Photosynthesis

Dolores (Dolly) Stoklosa

dollystokl@aol.com

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The Earth is in crisis! Farm crops are failing due to pollution and global fires. You are a member of a team of scientists called upon to save the Earth and its people from starvation by educating people about the process and importance of photosynthesis.

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The Task

You will complete the first 2 tasks in your learning groups, following assigned roles. Then you will do task 3 independently at school or home. Finally, you will complete task 5, an informational booklet about photosynthesis, at school and home. This final task will be shared with your buddy.

1. Conduct research on the process of photosynthesis, using the web and classroom resources.

2. Review the Scientific method using resources provided. Plan and conduct the experiment your teacher assigns your group.

3. Compare the process of photosynthesis to baking by writing a recipe card using Microsoft Word.

4. Create a poster using art materials provided.

5. Make a booklet for your first or second grade buddies using Microsoft Word.

6. Write and deliver a speech for Congress.

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The Process

Task 1: Research

1. In your learning groups, review the resources available and decide which resources each person will use in their research. Some will be able to use the Internet, others will use the textbook or other books available in class. Everyone will be able to take notes from the videos shown in class.

2. Keep accurate notes and diagrams in your notebook.

3. Share your research results in your group and make any corrections. Add to your notebook any information you may have missed.

4. Determine if enough information has been gathered. Use these questions as a guide. You should be able to answer all of them from your notes.

What is the definition of photosynthesis?

Where does photosynthesis take place?

What role does each part of the plant play in photosynthesis?

What does a plant need to make its own food?

Where do all the ingredients for photosynthesis come from?

What is the food called and where does it go?

How is the food stored?

How does photosynthesis help plants, animals, and humans?

http://library.thinkquest.org/11226/why.htm - explore the carbon cycle

http://www.ftexploring.com/me/photosyn1.html - complete explanation of photosynthesis

http://mbgnet.mobot.org/bioplants/main.html - How plants grow, make food, pollinate, and more

http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/gpe - The Great Plant Escape (much information about plants)

http://www.mi.mun.ca/mi-net/enviro/photo.htm - The Photosynthesis Process

http://www.alfy.com/teachers/teach/thematic_units/Plants/plant_1.asp - go to “plants and our environment” and follow the links to photosynthesis and other areas of interest. Good diagrams and explanation

Task 2: Experiment

1. Review the Scientific Method using the web and classroom resources.

2. Using a handout on the Scientific Method as a guide, your group will plan and conduct an experiment that shows what happens when an ingredient for photosynthesis is missing. The ingredients the class will test for are: sunlight, carbon dioxide, water, and chlorophyll (which is in the leaves).

3. Complete the handout describing each step in the scientific process as it pertains to the results of your experiment. Attach to your notebook.

4. Keep a daily journal describing your observations.

5. When experiments are completed, (1 week) share results within your group and form a conclusion on the importance of the element or ingredient you tested in the process of photosynthesis.

6. Groups will then share results with the entire class.

Check in the science workbooks: Discover the Wonder, book D 50-57 and book F, back pages on scientific method.

Scientific method for kids:

http://school.discovery.com/sciencefaircentral/scifairstudio/handbook/scientificmethod.html - Explanation of the scientific method

http://www.brainpop.com - video on scientific method

Check the following books for ideas on experiments:

Discover the Wonder p. 56-67

The Power of Green McGraw Hill p.16

World Book’s Young Scientist vol.5 p.75.

Hands On Science: Seeds to Plants p. 13.

Looking at Plants p. 54-55.

See Resources for complete Bibliography.

Task 3: Recipe card

1. Using the links, your research notes and class resources, compare the process of photosynthesis with the baking of a favorite treat.

2. Create a recipe card for photosynthesis on Microsoft Word. Remember that a recipe has three basic sections. 1. List the ingredients and amounts needed. 2. Provide a clear set of directions explaining how the ingredients are combined. 3. Determine the energy source and the results obtained if the recipe is followed properly.

3. Include diagrams and pictures to illustrate the process and ingredients used. These can be obtained from web links or can be added by hand.

4. Use your creativity by making your recipe sound appealing and delicious!

Words that are often found in recipes that you can use in your recipe:

Mix add blend pour heat wait for __ minutes check

Check recipe books at home to find other words you may want to use, but be sure they make sense in a photosynthesis recipe.

Task 4: Poster

1. Give your poster a title.

2. Draw a plant as the centerpiece of your poster, labeling the basic parts for photosynthesis: roots, stem, leaves, chloroplasts, fruit.

3. Provide a magnified section of each part, showing its role in the process of photosynthesis and respiration, and how each interacts with the ingredients of photosynthesis.

4. Provide a brief description, in the form of a caption or information box, of each plant part’s role.

5. Be prepared to answer questions from classmates about the content of your poster.

Plant Parts: click on answers for the labels of plant parts, go to glossary for descriptions of plant parts, explore for extra knowledge

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/plants/printouts.shtml

Check out these books and other books available in class, including your textbook.

LOOKING AT PLANTS by David Suzuki

PLANTS AND SEEDS by John Stidworthy

PLANTS, Visual Science Encyclopedia

WHAT’S INSIDE PLANTS by Anita Ganeri

Bibliography is listed in Resources section.

Task 5: Booklet

1. Create a booklet which clearly explains the process of photosynthesis. This booklet will be shared with your Grade 1 or 2 buddies.

2. Use your research notes, web links, and classroom resources, to plan out a general design for your booklet about photosynthesis. List the information you want to include on scrap paper and share with your teacher.

3. You may use pictures and graphics from the web links or books to help you draw your own.

4. Using Microsoft Word, write the text for your booklet. Remember to use language a first or second grader will understand. Vocabulary to explain and include: photosynthesis, carbon dioxide, chlorophyll, oxygen.

Task 6: Speech

1. Using the web links, research notes, and class resources, describe the importance of the food making process (photosynthesis) for survival of all living things. Be sure to include the following topics and issues in your speech. Base your speech on facts, not opinions. Be convincing!

2. Write your speech using Microsoft word or you may write it by hand on white-lined paper.

3. Practice your speech many times until you no longer have to read it entirely from the paper. You should be able to have frequent eye contact with the audience.

4. Practice changing your tone and volume to emphasize important points.

Use these books in the classroom to help you:

Green Plant Rescue

Plant Ecology

Our Living World: Green Plants

Eyewitness Books: Plant

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Resources

WEBSITES

http://library.thinkquest.org/11226/why.htm

http://www.ftexploring.com/me/photosyn1.html

http://mbgnet.mobot.org/bioplants/main.html

http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/gpe

http://www.mi.mun.ca/mi-net/enviro/photo.htm

http://www.alfy.com/teachers/teach/thematic_units/Plants/plant_1.asp

BOOKS

Bates, Jeffrey. Hands on Science: Seeds to Plants.

New York: Gloucester Press, 1991.

Burnie, David. Plant: Eyewitness Books. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1989.

Cochrane, Jennifer. Plant Ecology. New York: The Bookwright Press, 1987.

Feder-Feitel, Lisa. The Power of Green. New York: McGraw Hill School Division, 2000.

Ganeri, Anita. What’s Inside Plants. New York: Peter Bedrick Books, 1993.

Halpern, Robert R. Green Plant Rescue. New York: Franklin Watts, 1993.

Knapp, Brian. PLANTS: Visual Science Encyclopedia. Danbury, Connecticut: Grolier Educational, 2002.

Stidworthy, John. Through the Microscope: Plants and Seeds. New York: Gloucester Press, 1990.

Suzuki, David. Looking at Plants. New York: John Wiley & Sons Inc., 1991.

Tesar, Jenny. Green Plants: Our Living World. Woodridge, Connecticut: Blackbirch Press, 1993.

World Book’s Young Scientist. Chicago: World Book Inc, vol.5, 1990.

VIDEOS

HOW PLANTS GROW, 100% Educational Videos, 1998.

THE MAGIC SCHOOLBUS: PHOTOSYNTHESIS

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Evaluation

Your tasks will be graded using the following rubrics. Check each item of each rubric to be sure you get the best possible grade. If you have any questions about the expectations, please see your teacher.

Experiment:

Lab Report: experiment

Student Name ___________________

CATEGORY	Excellent	Good	Satisfactory	Needs Improvement
Experimental Design	Experiment design is a well-constructed test of the stated hypothesis.	Experiment design is adequate to test the hypothesis, but leaves some unanswered questions.	Experiment design is relevant to the hypothesis, but is not a complete test.	Experiment design is not relevant to the hypothesis.
Question/ Purpose	The purpose of the experiment or the question to be answered during the experiment is clearly identified and stated.	The purpose of the experiment or the question to be answered during the lab is identified, but is stated in a somewhat unclear manner.	The purpose of the experiment or the question to be answered during the lab is partially identified, and is stated in a somewhat unclear manner.	The purpose of the experiment or the question to be answered during the lab is erroneous or irrelevant.
Drawings/Diagrams	Clear, accurate diagrams are included and make the experiment easier to understand. Diagrams are labeled neatly and accurately.	Diagrams are included and are labeled neatly and accurately.	Diagrams are included and are labeled.	Needed diagrams are missing OR are missing important labels.
Procedures	Procedures are listed in clear steps. Each step is numbered and is a complete sentence.	Procedures are listed in a logical order, but steps are not numbered and/or are not in complete sentences.	Procedures are listed but are not in a logical order or are difficult to follow.	Procedures do not accurately list the steps of the experiment.
Journal/Notebook	Clear, accurate, dated notes are taken regularly.	Dated, clear, accurate notes are taken occasionally.	Dated, notes are taken occasionally, but accuracy of notes might be questionable.	Notes rarely taken or of little use.
Summary	Conclusion describes the skills learned, the information learned and some future applications to real life situations.	Conclusion describes the information learned and a possible application to a real life situation.	Conclusion describes the information learned.	No conclusions written.
Components of the report	All required elements are present and additional elements that add to the report (e.g., thoughtful comments, graphics) have been added.	All required elements are present.	One required element is missing, but additional elements that add to the report (e.g., thoughtful comments, graphics) have been added.	Several required elements are missing.

Date Created: 2002-08-23 using Rubistar

Poster:

Making A Poster: webquest

Student Name ___________________

CATEGORY	Excellent	Good	Satisfactory	Needs Improvement
Graphics - Relevance	All graphics are related to the topic and make it easier to understand. All borrowed graphics have a source citation.	All graphics are related to the topic and most make it easier to understand. All borrowed graphics have a source citation.	All graphics relate to the topic. Most borrowed graphics have a source citation.	Graphics do not relate to the topic OR several borrowed graphics do not have a source citation.
Labels	All items of importance on the poster are clearly labeled with labels that can be read from at least 3 ft. away.	Almost all items of importance on the poster are clearly labeled with labels that can be read from at least 3 ft. away.	Several items of importance on the poster are clearly labeled with labels that can be read from at least 3 ft. away.	Labels are too small to view OR no important items were labeled.
Required Elements	The poster includes all required elements as well as additional information.	All required elements are included on the poster.	All but 1 of the required elements are included on the poster.	Several required elements were missing.
Content - Accuracy	At least 7 accurate facts are displayed on the poster.	5-6 accurate facts are displayed on the poster.	3-4 accurate facts are displayed on the poster.	Less than 3 accurate facts are displayed on the poster.
Knowledge Gained	Student can accurately answer all questions related to facts in the poster and processes used to create the poster.	Student can accurately answer most questions related to facts in the poster and processes used to create the poster.	Student can accurately answer about 75% of questions related to facts in the poster and processes used to create the poster.	Student appears to have insufficient knowledge about the facts or processes used in the poster.
Attractiveness