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Plant Kingdom

Plant Kingdom

Plants developed from green multicellular algae about 500 million years ago.

Generally they are attached to the ground. They are multicellular organisms made of eukaryotic cells and perform autotrophic nutrition. They convert inorganic matter into organic through a process called photosynthesis.

We can divide plants into non-flowering plants and flowering plants.

NON-FLOWERING PLANTS

They may be:

-Bryophytes if they haven't got any conducting vessels, such as liverworts, or these conducting vessels are really simple, such as moss.

-Pteridophytes if they have conducting vessels, such as fern.
Moss covering an old water mill
Moss covering an old water mill. Yolanda Varela (CC-BY-NC-SA)
Moss

MOSS: It is a simple plant that grows on wet damp areas. It is a non-vascular plant, that means it hasn't got conducting vessels and all cells absorb water and nutrients.

FERN: It is a vascular plant, that means it has got conducting vessels. It has roots, stems and complex leaves. It reproduces by spores.
Fern
Fern by Rio da Fraga, Moaña. Yolanda Varela (CC-BY-NC-SA)                        
 Fern

FLOWERING PLANTS

They may be:

-Angiosperms: They are vascular plants that have stems, roots and leaves. Their ovule is fertilized and develops in a seed which is usually in an ovary inside a flower. Examples of angiosperms are fruit trees, oak, birch, flowers and even vegetables such as broccoli or lettuce, which we eat before flowers fully develop.

-Gymnosperms; They are vascular plants that have stems, roots and leaves. They are evergreen. The ovules or seeds are not enclosed in an ovary but usually on the surface of scales or leaves. Examples of gymnosperms are conifers (pine, fir, cedar, cypress) the best-known group and cycads or ginkgo.

Apple tree
Apple tree, an example of angiosperm. Yolanda Varela (CC-BY-NC-SA)
Rose
Rose, an example of angiosperm. Yolanda Varela (CC-BY-NC-SA)

Angiosperm

Gymnosperm

Cycads
Pine trees
Pine trees. Yolanda Varela (CC BY-NC-SA)
Cypress
Italian cypress. Robert Couse Baker. Flickr (CC-BY)

Ginkgo

Conifers

Cypress

Activity 1

1. Listen and complete the words with the missing letters.

ANG PERM

 I'm green too

F RN

NOSPERM

M S

P NE

PTE OPHYTE

CYP SS

BR PHYTE

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Activity 2

2. Mark with an X the correct option to make true sentences.
1. All moss cells... ...absorb water and nutrients. ...are prokaryotic.
2. Fern is... ...vascular. ...non-vascular.
3. Fruit trees are... ...angiosperm plants. ...gymnosperm plants.
4. Fern... ...has got roots. ...hasn't got roots.
5. Angiosperms are flowering plants. True False
6. Roses reproduce through spores. True False
7. A cypress is a... ...angiosperm plant. ...gymnosperm plant.

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Activity 3

3. Choose the correct word to make true statements
Plants developed from green multicellular algae about million years ago. Plants are made of cells. We can divide plants into non-flowering plants and plants
HibiscusHibiscus has a bisexual flower. Yolanda Varela. (CC BY-NC)
Bryophytes got any conducting vessels Fern is a because it is a non-flowering plant that has got conducting vessels. Flowering plants show reproduction.
Fruit trees are . Roots moving towards water is an example of movement
 Moss reproduces through .

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Extra Activities

Teamwork

2. What about a visit to the library. This activity is meant to enjoy images. Search for books about plants and simply have a look at the photographs and read the captions in pairs. At the end of the activity you and your partner should be able to explain the rest of students at least five of the images you have seen.

1. Which image corresponds to these words? Root - Stem - Leaf - Flower

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Functions of plants

NUTRITION:

Plants are autotrophic so they can produce their own food.They absorb water and mineral salts through their roots. This goes up to the leaves, exactly to the chloroplasts of plant cells where chlorophyll absorbs solar energy to transform water from the ground and carbon dioxide from the air into glucose. This glucose expands to the rest of the plant through the phloem vessels.
Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis. Mary Olke. Pixabay. (Pixabay Licence)

Glucose

Chlorophyll

Phloem vessels
Carnivorous plants
Carnivorous Plants exhibit at the Conservatory of Flowers at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Anna Fox. Flickr (CC-BY-NC)

RELATION

Though plants haven't got nervous systems, they can react to stimuli through movements called:

a. Tropic movements: It is a permanent movement towards stimuli, for example, roots moving towards water or stems towards the light.

b. Nastic movements: They are reversible movements and cease when the stimuli cease, for example, carnivorous plants close their leaves to trap insects.

Tropic movements

Nastic movements

Carnivorous plants

REPRODUCTION

Plants may reproduce sexually or asexually.

a. Asexual reproduction: A new plant is created from any part of it, for example, potatoes. Moss reproduces through spores released from a capsule on top of their axis, and fern through spores placed underside of the blades.

b. Sexual reproduction: Plants need a male and a female reproductive part. Flowering plants show sexual reproduction.

Have a look at this video which explains plants sexual reproduction and write the answers for the questions in your notebook.
Pollination and fertillization of angiosperm
Pollination and fertilization of angiosperm. Lady of hats. Wikipedia. (Public Domain)

Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants. Smart Learning for All. You Tube. (Standard Licence)

Activity 1

1. Answer these questions about the video on the left.

1. What is a stamen?

2. What do anthers produce?

3. What is a carpel?

4. What do ovaries contain?

5. What is self-pollination?

6. Why are insects important for plants?

7. How is a zygote formed?

Carpel

Stamen

Anther

Ovary

Self-pollination

Zygote

Activity 2

2. Complete with the missing letters.
Oak tree leaves
Oak tree leaves. Yolanda Varela (CC BY-NC)
1. N A I C
2. T O P I C
3. C L R O L A S T
4. A N T E R
5. H O R P H Y L
6. C R P L
7. S A E N

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Activity 3

3. Choose the right word to make correct statements.
1. Stamen is the reproductive pat of a plant. 2. Stamen consists of the and the filament.
3. Anthers produce grains. 4. is the female reproductive part of a plant
5. The is the top part of the carpel 6. The base part of the carpel is the .
7. Hibiscus and are examples of bisexual flowers. 8. Papaya and are examples of unisexual flowers.

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Extra activities

1. Visit the school library and find answers for these questions. Write them into your notebook and prepare to tell them aloud to the rest of students. Teamwork2. Pair group activity. Let's experiment. Click on the image below and follow the instructions. Don't forget to follow all steps to get a detailed report of the activity.

a. What is predation?

b. What is the trophic chain?

c. What is commensalism?

d. What are gregarious populations?

 What are the effects of acid rain inon plaant growth?The effects of acid rain on plants. Yolanda Varela. (CC-BY-NC-SA)

Porto Bonatical Garden

Porto Botanical Garden is located in Campo Alegre Estate, a property acquired by the Portuguese government in 1949 and turned into a botanical garden in 1951. It is currently managed by the Porto University Faculty of Science.

The garden includes some greenhouses, a couple of ponds and two buildings, the Andresen and Salabert houses.

Some of the species that can be seen  in the garden are camellias, a cacti garden, water lilies on the ponds, roses, orchids, tropical species, conifers and centenary trees. 

It offers visits for students and general public and organizes events all the year round. They also carry researches on ecology and ecosystem conservation.
Porto Botanical Garden
Porto Botanical Garden. Pedro. Flickr. (CC BY)
Are these sentences true (T) or false (F)?
Porto Botanical Garden
Porto Botanical Garden. Pedro. Flickr. (CC BY-SA)
 1.Porto Botanical Garden started in 1949.
2. The  Portuguese government manages the garden.
3. The Portuguese government is Campo Alegre Estate owner.
4. There is only a pond and a main building.
5. There are, at least, four types of flowers.
6. There are evergreen trees in the garden.

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Reading Activity

PROJECT 1 PROJECT 2 PROJECT 3

The leaves collection

Gather leaves from the trees around you or in the local park. Use a book to identify them. Create a fact sheet for each tree. At least you must identify ten trees.

Medicinal Plants

Ask your family about the plants that have been frequently used as remedies to improve our health.

Make a poster with all the information. If it is possible, get the real plants so that the other students can see them. At least you must identify twelve plants.

Spices

Do the same as above but this time with herbs we use to cook. At least you must identify twelve plants.

Capillarity and nutrition

Perform this experiment. Keep a diary of every step you take and draw conclusions. Record it on video to show the rest of students.

Needed materials:

-Plastic glasses     -Water     -Sugar

-Celery     - A spoon     -A marker     -Food colouring

Pour some water in the glasses. Mark them with 1, 2, 3. Add sugar to glass number 2 and stir . Add food colouring to number 3. Place a stalk of celery in each glass. Keep the glasses with the celery in the fridge 48 hours.

After 48 hours taste the leaves from the stalks and observe them.

What conclusions can you draw?

Project 4

A. What about planting vegetables in a yard? Is it possible in your school? Will you enjoy a lettuce, some tomatoes or potatoes from your yard? Is it possible to plant a tree?

B. You could have a look around you and keep a record of the plants you see. Start a blog which includes information about the place your school is and a photo and information of the plants you see.