We FLIP over Growth and the Life Cycle of Plants!

In this lesson, students learn about the life cycle of plants by watching a time-lapse video. This activity provides students with further evidence that all living things grow and change as they progress through their life cycle. Two optional video segments show students how to set up a germination experiment and how to grow seeds they collect on their socks.

Objectives
•Understand that plants have a life cycle that includes sprouting; developing roots, stems, leaves, and flowers; reproducing; and eventually dying
•Observe the changes that occur during plant growth and development
•Understand that the life cycle of plants is different from the life cycle of animals
•Sequence the stages of plant life

Grade Level: 3-5

Suggested Time
•Initial setup - Two 30- to 40-minute blocks
Further investigation – 5-10 sessions to record their plant growth

1. Show students a flowering potted plant, and ask them to name the parts of the plant: roots, stems, leaves, and flowers. Ask: Which part of the plant develops into the fruit?

2. To help students understand that seeds develop inside fruits, have them examine a variety of fruits that have been cut open to expose their seeds. Discuss the different seed shapes they observe.

3. Show students the From Seed to Flower video. After watching, have them suggest corrections to the order of the words/pictures on the board. Ask them to describe how plants change as they grow. What happens to their size? Their shape? Their parts?

4. Have students conduct the germination experiment described below.

5. Students will begin by photographing and videotaping the germination cycle with the students taking pictures of each other as they begin the hydroponics process by germinating bush bean seeds in a seed sprouter.

6. Then, students will set up their Flip Video recorder and record as their seed begins to swell and sprout its root from the cotyledon and embryo. They will take observations in their science notebook as their seed changes.

7. Once the seed has begun to sprout, mix and prepare the growing beds in classroom containers.

8. As soon as the seed has sprouted a sizeable root, the students will record the transfer process on the Flip Video Camera from the seed sprouter to the hydroponics containers.

9. Next, they will monitor the growth of their plants (flowering) as they sprout and grow in height. Students will set up the Flip camera on tripods so they will remain stable. Students will record their plants growth continuous and record the data of the growth with the date in their journals.

10. The students will set up their cameras and record the growth over time. Students will also take photos of their plants throughout the growth process as they identify the stages of the life cycle: Seed, sprout, seedling, young plant, flowering plant, plant with fruit, fruit, then to seed again.

11. Students will print the photos that represent the stages of the life cycle and create a poster that illustrates the life cycle. Students will take their photos and label the stages of the life cycle in their own words.

12. After their poster is created, students will take the video from the flip camera and edit using Tool Factory. They will manipulate the video to play in a time lapse format – showing the growth of the plant at very high speed.

13. This time lapse video will show the growth of the plant in fast forward speed, so the students will really get a good perspective of how the plants grow instead of just observing them day to day.

14. To complete the project, students will present their poster and time lapse video of their plant growing. They will explain the stages of growth their plant went through, and identify different parts of the plant on their poster.

This project will be an extension activity based on the 3rd grade science unit – Structures of Life. It will add greatly to students' understanding of the scientific process and their data collecting experiences.