Plant+Life

= Plant Life = =Standard:=

Each plant or animal has different structures that serve different functions in growth, survival, and reproduction.
Seeds come in many shapes, colors, and sizes but they all have three things in common:
 * 1) a baby plant (embryo)
 * 2) protective seed cover
 * 3) food supply

Survival Conditions

 * moisture
 * temperature
 * oxygen
 * ALL NEED TO BE PRESENT*

How Seeds Travel

 * Scattered through the actions of animals and people
 * Birds digest everything but the seeds of plants
 * People throw away fruit pits or watermelon seeds
 * Wind blows some seeds
 * Water can carry seeds from place to place

Three Habitats/Ideal Plants for each (page 342-343)
To create the three habits above,  Instruct students to plant seeds only slightly deeper than the seed length. But always follow instructions on the seed package for seed store varieties. Because it takes energy to push through the soil, a small seed planted too deeply runs out of food before it reaches the surface.  Keep the soil somewhat loose so that air can get to the roots.  Ensure that there is proper drainage by either using a container with small holes, placed in a saucer or placing a layer of rocks in a container before adding soil.
 * 1) Woodland Terrarium- dwarf ivy, ferns, liverworts, and lichens
 * 2) Marsh Terrarium- Venus's-flytrap, sundew, pitcher plant, mosses, and sedges
 * 3) Desert Terrarium- cacti

How Seeds Travel

 * animals and people can cause seeds to be scattered
 * the wind can blow seeds
 * water can move seeds

** -Flowers **
There are some growth conditions as well:
 * Excess watering causes plants to die of oxygen deprivation or disease. Not enough watering usually results in droopy, malnourished plants. The absence of vital soil minerals and extremes in temperature also has a weakening, or even fatal, effect on plants.
 *  Crowding of plants is harmful to growth largely because competition deprives individual plants of enough of what they need for good growth.
 *  Green plants need light energy, but not necessarily sunshine, to manufacture their own food. Electric lights may be substituted. Plants generally grow faster when exposed to light for increased time periods, but overexposure retards growth and delays normal blooming times.

Different types of Pollination: *Pollen may travel through wind, insects, or even just gravity*
 *  Self-pollination happens when pollen from a flower’s own stamens fertilize its ovules.
 *   Cross-pollination occurs when pollen from another flower perform this function.
 *   Pollen must be from the same type of flower, however, for fertilization to take place.

 Many garden flowers and vegetables grow from seeds, then blossom, produce seeds, and die in one growing season.
 *  These are known as annuals. Examples are petunias, zinnias, beans, and tomatoes.
 *   Those that live two seasons are biennials. Examples are hollyhocks, forget-me-nots, carrots, and turnips.
 *   Plants that live more than two growing seasons are perennials. Trees and most shrubs fit into this classification.

 A plant’s responses to environmental stimuli are called //**plant tropisms.**//
 * Geotropism- The plant’s response to gravity. Example: A plant grows towards a light source.
 * Hydrotropism- The plant’s response to water. Example: A plant’s roots growing towards a water source.