Plants. Environmental Education Curriculum. INSTITUTION Topeka Public Schools, Kans
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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 097 213 SE 018 220 TITLE Plants. Environmental Education Curriculum. INSTITUTION Topeka Public Schools, Kans. SPONS AGENCY Bureau of Elementary and Secondary Education (11111/02), Washington, D.C. PUB DATE May 74 NOTE 183p.; Best copy available; Occasionalmarginal legibility EDRS PRICE MP -$0.75 NC-89.00 PLUS POSTAGE DESCRIPTORS Biological Sciences; *Botany; *CurriculumGuides; *Elementary School Science; *EnvironmentalEducation; Instruction; Instructional Materials; *Intermediate Grades; Natural Resources; Plant Growth;Plant Identification; Plant Science IDENTIVIERS Elementary Secondary Education Act TitleIII; ESEA Title III ABSTRACT The study of plants is often limitedto studying plant structure with little emphasison the vital role plants play in our natural system and the variety ofways man uses plants. This unit, designed for intermediate level elementarystudents, reviews basic plant structure, discusses rolesof plants in nature's system, illustrates plant adaptations, discusses major plantbiomes and ezasines ways marl has utilized plants.Also presented are a variety of activities centered around myths and folkloreabout plants, poetry about plants and informationon state flowers and trees. The unit culminates with a visit toa local conservatory. Suggested time lines, methodologies and evaluative instrumentsare included. (MLB) exiironmental education curriculum re" ENV IROWENTAL EDUCATION PROJECT ESEA TITLE III, SECTION 306 CI; Topeka public and Parochial Schools 1601 Van Buren, Topeka, Kansas 65612 Phone: 913-232-9374 This rough draftwas developed by the Environmental Education ProjectStaff, Hay 1974, for intermediate-level elementary school students. Donald French, ProjectCoordinator Robert King, Program Specialist- Secondary Glenn Clarkson, ProgramSpecialist - Elementary Thad Uhiteaker, Program Specialist- Special Education 01 g spi BEST kg ti itte. PLANTS The work presented or reported hereinwas performed pursuant to a grant from the United States Office of Education. rowever, the opinions and material expressed herein do not necessarily reflect theposition or policy of the U. S. Office of Education, and no official endorsementby the U. S. Office of Education should be inferred. PLANTS Foreword Our present day social structure tends toisolate people from daily contact with plants. This is unfortunate because peoplegrow up without a real feel for the importance of and appreciation forplants. Added to this the study of plants hasoften concentrated on plant parts with little emphasis on the fact that plantsare a vital part of our natural system or dealt with the ways manuses plants. The material in this unit briefly reviewsbasic plant structure, explores the various roles plants fill in the naturalsystem, illustrates plant adaptations that match plants to their habitat;presents the major plant groups throughout the world, and examines ways man has utilized plants. As part of this unit of study, studentswill visit the city conservatory to view sample plants from variousparts of the world that do not live in the local climate. During this field trip studentswill direct special. attention toward plant adap- tations and man'suse of plants. To facilitate use of the material,objectives are listed in front o the unit; followed by a cross-reference chartrelating the objectives to appropriate unit activities. Teachers are not expectedto utilize all activities, but should select those appropriate for their students that willaccomplish the unit objectives. Feel free to modify or substitute activitiesas necessary to obtain the best education possible. Diagrams, maps, poems, short stories, andother materials used in developing various activitiesare found in the appendixes. Glenn Clarkson Elementary Program Specialist AVALABLE. BESTCOPY ii ACKNOWLEDGMENT The Environmental Education Project for the TopekaPublic and Parochial Schools began operation June 29, 1971. The following individuals deserve recognition for the interest, time, and devotion theygave during the difficult stages of planning and writing the project proposal: Hr. Jchn Ganger, Coordinator of Curriculum forSpecial Education Mr. W. I. Green, Director of Special Education Dr. Quinton Groves, Director of Health, PhysicalEducation, Safety and Athletics Hr. Clarence "Tuffy" Kellogg, AssistantDirector of Health, Physical Education, and Safety Mr. Stanley 'tartin, Science Supervisor Ir. Claude Ritchie, Principal,Gage Elementary School 'Ir. Uilliam Uagaman, Principal, AvondaleEast Elementary School Mr. Lawrence R. Gaston, Director of Federal?rograms nr. Gilbert Vehmeier, Principal,Curtis Junior High School The needed support given the projectby Dr. Merle R. Bolton, Superintendent of Schools; other members ofthe central administrative staff; the instruction depart- ment, personnel office; business office; dataprocessing department; maintenance department; and Lawrence Gaston,director of federal programs, is gratefully acknowledged. Special recognition is givento the Board of Education for the Topeka Public Schools, who approved and are supportingthis creative, exemplary, and innovative project. My sincere gratitude is extendedto the program specialists for their tireless efforts in developing thiselementary unit. Curriculum development and revision has extended the working days for thesestaff members. by personal thanks are given to Glenn Clarkson, BobKing, and Thad Whiteaker for an outstanding job. The enclosed curriculum is theresult of input from the project's paraprofessionals and volunteers, fifth-grade teachers,Community Council members, parents, students, and interested lay citizens. Bob Foster, city horticulturist, andhis staff receive our special thanks for assisting in the collecting, developing,reviewing, and evaluating of materials, as well as assisting with field trips. Wich the deepestappreciation, I acknowledge the work of the secretarial team. The constant revisions,pressures, deadlines, and demands for quality work were handled in a most outstandingmanner by Dorothy Booher, Peggy Ketter, Rita Dreiling, and Marilyn Dorrell. Donald French Project Coordinator NVIIII1BLE iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Forcword ii Acknowledgment iii Table of Contents iv Unit Goals and Objectives Activities Summary Sheet vii Suggested Time Line for Uait Activities ix Introduction 1 Topic I: General Plant Parts and Their Function 2 Topic II: Roles of Plants In Nature's System 10 Topic III' Plant Adaptations 14 Tipic IV: Plant Groups (Biomes) Found Iii the orld 18 Tipic V: Nays 1:an Uses Plants 25 Topic VI: Odds and Ends About Plants 31 Topic VII. Field Trip and Directly Related Activities 34 Appendix A: Films and Slide Set Narrations A-1 Appendix B: Diagrams, Charts, and i:aps B-1 Appendix C: 7!ajor habitats (Biomes) of the Uorld C-1 Appendix D: Short Stories, D-1 Appendix E: Student Projects and 'liscellaneous Reference Naterials E-1 Appendix F: Field Trip nelated laterial F-1 Appendix G: Peors G-1 iv UNIT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Goals: 1) To revie': the various plant parts and their basic functions. 2) To develop an understanding of plants' role in the natural ecological system. 3) To develop an awareness of how plants are specialized through adaptations to live in a particular habitat. 4) To develop an awareness of the major habitats (biomes) of the world and type of plant life found in each biome. 5) To develop an awareness of ways man uses and has used plants. 6) To explore people's faelings and attitudes toward plants. 7) To extend student's observational skills. 8) To provide an opportunity for viewinga variety of plants. Cognitive Objectives: Following the study of this unit, students will be able, on multiple-choice questions,.to select a choice: 1) ...matching the various parts of "typical" plants with the.majer function of each part. 2) ...placing common representative plants correctly in any of the following groups: algae, moss, ferns, mold and fungi. 3) ...listing sunlight, carbon dioxide, water, and minerals,as basic needs of green plants. 4) ...indicating that one of the most important ways green plants help animals is by providing food. 5) ...indicating algae is the source of food for most water animals. 6) ...indicating mold and fungi are important in the natural system because they help recycle dead material. 7) ...indicating green plants consume carbon dioxide and releaseoxygen in the process of manufacturing food. 8) . ...indicating that man's use of the land and its resources is the greatest factor in causing an increase in the number of endangered plants. 9) ...matching a general plant description with each of the following: major habitats, tropical rain forest, deciduous forest, coniferous forest, chaparral, grassland, tundra, and desert. 10) ...indicating that man uses plants for pleasure, food, source of chemicals, and building materials. Cognitive Objectivas (Continued) 11) ...recognizing common drugs, such as pencillin, can be extracted from a plant. 12) ...indicating plants can help control pollution by controlling erosion, absorbing noise, changing carbon'dioxide to oxygen, collecting dust from the air, and screening unpleasant areas from view. 13) ...indicating man is now trying to extract insecticides from plants because they are likely to be safer than man-made insecticides. 14) ...matching flower structure with methods of pollination. 15) ...indicating very few plants contain substances that are dangerous to man. 16) ...matching plant with adaptative advantage. Affective Goals: Following the study of this unit, students will reflect a positive