Mutualism and Co-evolution

Mutualism and Co-evolution

A study of Flowering Plants and their Pollinators with a focus on

Form and Function

by Roxane J. Johnson

Overview: This unit of lessons is designed for eighth grade science students though could be adapted for students in grades sixth through ninth. It is a unit of lessons that uses a variety of methods and approaches to teach flowering plant biology which includes seed germination; plant growth and food production through photosynthesis; plant transpiration and respiration; sexual reproduction focusing on flower structure, function and cross-pollination. By also studying the structure and function of a variety of plant pollinators, students will easily comprehend the concepts of mutualism and co-evolution.

Within this unit of lessons students will:

design experiments in collaborative settings
collect and analyze data
use evidence to defend scientific explanations
share, discuss, and critique their own work and that of their peers
observe flowering plants and their pollinators in a natural setting
learn through direct instruction, flower anatomy and function
imagine the role of a scientist in the writing of a story on yucca pollination
learn the order and organization of insects involved in pollination
participate in a simulation of a disruption in an ecological system
Design their own plant/ pollinator syndrome as an assessment of their understanding of mutualism, co-evolution and the life cycle of flowering plants