Unit B Lesson B1 Plant Structures
Completion requirements
Lesson B1: Plant Structures
Video Lesson
Seed plants contain several main structures. Each of the structures in a plant has a specific task. Watch the video below to learn about the various parts of seed plants.
Lesson B1: Plant Structures
Root Vegetables
Many vegetables that humans eat are the underground roots of plants. Carrots, turnips, radishes, and beets all grow easily in Alberta. Even when an early autumn frost kills the green stems and leaves of the root vegetable, the root of the plant is protected underground.
Root vegetables store lots of energy. If root vegetables are kept dry, dark, and cool, they will last from October to March without rotting or growing any sprouts. Early settlers in Alberta dug underground root cellars to store root vegetables during winter.
Many vegetables that humans eat are the underground roots of plants. Carrots, turnips, radishes, and beets all grow easily in Alberta. Even when an early autumn frost kills the green stems and leaves of the root vegetable, the root of the plant is protected underground.
Root vegetables store lots of energy. If root vegetables are kept dry, dark, and cool, they will last from October to March without rotting or growing any sprouts. Early settlers in Alberta dug underground root cellars to store root vegetables during winter.
Reading and Materials for This Lesson
Science in Action 7
Materials:
Science in Action 7
Reading: Pages 98–101
Materials:
carrot, cotton balls, water, small bowl, knife
Figure B.1.1.1 – The edible parts of root vegetables, such as beets, grow under the ground.
Figure B.1.1.2 – Carrots are root vegetables that grow easily in Alberta.
Figure B.1.1.3 – Ginger root is used to add flavour to food.
Figure B.1.1.4 – Sweet potatoes are root vegetables with bright orange interiors.
Try It!
Grow a Carrot Top
Try this simple experiment to grow a plant from a root.
Materials:
- carrot
- cotton balls
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water
- small bowl
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knife
Safety Warning
Take care with the knife. Do not cut yourself or anyone else!
Instructions:
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Cut a carrot into two pieces about 3 cm from the top. Save the top, but wash the remainder for a crunchy snack!
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Spread the cotton balls to form a layer on the bottom of the bowl.
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Pour some water on the cotton balls until they are moist but not sopping wet.
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Place the carrot top into the cotton ball layer, cut side down – stem side up!
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Put the bowl in a sunny location.
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Check the carrot top every day for a week. Keep the cotton balls moist by adding water as necessary.
Questions:
Think about the following question very carefully. Then, type or write your answers. When you have your answers, click the questions for feedback.
Think about the following question very carefully. Then, type or write your answers. When you have your answers, click the questions for feedback.
The carrot top is a root. With water and sunlight, the carrot root uses the nutrients stored in the root to grow a new stem and leaves.
Figure B.1.1.5 – Humans eat the crunchy thick stems of the celery plant.
Figure B.1.1.6 – Rhubarb plants have bright red edible stems.
Edible Plant Stems
Humans eat the leaves, roots, and seeds of many plants. Stems of a few types of plants are eaten, too – such as celery and asparagus.
Rhubarb stems taste very sour, but many people enjoy rhubarb when it is cooked with some sugar. Rhubarb-strawberry pie is delicious! Rhubarb stems are safe and nutritious, but rhubarb leaves are poisonous and should never be eaten.
Figure B.1.1.7 – Asparagus plants produce tender edible stems in the spring.
Figure B.1.1.8 – Cinnamon trees grow in warm and wet tropical climates.
Figure B.1.1.9 – Cinnamon spice is made from the bark of the cinnamon tree.
Watch More
Harvesting Cinnamon
Watch this interesting video to see how cinnamon is harvested from trees.
Watch this interesting video to see how cinnamon is harvested from trees.
Figure B.1.1.10 – Tall sugarcane stalks grow in tropical climates.
Figure B.1.1.11 – The stems of sugarcane plants are very sweet.
Sugarcane
Sugarcane grows in wet, hot tropical climates. It has a thick stem that looks similar to bamboo, but the sugarcane stem contains sweet juices. Sometimes, people peel sugarcane and chew it for the sweetness, spitting out the pulp, of course.
In Alberta, a major source of sugar is sugar beets, the root of which is chopped, juiced, and boiled to make sugar. Some sugar used in cooking and baking comes from sugarcane. Sugarcane must be chopped, juiced, and boiled to make white and brown sugar crystals.
Sugarcane grows in wet, hot tropical climates. It has a thick stem that looks similar to bamboo, but the sugarcane stem contains sweet juices. Sometimes, people peel sugarcane and chew it for the sweetness, spitting out the pulp, of course.
In Alberta, a major source of sugar is sugar beets, the root of which is chopped, juiced, and boiled to make sugar. Some sugar used in cooking and baking comes from sugarcane. Sugarcane must be chopped, juiced, and boiled to make white and brown sugar crystals.
Figure B.1.1.12 – White and brown sugar crystals are made from sugarcane stems.
Watch More
Making Sugar
This video explains how sugar cane is made into sugar crystals.
This video explains how sugar cane is made into sugar crystals.
Expensive Tulips
In the 1600s, tulip flowers were introduced to the Netherlands from Turkey. Colourful tulip flowers that grow from bulbs became very popular with the Dutch people. Then, because the demand from people for tulip flower bulbs was greater than the supply, the price of tulips went up. The price for one tulip bulb became as high as the price of a house!
In the 1600s, tulip flowers were introduced to the Netherlands from Turkey. Colourful tulip flowers that grow from bulbs became very popular with the Dutch people. Then, because the demand from people for tulip flower bulbs was greater than the supply, the price of tulips went up. The price for one tulip bulb became as high as the price of a house!
Figure B.1.1.13 – White and brown sugar crystals are made from sugarcane stems.
Figure B.1.1.14 – White and brown sugar crystals are made from sugarcane stems.
Watch More
Tulipmania
The Netherlands is still known for its huge fields of tulips that bloom every spring. This video explains the history of the tulip plant in the Netherlands.
The Netherlands is still known for its huge fields of tulips that bloom every spring. This video explains the history of the tulip plant in the Netherlands.
When tulips became very popular, the price of tulip bulbs became much higher than they were actually worth. This is called an economic bubble. Watch this video to find out more about the tulip economic bubble. Today, tulip bulbs are readily available
for fall planting in flower beds -- and they produce beautiful blooms year after year!
Coniferous Tree that Changes Colour
Coniferous trees have green needles instead of leaves, and they produce cones containing seeds. They are different from trees with broad flat leaves, most of which are deciduous – that is, their leaves fall in autumn.
Most coniferous trees are called evergreens because they keep their green needles all year round. However, one type of coniferous tree changes colour and loses its needles in the fall. Thus, the larch (or tamarack, as it is sometimes known) is a deciduous conifer. The needles of larch trees turn a golden yellow colour in September. A good place to see larch trees in Alberta is near Moraine Lake, in Banff National Park – or in swampy lands throughout northern Alberta.
Coniferous trees have green needles instead of leaves, and they produce cones containing seeds. They are different from trees with broad flat leaves, most of which are deciduous – that is, their leaves fall in autumn.
Most coniferous trees are called evergreens because they keep their green needles all year round. However, one type of coniferous tree changes colour and loses its needles in the fall. Thus, the larch (or tamarack, as it is sometimes known) is a deciduous conifer. The needles of larch trees turn a golden yellow colour in September. A good place to see larch trees in Alberta is near Moraine Lake, in Banff National Park – or in swampy lands throughout northern Alberta.
Figure B.1.1.15 – The needles of larch trees turn yellow in autumn.
Figure B.1.1.16 – These yellow larch trees are located near Lake Louise, Alberta.
Identifying Evergreens
You can identify various types of coniferous trees by their type of needles.
- Pine trees grow needles in groups. More than one needle is attached at the same spot on the branch.
- Spruce and fir needles have only one needle attached at each position on the branch. You can tell a spruce and fir apart by the shapes of their needles.
- Spruce needles are sharp and square. Spruce needles can be rolled between your fingers.
- Fir needles are soft and flat. Fir needles do not roll easily between your fingers.
Figure B.1.1.17 – Closeup of white spruce.
Figure B.1.1.18 – Lodgepole pine.
Figure B.1.1.19 – Douglas fir.
Watch More
Conifers
Watch this fun music video to learn some of the names of various conifer trees.
Watch this fun music video to learn some of the names of various conifer trees.
Connections
Connections: Math
>> Fibonacci Numbers in Plants
The Fibonacci Sequence is a series of numbers that starts with 1 and 1 and goes up like this:
Starting at the third number, each number is determined by adding the two numbers before it.
For example, find 2 in the Fibonacci sequence. The two numbers before 2 are 1 and 1; obviously, 1 plus 1 equals 2. Then, 2 + 1 = 3, and 2 + 3 = 5, and so on! Find 21 in the Fibonacci sequence. The two numbers before 21 are 8 and 13; thus, 8 + 13 = 21.
>> Fibonacci Numbers in Plants
The Fibonacci Sequence is a series of numbers that starts with 1 and 1 and goes up like this:
1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, ...
Starting at the third number, each number is determined by adding the two numbers before it.
For example, find 2 in the Fibonacci sequence. The two numbers before 2 are 1 and 1; obviously, 1 plus 1 equals 2. Then, 2 + 1 = 3, and 2 + 3 = 5, and so on! Find 21 in the Fibonacci sequence. The two numbers before 21 are 8 and 13; thus, 8 + 13 = 21.
Figure B.1.1.20 – Fibonacci numbers form a spiral when graphed.
Figure B.1.1.21 – Fibonacci numbers are found in the spirals of sunflower seeds.
Figure B.1.1.22 – Fibonacci numbers are found in the spirals on the base of pine cones.
Watch More
Fibonacci numbers
This video explains more about Fibonacci number patterns.
This video explains more about Fibonacci number patterns.
Fibonacci numbers are found in the structures of some plants, such as in sunflowers and in pinecones. This video tells more about Fibonacci numbers in nature.
Make sure you have understood everything in this lesson. Use the Self-Check below, and the Self-Check & Lesson Review Tips to guide your learning.
Unit B Lesson 1 Self-Check
Instructions
Complete the following 6 steps.
Don't skip steps – if you do them in order, you will confirm your
understanding of this lesson and create a study bank for the future.
- DOWNLOAD the self-check quiz by clicking here.
- ANSWER all the questions on the downloaded quiz in the spaces provided. Think carefully before typing your answers. Review this lesson if you need to. Save your quiz when you are done.
- COMPARE your answers with the suggested "Self-Check Quiz Answers" below. WAIT! You didn't skip step 2, did you? It's very important to carefully write out your own answers before checking the suggested answers.
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REVISE your quiz answers if you need to. If you answered all the questions correctly, you can skip this step. Revise means to change, fix, and add extra notes if you need to. This quiz is NOT FOR MARKS, so it is perfectly OK to correct
any mistakes you made. This will make your self-check quiz an excellent study tool you can use later.
- SAVE your quiz to a folder on your computer, or to your Private Files. That way you will know where it is for later studying.
- CHECK with your teacher if you need to. If after completing all these steps you are still not sure about the questions or your answers, you should ask for more feedback from your teacher. To do this, post in the Course Questions Forum, or send your teacher an email. In either case, attach your completed quiz and ask; "Can you look at this quiz and give me some feedback please?" They will be happy to help you!
Self-Check Time!
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Self-Check Quiz Answers
Click each of the suggested answers below, and carefully compare your answers to the suggested answers.
If you have not done the quiz yet – STOP – and go back to step 1 above. Do not look at the answers without first trying the questions.
Sunflowers can grow to be more than three metres tall. They need deep roots to support the tall stem and heavy flowers.
A dark pantry is better than a fridge because, in moist conditions with some light, shoots of new plants may begin to grow on the roots. A fridge has more moisture than a dark, dry pantry does.
Evergreen trees keep their green needles during the winter. This allows them to start making food through photosynthesis as soon as more light is available and the snow melts. Deciduous trees must wait to grow leaves during warmer days of a
short summer.
Tall trees need large root systems to hold and support the weight of the tree in the soil. Tall trees need lots of water to support their growth, and large root systems help provide that water.
Plants in Canada’s Arctic, such as grasses and shrubs, are very short. Plant roots cannot reach into the frozen soil to develop big root systems to support tall plants.