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Last Update:
Aug 12, 2002

SCIENCE EDUCATION STANDARDS 
Life Science Activity Example

"Transpiration in Plants"

NSES:  Life Science Content Standard C:  As a result of activities in grades K-4, all students should develop understanding of  the characteristics of organisms.

 Michigan Science Curriculum Framework Standard: Life Sciences

Explain why specialized cells are needed by plants and animals.

Describe functions of selected seed plant parts.

Describe the basic requirements for all living things to maintain their existence.

 

Science concept: Transpiration

Grade Level: 4^th

Materials needed: Celery

                                Blue food coloring

                                Water

                                Hand lens

                                Plastic cup

                               

Activity:  Place a 12-cm length of celery (the inner, lighter colored stalks will work better) with the widest end down in about ¼ c water.  Add food coloring so that the color of the water is dark – 5 to 10 drops should be sufficient.  Check the celery after 3-4 hours.  What do you see?  Is the food coloring visible on the top of the stalk?  How does it look (is it spread evenly over the top or is it located in small dots)?  How did the coloring get there?

 

Can you pull away one of the blue structures?  You will need to use your fingernails to get it started.  Can you pull the blue structure all the way out?  What do you think it does?

 

Compare the narrow end of another piece of freshly cut celery with the piece with food coloring.  You might want to use a hand lens but you should be able to see the tops of long tubes without a lens. 

 

Carefully remove about half of the long tubes from a piece of celery.  What do you think will happen if you put this piece into colored water?  Find out!  What would happen if you removed all of the long tubes from a piece of celery?  Experiment to see if your prediction was correct.  (Note:  the celery should be left for 24 hours in the latter experiment)

 

**At this point you would write at least one paragraph in your own words explaining the concept of transpiration.

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