in the Teacher’s Guide. You may want
to grade student quizzes as an assessment tool or review the answers
in class.
The video is content rich with numerous vocabulary words. For this
reason you may want to periodically stop the video to review and
discuss new terminology and concepts.
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Plant Reproduction
Student Assessments
and Activities
Assessment Masters:
•
Preliminary Test
•
Video Review
•
Post-Test
Student Activity Masters:
•
Dancing Bees
•
Parts of a Flower
•
Bryophyte Reproduction
•
Plant Vocabulary
•
Exploring Fruit
•
Observing Pollen Grains
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Plant Reproduction
Video ScriptPlant Reproduction
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Have you ever smelled the sweet scent of a rose,...
...or eaten an apple,...
...or eaten a flower such as broccoli,...
...or eaten a handful of sunflower seeds,...
...or seen bees buzzing in and out of flowers,...
...or eaten honey produced by bees?
What do all these things have in common?
They are all related to the reproductive process of plants. Everyday we eat, . . .
. ..see,...
...and even touch something that is related to reproduction in plants.
During the next few minutes we are going to take a look at how plants reproduce . . .
...and examine the different methods of reproduction...
...carried out by the wide variety of plants on our planet earth.
When we think of plants reproducing, we usually think of seeds. Those seeds are produced as a result
of a process that begins with the male and female reproductive structures. When those structures are
found in a flower that matures into a ripe ovary, or fruit, we call the plants angiosperms — flowering
plants.
We say that these plants reproduce sexually.
Sexual reproduction occurs when the sex cells combine to form a new plant.
We’ll talk more about sexual reproduction in plants in a few minutes.
Plants can also produce without sex, or asexually.
For example, these strawberry plants not only reproduce sexually via flowers, but they also have the
ability to reproduce asexually.
You Decide!
How do strawberries reproduce asexually?
Strawberries reproduce asexually by sending out runners that grow along the surface of the ground
and spring forth additional plants.
Asexual reproduction can also occur underground. For example, this group of aspen trees is actually
a single aspen individual, with the other trees . .
. . . originating from underground roots.
Now let’s take a look at sexual reproduction in one of the earliest land plants - the bryophytes.
The earliest plant-like organisms most likely lived in aquatic environments such as oceans, lakes, and
rivers.
These single-celled organisms were limited to water and needed to overcome many obstacles to adapt
to life on land.
These obstacles included developing a way to stand upright, a means to obtain and transport water
and nutrients, and a way to reproduce.
Bryophytes are believed to be the first organisms to make this transition to land.
As you recall, bryophytes include mosses, hornworts, and liverworts.
These plants are nonvascular plants, meaning they lack vascular tissue to conduct fluids and nutrients
throughout their structure. They absorb water directly through their cell walls. Therefore they live
where moisture is abundant, often close to the ground.
But how do bryophytes, such as this moss, solve the problem of reproducing on land?
Mosses approach reproduction from two angles - both asexually and sexually.
Let’s discuss how they reproduce sexually, which is a little more complicated.
This is a typical moss plant. Notice that the plant has two major parts, a thin stalk on top and a fleshy
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Plant Reproduction
Script
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green part on the bottom. The top part, called the sporophyte, consists of a stalk with a capsule at the
top.
Inside the capsule are many tiny spores.
When the capsule breaks, the spores go into the air. They eventually settle to the ground and develop
into the fleshy green part of the plant referred to as the gametophyte.
The gametophyte, as seen here, is capable of producing male or female sex cells, with both types often
produced on the same plant!
The male sperm amazingly swims to the female egg and fertilizes it, creating a new organism that has
the complete genetic make up.
This cycle, in which the spore-producing phase and sex cell-producing phase alternate, is called
alternation of generations.
After mosses successfully inhabited the earth, it is believed that more complex plants developed that
possessed conducting tissues. These plants today are called vascular plants.
Most plants that we commonly come in contact with are vascular plants.
Most of the plants we eat are vascular plants.
There are two main groups of vascular plants - seedless plants and seed-producing plants.
Let’s take a look at the seedless vascular plants. Remember that examples of seedless plants include
club mosses, . . .
. . . and ferns. Let’s first take a look at reproduction in ferns, some of the first seedless plants which
appeared on earth about 400 million years ago.
You Decide! What type of environment do ferns need to reproduce?
Ferns need moist environments to reproduce. Let’s see why.
Like mosses and other plants, ferns have alternating generations. These leafy fern plants represent the
sporophyte phase of the fern life cycle.
Remember that the sporophyte phase produces spores. On the underside of the fern leaf you can see
these small dots. These are called sori and contain the developing spores.
When conditions are right and the spores are developed, they are released into the air. They eventually
fall to the ground to form a small heart-shaped leafy plant called a prothallus. This is the gametophyte
phase.
The gametophyte produces sex cells - eggs and sperm.
The sperm swims to the egg and fertilization occurs. The fertilized egg eventually grows into the
sporophyte form of the fern.
There are thousands of different types of plants that reproduce via sex cells and seeds.
Unlike the bryophytes and ferns, seed plants do not need water to reproduce. You may recall that there
are two major groups of seed plants - the angiosperms and the gymnosperms.
Angiosperms make up more than half of all plants and are often referred to as the flowering plants. We
will discuss angiosperm reproduction in just a couple of minutes.
Gymnosperms, like these pines, do not produce flowers . . .
. . . and produce naked seeds that are not enclosed in fruits. Let’s take a closer look at gymnosperm
reproduction.
This is a pine tree, a typical gymnosperm. Notice that it has pine cones.
Most pine trees have both male and female cones on the same tree.
The male pine cones seen here produce pollen. Pollen grains contain male sperm.
Female cones possess ovules that produce egg cells.
Fertilization occurs when the pollen lands on the female cone and the sperm fertilizes the egg.
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Plant Reproduction
Script
64. The fertilized eggs develop within the female cone. When the fertilized eggs, or seeds, are
mature, the cones open and the seeds are released. This usually occurs in the fall or winter.
65. This is a pine seed. Notice that it lacks a flesh or fruit covering. For this reason gymnosperm seeds
are referred to as naked seeds.
66. A small percentage of seeds actually germinate successfully and grow into new trees.
67. You Decide!
68. What do the following structures have in common69. ...this white rose,...
70. ...this broccoli,...
71. ...and this daisy?
72. All of these structures are flowers.
73. Angiosperms are the group of plants that produce flowers. There are over 230,000 species of
angiosperms.
74. The angiosperms are often called the flowering plants. Flowers contain reproductive structures.
75. Flowers come in all different shapes, sizes and colors.
76. Petals are the colorful, leafy parts of flowers.
77. They help attract birds, insects and other animals that play a vital role in pollination.
78. When the flower is developing, it is usually enclosed by leaf-like sepals.
79. They help protect the developing flower.
80. The male and female reproductive structures are usually found inside the flower. Let’s take a closer
look at the male part of the flower.
81. Notice the stalks with a small cap on top. These are the male reproductive organs and are called
stamens.
82. This flower has several stamens.
83. The long, thin part of the stamen is called the filament...
84. ...and the cap is called the anther.
85. If you look closely at the anther you will notice small grains. These are pollen grains.
86. This is pollen seen under the microscope.
87. Now let’s take a look at the female reproductive structures.
88. The female reproductive organ is called the pistil. This flower has one pistil.
89. If you look very closely at the tip of the pistil you will notice a little knob. This is called the stigma.
The stigma is sticky and collects the pollen.
90. The long tube is called the style and it leads down to an ovary which contains ovules.
91. Bees are amazing animals that collect nectar, a sweet liquid, from flowers.
92. This is a hive for honeybees. This beekeeper is putting on protective clothing so he can show us the
inside of the hive. The smoke you see helps to calm the bees.
93. They deposit the nectar in the hives to make what is used as food for the colony. Here you see a tray
in which nectar is deposited. We eat this nectar which is called honey.
94. Bees are very important pollinators. Pollination is the process of pollen being transferred from the
male part of the flower to the female part.
95. The wind, or animals, such as bees, help transport pollen from the male part to the female part of the
flower.
96. The way this works is that a bee comes in contact with the pollen on the anther, when it is taking the
nectar from a flower, and the pollen grain sticks to the bee.
97. When a bee then goes to another flower, some of the pollen on the bee comes in contact with the
female stigma.
98. The pollen grain then opens up and a tube grows from the stigma, down the style, and into the ovule.
99. A sperm cell then travels down the tube where it then fertilizes an egg. It is this fertilized egg that
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Plant Reproduction
Script
becomes a seed.
100. Have you ever eaten a fertilized egg? If you like to eat peanuts or peanut butter, you have.
101. Peanuts are seeds capable of growing into new plants.
102. The nut, or seed, is enclosed in the fruit, which we need to open to get to the peanut.
103. When an egg is fertilized it develops a fruit that encircles the seed.
104. So when you are eating a fruit, you are really eating the ovary of the plant.
105. In some cases, such as with watermelon, the fruit is very large and encases many seeds.
106. The fruit helps protect the developing seeds.
107. We all depend on the process of seed germination. A day does not go by without eating something
that comes from a seed planted by a farmer.
108. The tiny lettuce seed eventually grows into the lettuce we eat in salads.
109. How is it possible for a seed to grow into a plant? This is certainly one of the miracles of nature.
110. A mature seed is actually a miniature plant that contains a small root, stem, a food source called a
cotyledon, and a protective seed coat.
111. Once a seed has matured, it usually leaves the parent plant to develop another plant. Seed dispersal is
the scattering of seeds.
112. Seeds can be dispersed in many ways. The wind can blow the seeds...
113. ...or an animal may eat fruits containing seeds and then disperse them in their feces.
114. Or seeds can stick to the fur of animals that can carry them great distances before falling to the
ground.
115. Most seeds remain dormant until the right conditions exist for them to begin growing.
116. Germination is the “sprouting” of a seed- the beginning stages of growth.
117. If the correct temperature exists, seed germination can be triggered by moisture.
118. During the past few minutes we have taken a look at many different aspects of plant reproduction.
119. We have studied the difference between asexual and sexual reproduction in plants, and...
120. ...we have seen how reproduction occurs in bryophytes, such as moss.
121. We took a look at how reproduction occurs in the seedless, vascular plants by looking at the life cycle
of ferns.
122. We also studied the reproduction process in gymnosperms, such as pines...
123. ...and in the angiosperms, the flowering plants.
141. Finally, we took a look at seed development and the process of seed germination.
142. Next time you eat some fruit, snack on a handful of peanuts, or smell a flower, take a minute to think
about how plant reproduction affects our daily lives. You might just look at plants a little differently.
Video Quiz
Fill in the correct word when you hear the tone. Good luck and let’s get started.
1. New plants reproducing from runners is an example of _______ reproduction.
2. The _____ phase of the moss produces spores.
3. The _____ phase of the moss plant produces sperm and eggs.
4. The cycling of sporophyte and gametophyte phases is called __________ generations.
5. Gymnosperms produce ______ seeds.
6. Gymnosperm seeds commonly mature inside structures called ________.
7. Flowers contain the _____ structure of angiosperms.
8. Pollen contains male ______ cells.
9. Seeds are actually fertilized ______.
10. _______ is the process of a seed sprouting.
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Plant Reproduction
Answers to Student
Assessments
Preliminary Test
1. reproduction
2. asexually
3. bryophytes
4. moist
5. spores
6. gametophytes
7. pollen
8. pistil
9. bees
10. seed
11. True
12. False
13. True
14. False
15. True
16. True
17. False
18. True
19. False
20. True
Post Test
1. True
2. True
3. False
4. True
5. True
6. True
7. False
8. False
9. True
10. False
11. seed
12. moist
13. gametophytes
14. reproduction
15. bryophytes
16. bees
17. pollen
18. asexually
19. pistil
20. spores
Video Review:
You Decide:
A. Strawberries reproduce asexually by
sending out runners that grow along the
surface of the ground and spring forth
additional plants.
B. moist
C. All of these structures are flowers.
Dancing Bees
1. round dance
2. waggle dance
3. waggle dance
4. round dance
5. waggle dance
Video Quiz:
1. asexual
2. sporophyte
3. gametophyte
4. alternation
5. naked
Parts of Flowers
6. filament
1. pedicel
7. pollen grain
2. sepal
8. anther
3. ovary
9. style
4. ovules
10. stigma
5. petal
6. cones
7. reproductive
8. sperm
9. ovules
10. germination
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Plant Reproduction
Answers to Student
Activities
Exploring Fruit Lab
a. Sketches will vary.
b. yes
c. no
Vocabulary
d. Each seed in the pea is attached to the
1. reproduction – the process by which
fruit wall at only one point. In the
living things give rise to the same
kernel of corn, the seed and the fruit
living thing.
wall are fused together.
2. bryophyte– the first plant-like
e.
The
inside of the pea pod is much dryer
organisms to make the transition to
than the fleshy moist interior of the apple.
land.
f. Answers will vary.
3. spores – a reproductive cell that produces the gametophyte stage in plants. g. one seed
4. gametophyte – a plant or part of a plant h. There are many seeds in the apple but
there is only one seed in the peach.
that produces the sex cells.
i. The apple is formed when the receptacle
5. pollen – the male sex cell of seed
of the plant matures around the ovary.
plants.
The
peach is formed only from the ovary
6. fern – a spore-producing gymnosperm.
and its contents.
7. sori – a small sac containing spores
j.
Answers
will vary.
usually found on the undersides of fern
k. Thin streaks in the strawberry tissue end
leaves.
at each seed.
8. gymnosperm – a non-flowering plant
l.
Answers
will vary.
that produces naked seeds.
9. angiosperm – a flowering plant whose m. the core
seeds are covered by a fruit.
Conclusion: Simple fruits develop from a
10. seeds – fertilized ovules.
single pistil. An aggregate fruit develops
11. stamen – male reproductive organ in a from multiple pistils in one flower. A
flower.
multiple fruit forms when the ovaries of
12. germination – the beginning stages of
numerous flowers are clustered together.
growth of a seed.
Observing Pollen Grains Lab
13. pistil – female reproductive
Conclusion: Pollen acts as the male sex cell
organ in a flower.
14. pollination – when pollen is transferred in angiosperm reproduction. Pollen from
the anther of one flower is used to fertilize
from the male part of a flower to the
the ovule of another flower. The fertilized
female part of a flower.
egg matures into a new plant.
15. sex cells – eggs and sperm.
Bryophyte Reproduction
Sketches will vary.
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Assessment
and Student
Activity
Masters
16
Plant Reproduction
Name___________________
Preliminary Test
Directions: Fill in the blank with the correct word. A list of possible answers is
provided at the bottom of the page.
1. The process of plants producing offspring is called _________________.
2. When plant reproduction does not involve interaction between male and female
organs, the plant is reproducing _________________.
3. The earliest plant-like organisms that made the transition to land are believed to
be __________________.
4. Ferns need a __________ environment to reproduce.
5. During the sporophyte phase of the fern life cycle, __________ are released
from the undersides of fern leaves.
6. Sex cells, such as eggs and sperm, are produced by _________________.
7. The male pine cone produces __________.
8. The female reproductive organ in flowering plants is called the __________.
9. The process of pollen being carried from the male part of the flower to the
female part can be accomplished by __________.
10. A nut is an example of a __________.
pistil
seed
asexually
bees
pollen
reproduction
spores
moist
bryophytes
gametophytes
17

Plant Reproduction
Name___________________
Preliminary Test
Directions: Decide if the answer is True (T) or False (F).
11. Asexual reproduction can occur underground.
T
F
12. The top part of a typical moss plant is called the
gametophyte.
T
F
13. The cycle in which the spore-producing phase and
the sex cell-producing phase alternate is called
alternation of generations.
T
14. Ferns are unable to reproduce asexually.
T
F
15. Many plants reproduce via seeds.
T
F
16. Pine cones may be either male or female.
T
F
17. The male and female reproductive structures
are usually found on the outside of the flower.
T
F
18. The male reproductive organ in flowering plants
is called the stamen.
T
F
19. Bees do not play a role in pollination.
T
F
20. Germination refers to the beginning stages of
seed growth.
T
F
18
F

Plant Reproduction
Name___________________
Video Review
Directions: During the course of the program answer the “You Decide”
questions as they are presented in the video. Answer the Video Quiz questions at
the conclusion of the video.
You Decide!
A. How do strawberries reproduce asexually?
Answer:______________
B. What type of environment do ferns need
to reproduce?
Answer:______________
C. What do the following structures have in
common - A white rose, broccoli, and a daisy?
Answer:______________
Video Quiz
1. New plants reproducing from runners is an example of ______________
reproduction.
2. The ________________ phase of the moss plant produces spores.
3. The ________________ phase of the moss plant produces sex cells.
4. Plants that have sporophyte and gametophyte phases have ______________ of
generations.
5. Gymnosperms produce _______________ seeds.
6. Gymnosperm seeds commonly develop inside _______________.
7. Flowers contain the _________________ structures of angiosperms.
8. Pollen contains male ________________ cells.
9. Seeds are actually fertilized __________________.
10. _________________ is the process of sprouting a seed.
19

Plant Reproduction
Name___________________
Post Test
Directions : Decide if the answer is True (T) or False (F).
1. Germination refers to the beginning stages of
seed growth.
T
F
2. Pine cones may be either male or female.
T
F
3. Bees do not play a role in pollination.
T
F
4. Asexual reproduction can occur underground.
T
F
5. The cycle in which the spore-producing phase and the
sex cell-producing phase alternate is called alternation
of generations.
T
F
6. The male reproductive organ in flowering plants
is called the stamen.
T
F
7. Ferns are unable to reproduce asexually.
T
F
8. The top part of a typical moss plant is called
the gametophyte.
T
F
9. Many plants reproduce via seeds.
T
F
10. The male and female reproductive structures
are usually found on the outside of the flower.
T
F
20

Plant Reproduction
Name___________________
Post Test
Directions: Fill in the blank with the correct word. Choose from the
list of possible answers at the bottom of the page.
11. A nut is an example of a __________.
12. Ferns need a ___________ environment to reproduce.
13. Sex cells, such as egg and sperm, are produced by _________________.
14. The process of plants producing offspring is called __________________.
15. The earliest plant-like organisms that made the transition to land are believed
to be__________________.
16. The process of pollen being carried from the male part of the flower to the
female part can be accomplished by ____________.
17. The male pine cone produces _____________.
18. When plant reproduction does not involve interaction between male and
female organs, the plant is reproducing _______________.
19. The female reproductive organ in flowering plants is called the
_____________.
20. During the sporophyte phase of the fern life cycle, __________ are released
from the undersides of fern leaves.
moist
reproduction
pollen
seed
gametophyte
asexually
spores
bryophytes
bees
pistil
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Plant Reproduction
Name___________________
Dancing Bees
Background:
Bees play an important role in the pollination of angiosperms. Pollination is the
transfer of pollen from the anther of the stamen on one flower to the stigma of the pistil
on another. Flowering plants that are most commonly pollinated by bees are usually
brightly colored and produce a sugary liquid called nectar. Bees use nectar as food.
When a bee gathers nectar from a flower, the heavy pollen grains stick to its back and
legs. The stigma of the next flower the bee visits will receive the pollen from the first
flower.
A successful bee community requires rigid organization. There are three types of bees.
The queen bee is the center of all hive activity and is the only reproductive female in the
community. A drone is always a male and lives only to mate with the queen. The third
type of bee is called a worker bee. Worker bees are always female. These bees are
responsible for carrying out the activities essential for a successful hive. They protect the
hive, feed the larvae and produce honey.
When a worker bee finds food, she returns to her hive to feed her fellow workers. She
then informs them of the location of the food source. She does this using two different
dances. If a food source is near the hive, the worker bee performs the round dance.
This dance involves circling in one direction first and then in the other direction. The bee
will repeat this dance many times. If a food source is far from the hive, the waggle dance
is performed. To perform this dance, a bee runs a straight path up the wall of the hive
while wagging her abdomen. She then turns and runs back in the opposite direction,
forming a figure eight. The number of runs and the wags in a fifteen-second period tells
the workers how far the food is from the hive. The further the food is from the hive, the
more the bee wags her abdomen. The direction relative to the sun in which the waggle
dance is performed communicates the direction of the food source. The waggle dance is
used only when food is over fifty meters from the hive.
Directions:
Divide into small groups. Read the following scenarios. Take turns performing the
dances. Decide whether a waggle dance or a round dance is most appropriate for each
scenario. Write your answers on the back of this page.
1.
2.
3.
4.
A large flower with a lot of nectar is located only ten meters north of the hive.
A patch of dandelions is located 75 meters from the hive in the western direction.
A new garden has just been planted 150 meters south of the hive.
A large field of clovers, nectar-producing plants, is located 25 meters north of the
hive.
5. An outdoor flower shop is located 90 meters east of the hive.
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
Plant Reproduction
Name___________________
Parts of a Flower
Background:
Flowers contain the reproductive organs of angiosperms. Angiosperms
are presently the most abundant form of plant life on earth. There are over 235,000
species of modern-day angiosperms. They are able to thrive and reproduce in almost any
type of environment.
Below is a diagram of a typical flower. The structure connecting the flower to the stem is
called the pedicel. Leaflike structures above the pedicel are called sepals. The sepals are
responsible for protecting the flower bud before it blossoms. Surrounding the
reproductive organs in the flower are large, leafy structures called petals. The male
reproductive organ, known as the stamen, is composed of two parts. The stem-like
portion of the stamen is called the filament. At the top of the filament is a sac-like
structure called the anther. This is where the pollen grains are produced. The pollen
grains contain the male sex cells of the angiosperm. The female reproductive organ is
called the pistil and is located in the center of the flower. The pistil is composed of three
parts. The top of the pistil is called the stigma. The stigma is responsible for receiving
the pollen from the stamen. The stalk-like structure supporting the stigma is called the
style. The style is involved in transporting a pollen grain from the stigma to the base of
the pistil. At the base of the pistil is the ovary. The ovary contains ovules that will
develop into seeds if fertilized by a pollen grain.
Directions: Label the parts of the flower below using the following terms: ovary, stigma,
pedicel, anther, style, ovules, filament, petal, sepal, and pollen grain.
9.
10.
8.
7.
6.
5.
4.
3.
2.
1.
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
Plant Reproduction
Name___________________
Bryophyte
Reproduction
Background:
Bryophytes include mosses, liverworts, and hornworts. We see bryophytes all around us
but very few people realize that these plants were the first plant-like organisms to make
the transition to land! Bryophytes are commonly found in tropical and temperate regions,
though they are able to withstand most environmental conditions. Bryophytes are
nonvascular plants. This means that the tissue they are made of is unable to conduct
fluids and nutrients throughout their structure. Therefore, bryophytes thrive in moist
environments. So now that we have some background information on bryophytes, let’s
explore how bryophytes reproduce using the diagram of a typical moss plant below.
Bryophytes are generally short plants, growing to be only a couple of centimeters tall. A
typical moss plant has two main parts: a thin stalk on top and a fleshy green part on the
bottom. The top part is called the sporophyte and consists of a stalk with a capsule at
the top. This is where the spores are stored. The bottom part of the moss plant is called
the gametophyte. The gametophyte produces both male and female sex cells.
Let’s explore sexual reproduction in bryophytes first. The gametophyte of a moss plant
contains both male and female sex cells. Since mosses exist in moist environments, a
sperm is able to swim through the water to a female egg. The sperm then fertilizes the
female egg. The fertilized egg matures into a mature sporophyte which remains attached
to the gametophyte, relying on it for water and nutrients. When the sporophyte is mature,
the capsule on top of the stalk breaks open, releasing spores into the air. These spores
germinate, grow, and become new gametophytes. Since the moss has both sporophyte
and gametophyte phases, it undergoes alternation of generations.
Bryophytes reproduce asexually as well. Asexual reproduction is less complicated than
sexual reproduction. A bryophyte can reproduce asexually when a piece of the parent
plant breaks off. This piece then causes a new bryophyte to mature and grow.
24

Plant Reproduction
Name___________________
Bryophyte
Reproduction
Directions: Read the descriptions of the five stages of the moss life cycle below. Below
each description draw a picture corresponding to that stage of the life cycle. Use the
background information to assist you.
Fertilized egg grows
into a sporophyte with a
stalk and capsule
Capsule of a mature
sporophyte breaks open,
releasing spores
Sperm cell swims
to a female egg for
fertilization
The spores settle
and germinate
Mature
gametophyte
25

Plant Reproduction
Name___________________
Plant Vocabulary
Directions: Circle the words listed below, then write a definition for
each word on the back of this page.
G
Y
M
N
O
S
P
E
R
M
S
B
R
I
F
E
L
I
O
O
E
F
L
T
I
R
V
E
U J
K J
R J
MM
MB
R I
I U
U M
A J
K J
MN
Y O
F C
S E
MP I
H O B
Y L B
B L G
I I G
D N E
E A A
MT L
H I B
Y O B
B N G
P H Y
D WP
X C E
S
M
T
T
V
S
V
T
M
T
P
T
O
L
T
N
V
S
J
X
I
T
I
R
R
E
R
L
I
I
O
C
I
D
O
B
O
O
C
E
E
S
L
R
F
F
P
E
U
D
O
F
N
I
P
U
I
L
D
E
L
R
U
I
L
Y
E
O
R
N
K
G
E
D
R
C
J
K
O
E
L
S
O
J
M
V
G
R
T
N
Y
L
V
L
R
E
D
Y
N
T
K
I
N
D
S
N
E
K
X
E
U
S
B A
R N
O G
K I
B O
K S
O P
N E
R R
L M
K J
DS
C T
P O
G
K
J
I
H
L
J
D
P
P
K
H
I
R
H
L
P
K
U
O
F
R
L
O
J
G
O
E
G
A
M
E
T
O
P
H
Y
T
E
B
N
S
1. reproduction
9. angiosperm
2. bryophyte
10. seeds
3. spores
11. stamen
4. gametophyte
12. germination
5. pollen
13. pistil
6. fern
14. pollination
7. sori
15. sex cells
8. gymnosperm
26

Plant Reproduction
Name___________________
Exploring Fruit Lab
Objective:
In this activity you will examine the three major types of fruit and the differences
in their structure.
Background:
Fruit is an important source of food for humans. Hopefully, you eat fruit everyday.
The major function of fruit is seed dispersal and is therefore very important for
angiosperm reproduction. When an ovule becomes fertilized by a pollen grain, the
surrounding ovary and its contents mature into a fruit. The fertilized ovules,
commonly referred to as seeds, are dispersed when the fruit surrounding them is
eaten. This begins another cycle of germination, growth, and reproduction of a
new angiosperm.
There are three major types of fruits produced by angiosperms: simple fruits,
aggregate fruits, and multiple fruits. A simple fruit develops from a single pistil.
A peanut and an apple are considered simple fruits. Simple fruits may be either
dry or fleshy. An aggregate fruit develops from one flower with multiple pistils.
An aggregate fruit is composed of numerous small, fleshy fruits that develop
together on a common flowering plant. Strawberries are a common example of an
aggregate fruit. A multiple fruit forms when ovaries from numerous flowers are
clustered together. We eat a multiple fruit when we eat a pineapple.
Materials:
Fresh, unopened pea pod
Corn cob
Apple
Strawberry
Pineapple
Knife
Procedures and Observations:
Follow the procedures and instructions as written on the next page. Put your
answers and sketches on another sheet of paper if necessary.
27

Plant Reproduction
Name___________________
Exploring Fruit Lab
Part I. Simple Fruits
A. Simple Dry Fruits
1. Examine the exterior of a fresh pea pod.
a. Sketch the pea pod. Identify the stem, sepals, and the receptacle (swollen
structure found below the sepals).
2. Split the pea pod open. Observe the sutures along the sides of the pod. These sutures
hold the pod together until it has reached full maturity.
b. Do the seeds readily separate from the wall?
3. Each kernel of corn attached to the corn cob is considered one fruit. Attempt to peel
the outer layer from the kernel.
c. Does the layer separate easily?
d. Describe the difference between how the seeds are attached in the pea as
opposed to the kernel of corn.
B. Simple fleshy fruits
1. Cut an apple cross-wise through the center of the fruit.
e. Describe any differences in the texture of the apple in comparison with the pea
pod.
f. How many seeds do you see in the apple core?
2. Cut a peach in half, separating the fleshy portion from the stone.
28

Plant Reproduction
Name___________________
Exploring Fruit Lab
3. Break the stone by gently tapping it with a hard object.
g. What do you see inside the stone?
h. How does the structure of this fleshy fruit differ from that of the apple?
i. What do you think could cause this difference?
Part II. Aggregate Fruits
1. Examine a strawberry. Note that the seeds of the fruit are spread out over the surface
of the red, fleshy strawberry.
j. How many seeds can you see on the strawberry?
2. Cut the strawberry in half.
k. How does the tissue inside the strawberry relate to the seeds on the surface?
Part III. Multiple Fruits
1. Observe the exterior of a pineapple. Look at the many rounded sections that make up
the skin of the fruit. Each of these sections represents one flower.
l. How many flowers combined to form your pineapple?
2. Cut the pineapple crosswise across the center of the fruit. Observe the interior of the
fruit carefully.
m. Make a guess as to which part of the pineapple was once the stalk that bore
the flowers.
Conclusions:
Describe the basic differences between the three major types of fruits. Make a list of the
fruits you have eaten in the past few days. Place these fruits into the categories we have
just explored.
29

Plant Reproduction
Name___________________
Observing Pollen
Grains Lab
Objective:
In this activity you will observe the structure of pollen grains of different types of
flowers.
Background:
When most people think of pollen, they think of the allergies it can cause. Pollen has a
much more important function in the plant world. A pollen grain is the male sex cell in
gymnosperms and angiosperms. It fertilizes the female sex cell in order to produce a new
plant from the parent plant. As you will observe in this laboratory exercise, pollen grains
do not all have the same structure even though they share the same function.
Caution : If you suffer from severe allergies to pollen, do not participate in this activity.
Materials:
Microscope
Microscope slides
Cover slips
Three different types of flowers
Toothpick
Procedure:
1. Carefully read the cautions and background sections above.
2. Set up the microscope as instructed by your teacher. Place the stage all the way down
and on low power.
3. Next, obtain three microscope slides, three cover slips, and a toothpick from your
teacher.
4. Place a drop of water on the center of each of the three microscope slides.
5. Using the toothpick, carefully take some pollen from the anther of each flower.
6. Place the sample of pollen from each flower on the center of a microscope slide.
7. Carefully place the cover slip over the pollen grains on each microscope slide.
8. Place the microscope slide on the stage of the microscope and focus on low power.
9. Observe the pollen samples from each flower separately.
10. If you want to get a closer look, carefully switch to a higher power.
11. Repeat steps 7-11 using the other two pollen samples.
Conclusion:
Describe differences in the structure of the pollen grains from each type of flower.
Sketch each type of pollen grain. Describe the role that pollen plays in the reproductive
process of angiosperms.
30
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