Mutualism and Co-evolution
A study of Flowering Plants and their Pollinators
with a focus on

Form and Function

Variations and Adaptations- Flowers and their Pollinators

A Reading Activity

Lesson 19 __

Day 24

Lesson Intention: Students will read for information and begin to make some connections between flowering plants and their pollinators. They will use an advanced organizer to halp the categorize the forms and functions of the different pollinators and the flowers they are attracted to.

BY THE END OF THIS LESSON STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO:

• Describe the form and function of a variety of pollinators
• Describe why some flowers attract specific pollinators
• Explain the idea of coevolution and give several examples
• Read for information

Materials per student: One copy of advanced organizer, 1 copy of "Flowering Plants and Their Pollinators," in-class journal, pencil

Materials per class: overhead of advanced organizer(I also use the National Geographic laser disk "Plants" to show them some visuals from the first section we read aloud.)

Teacher Preparation:

Make overhead of graphic organizer and a class set of readings.

Bellwork on overhead or board

Bellwork: Make a list of all the different ways flowers get pollinated.

Step by Step Reading Procedures:

6. Have a few student share their list of pollination methods.
7. Hand out the reading and graphic organizer.
8. Read as a whole class until the section titled "Pollinators." Show the students how the graphic organizer works. Tell them they’ll fill in the "name" oval only if a specific specie of animal is mentioned. Use the overhead to guide them with the "butterflies" category.
9. Tell students they’ll be using this information in a future project and should read carefully. Students will then work alone to read through the information and take notes in their organizer.

 

Coevolution: Animal and Plant Mutualism

Learning through videos

Lesson 20 _ J

Lesson 22 _ J

Days 25, 27 into 28

Lesson Intention: Through the use of these well done documentary videos, students will see worlds in which they otherwise might not see. They will see dozens of examples of coevolution and mutualism between plants and animals. Whether the animals are agents of dispersal or pollinators, these amazing documentaries show the close relationship between plants and animals.

BY THE END OF THIS LESSON STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO:

• Name several examples of mutualism
• Explain the concept of coevolution
• Explain the importance of pollinators and seed dispersal agents
• List several ways in which plants spread their genetic information

Materials per student: one copy of Lesson 23 questions, in-class journal, pencil

Materials: Class set of Lesson 23 questions, Two videos- "Birds and Bees" from David Attenborough’s video series titled: The Private Life of Plants(This can be borrowed from the Tucson Public Library); Nature Video on plants and their agents of seed dispersal.(PBS)

Teacher Preparation:

Preview the videos.

Make sure VCR and t.v. monitor are set up.

Copy a class set of questions

NO BELLWORK!

Step by Step:

6. Tell the students they will be watching two important videos which will show and explain the concept of mutualism and coevolution. Note-taking is important since they will be needed information for a final project/test they will have in the following week.
7. Play "Birds and Bees" on day 25, then do lesson 21, then show the Nature video.
8. There are no questions for "Birds and Bee" video. The questions are for the second, Nature video.
9. On day 27, hand out the questions before the movie. Tell the students that you will stop the movie after every few segments. They will get to talk with their table mates about the answers, and then should write their answers in their journals.
10. Whenever we watch videos, I always tell the students to raise their hand if they have a question. I’ll stop the video and we’ll discuss or rewind.

 

 

Coevolution-A Simulation and Story

Lesson 21 _ _ | _aloud

Day 26

Lesson Intention: Through a simulation using straws and artificial flowers, students will see that not all pollinators can pollinate all flowers. They will experience trying to suck nectar from a flower with and without the necessary proboscis or beak length. Discussion will follow that centers on the ideas and examples of mutualism and coevolution- when two or more species actually change over time to "match" each other so both species gets what they needs to survive over the millennium. Using a childrens’ read aloud story, Night Life of the Yucca-The Story of a Flower and Moth, students will hear about one of the best known examples of coevolution here in the desert.

BY THE END OF THIS LESSON STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO:

• explain the concept of coevolution in terms of biological change
• give an example of mutualism between two or more species
• list the benefits the moth receives from the yucca
• list the benefits the yucca receives from the moth
• explain the objective of the simulation
• Describe some real life examples of the pollinator-plant relationships

Materials per student: In-class journal and pencil.

Materials per class: artificial flowers petals, construction paper, stiff fabric, several clear straws and coffee stirrers, 12 oz. And smaller clean plastic soda or water bottles, berry-flavored juice, a copy of: Night Life of the Yucca- The Story of a Flower and Moth(see Resources and References)

Teacher Preparation:

Using your utmost creativity, fashion 3-5 flowers from the soda bottles and artificial flower petals, construction paper, or stiff fabric. The idea is to be able to fashion flowers so they sit on top of the bottles, and have an entrance that a straw can fit through into the bottle. The bottle should be either spray painted or covered with material so the quantity of juice cannot be seen. (The bottle is the nectary.) It is important that either each bottle is a different size, or the flower is fashioned in such a way that the distance from the opening of the flower to the nectar is a different length. The flower should have stamens and pistils.(See Diagram Teacher Notes for Lesson 21)

Pour juice/ colored water(representing nectar) into each container and replace the flowers.

Practice "sucking" the nectar using a finger to plug the straw and vacuum the juice in the straw.

5. Have the book: Night Life of the Yucca- The Story of a Flower and Moth, on hand.

Bellwork on board or overhead.

Bellwork: What are some reasons that bees, moths, bats and birds pollinate different flowers. Give as many reasons as you can think of. What are some examples of exclusive flower/ pollinator relationships?

 

Step By Step Discussion/ Simulation/ Read Aloud

6. Discuss the Bellwork.
7. Draw the students’ attention to the 5 flowers. Tell the students that several of them will get an opportunity to try to get nectar from the flower. There are some rules that they will have to follow:

0. Choose a straw and cut it to a new length or don’t cut it at all.
1. They must state the type of pollinator they are.
2. They will use their finger to create a vacuum and pull the nectar out of the flower.
3. The top of their straw and their finger must start at the stigma.
4. They may choose only one flower to start.
5. Nectar must only be in the bottom 2 cm of the straw to be a "match" (This prevents all long straws from being a pollinator for all flowers.)
6. If they can produce a drop of nectar from the first flower they may try a second, and so on.

3. Give several students an opportunity to participate one at a time. Have fun. When a match has been made, collect that straw and number it with the number of the flower it matched.

6. After all flowers have been "matched" with a pollinator, discuss the simulation.
7. Students should answer the following questions in their journals:

- What did various parts of the model represent?

- Why was it specified that the top of the straw must be level with the stigma of the flowers?

-How does this activity illustrate the coevolution of different species?

- Why must a pollinator hone in on one type of flower and NOT be random about the flower it chooses?

8. After students have answered the questions in their journals read Night Life of the Yucca- The Story of a Flower and Moth aloud. Tell the students they should keep a list in their journals of how the moth benefitted from the relationship with the yucca and another list of how the yucca benefitted from the relationship with the moth.
9. Discuss afterwards given time.

 

 

 

STUDENT PAGE

Who Pollinates Who? An Inquiry into Native Plant Pollinators

Lesson 23  __ ?

Search Planning Sheet

Team members:

1.

2.

3.

Questions we generated:(Remember! While brainstorming, no question is a "stupid" question!)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Questions from the class list we are interested in:

1.

2.

Determining if a question is testable- Ask yourself: How are we going to answer this question?

1.Can we think of a REALISTIC procedure with which we could answer the question?

2. Can we name the independent and dependent variables and visualize changing one variable at a time and predicting the outcome?

3. Is there a real possibility of finding an answer to our question using the methods we’ve visualized?

After discussing the selection criteria above, determine which three questions best fit a testable question.

1.

2.

3.

After debating ideas, choose ONE question that is the MOST testable according to your group. Name the variables involved.

Q=

variables=

STUDENT PAGE

Who Pollinates Who? An Inquiry into Native Plant Pollinators

Lesson 23  __ ?

SOLVE Planning Sheet

First read through the Experimental Design Checklist as a reminder of what you need to do.

Then go through the checklist one-by-one putting your plan on this sheet. Use additional white-lined paper if necessary.

Testable Question:

 

Restate into an hypothesis:

 

Materials you will need:

 

 

Measurements you will take:

 

 

Step by Step Procedures you will follow:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Control Test and Variables:

 

 

 

 

 

Data Tables and types of Observations you will take:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who Pollinates Who? An Inquiry into Native Plant Pollinators

Lesson 24 ? _À_ ?

Last week of unit

Lesson Intention: This inquiry lab is set up as a SSCS Lab(Search, Solve, Create, and Share). Students will design their own experiment dealing with pollinators, observe behavior and take data in the great outdoors during the spring. They will design a visual presentation to teach their peers and teacher about their experiment. This fully encompasses the idea of asking a question and attempting to answer it through experimental testing.

BY THE END OF THIS LESSON STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO:

• Develop a working hypothesis from a question
• Form a researchable question
• Identify variables and control variables
• Collect pertinent and accurate data in an organized manner
• Explore a variety of ways to analyze the data
• Draw relevant conclusions from correctly analyzed data
• Design a visual presentation that thoroughly explains experimental design and results

Materials: A natural desert site accessible to the school; a variety of measuring and viewing devices such as: stop watches, meter sticks, measuring tapes, microscopes, binoculars, eye loupes, Also for identification: bug collection containers, bug books, bird books, pins, styrafoam, plant i.d. books

Teacher Preparation:

Go out to the site you intend the students to use and observe plants and wildlife yourself. Look for flowering plants (Often desert trees such as mesquite, palo verde, ironwood and scacia bloom in March/April) and possible pollinators. Write possible questions the kids could ask..(They might need you for ideas.) Use an plant i.d. book like Shrubs and Trees of the Southwest Desert by Janice Emily Bowers to familiarize yourself with the plants.

Make copies of student pages: SSCS group Rubric, Group Presentation Rubric, Team Behavior Rubric, Planning sheets.

Bellworks on board each day

Bellwork Day 1: What do you think you’d find if you went outside, sat quietly and watched flowers on a mesquite or palo verde tree? How long do you think it would take before you saw some "action?"

Day 1 (Students have already had a permission slip signed by parents about spending time outside.)

6. Discuss the Bellwork. Make a list of what students think they might see.
7. Tell the students that they will be designing an experiment dealing with pollinators of native plants. They will have to come up with a question that is researchable. All this work will be done outside by carefully observing one or several plants and pollinators.
8. Discuss precautions about the desert.
9. Today’s assignment: With your group, pick a flowering tree or bush to sit by. Write all your observations in your journal. When you are curious about something, write the questions you have in your journal. Don’t worry if they don’t seem like smart questions, just write them down. When you come back inside we will make a list of questions, discuss which questions are researchable and then as a team, you will decide on one question that you could research using the desert site outdoors and a minimum of equipment.
10. Go outside and observe.

Day 2

Bellwork: What surprised you the most from your observations yesterday? What did you see that you did not expect to see? What different pollinators did you see?

11. (Students need Search Planning Sheet. ) Discuss the Bellwork then have the students share their questions that they generated the day before. If any new questions come up those may be reported as well. Discuss why certain questions may or may not be testable. Record some questions so they become researchable. Do this as a whole class so students take part in the process of modifying questions and thinking aloud.
12. Have each team fill out a Search Planning Sheet. Walk around from group to group giving assistance. Students may have problems refining their questions or rewording it into a hypothesis.
13. Students may begin on the Solve Planning Sheet if they have successfully completed the Search Planning Sheet.

Day 3 Bellwork: What would my methods be and what equipment would I need to answer this question: How many mesquite flowers does a honeybee visit in 15 minutes?

or this one: How much time does a honeybee stay at each flower?

14. Discuss Bellwork than have teams work on Solve Planning Sheet to design their experimental method. Remind students that experiments cannot be elaborate and need to fit within the time constraints of the class. Students must be able to recognize the variables within their experimental design and create a control. Teacher must approve experiment before data is gathered.

Days 4 and 5

10. Students collect data.

Days 6 and 7

11. Students plan and create Share Presentation

Days 8 and 9

12. Students present experiment and findings

The University of Arizona
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics
General Biology Program for Secondary Teachers
warder@email.arizona.edu