WebQuest: Plant Investigation

By: Ms. McHugh

Introduction

▪ Imagine you are a plant scientist. Imagine your teacher and the rest of

your classmates are all plants. All of the plants in the world have been

introduced to a chemical called Hefalumposis. This has made the

plants forget how to function, they don’t know a stem from a root and

they have forgotten how their life cycle works. It is up to you to help

them remember! Only you have the power to save them now.

Task▪ Your job is to make a creative way to help your plants (your teacher

and classmates) remember:

▪ their parts

▪ the functions of their parts

▪ the stages of their life cycle

▪ These next steps will help you to put together a presentation that will help your plants remember the things that help them live.

Process▪ Step 1: Look up the plant parts and for each part come up with a way

to help the plant remember where each part is. ▪ Example: Diagram of a flower with fill in the blank (you may not use

this example to help your plants remember)▪ Be creative!▪ This link will help you find the parts of the plant:▪ http://www.flocabulary.com/parts-of-a-plant/▪ Watch the video and then look over the interactive lyrics shown in a

tab above. This should give you the parts of the plant.

Process▪ Step 2: Look up the functions of the plant parts. Come up with one word

that describes each parts function and be able to explain why you chose this word.

▪ Example: Roots=strength (you may not use this word for your description)

▪ Use this link to help you figure out what each part of the plant does:

▪ http://www.mbgnet.net/bioplants/parts.html

▪ Think of words that you don’t think anyone else will come up with!

Process▪ Step 3: After you have completed the first two steps you will go to this site▪ http://urbanext.illinois.edu/gpe/case1/mysteries.html▪ Click on the mystery that says What Are the Parts of Plants?▪ Start answering the questions. Before your group clicks the answer, write

down why you think your answer is the correct one.▪ If you happen to get an answer incorrect, press the back button on the

webpage and try again until you get the right answer.▪ After you get the right answer, read through the explanation given and

then record it next to your original explanation.▪ When you have finished the questions click the link to see if you know

where each part is located.

Process▪ Step 4: Use the following link to look up the different stages of a

plant’s life cycle. Write the stages in order and write a description of what happens in each stage.

▪ http://www.avasflowers.net/rhe-stages-of-the-flower-life-cycle▪ Draw the steps of the cycle and label them.▪ Create a game involving the stages of a plant’s life cycle.▪ Example: Red Light, Green Light Game where the stage of the seed is

the slowest you walk, germination is a little faster, and each stage increases in speed, with the last stage being the fastest speed.

▪ You may not use the example for your game.

Process▪ Step 5: Click on the link below and follow the instructions of the game.▪ http://

www.turtlediary.com/grade-1-games/science-games/plant-life-cycle.html

▪ In the space provided write a short reflection on the game.▪ What did you find difficult? ▪ What stages of the plant life cycle did you see happening in the

game? ▪ What did the plants require?▪ What do you think is the best advice to give to gardeners or farmers?▪ Any other comments you want to make can go on here as well!

Process▪ Step 6: Once you have completed the other 5 steps you can combine

these parts to make your presentation for the plants to remember▪ From Step 1: Your creative way to help plants remember where their

parts go▪ From Step 2: Your words that describe each plant part and the

explanation of why▪ From Step 3: A question that you found difficult and why▪ From Step 4: The game you came up with for the life cycle stages▪ From Step 5: Your reflection questions on the interactive game▪ This will be what your presentation should cover!

Evaluation▪ The rubric I will be using for your final presentation will be on the

following slide so be sure to look at it carefully while working on this WebQuest Presentation.

▪ Each category has the possibility for 10 points.

▪ There are 6 categories for a total of 60 points for this assignment!

▪ These categories include a peer evaluation so remember to be fair and honest with your classmates.

Criteria Outstanding (10 pts)

Good (7 pts) Satisfactory (4 pts)

Unsatisfactory (0 pts)

Creativity Students came up with clever and inventive ways to teach the plants

Students came up with a somewhat creative way to teach the plants

Students came up with a way to teach the plants

Students provided no way to teach the plants

Information Information was clear with no mistakes in the presentation

Information was clear with 1-2 mistakes

Information was unclear with 2-3 mistakes

Information was unclear and had more than 4 mistakes

Explanation Student explanations are clear, concise and understandable

Some explanations are clear and concise

There are explanations

There are no explanations

Reflection Student answered all the questions with thought

Students answered most of the questions

Students answered some questions

Students answered none of the questions

Appearance Neat, colorful and easy to read

Neat and easy to read

Easy to read Not neat, colorful or easy to read

Peer evaluation

Peers thought the presentation was outstanding

Peers thought the presentation was good

Peers thought the presentation was satisfactory

Peers thought it was unsatisfactory

Conclusion

You have successfully completed the task of putting together your research and it is time to work on your presentation so that the plants can remember what they have to do to survive and the chemical Hefalumposis will finally leave their system! Thank you for your hard work and dedication scientists!

Standards▪ GLE: Knowledge of characteristics and interactions of living organisms▪ Concept 1: A. Know and describe the basic needs of most plants (i.e., air,

water, light, nutrients, temperature)▪ Concept 1: B. Know and describe sequence the stages in the life cycle (for

plant) of seed germination, growth and development, reproduction, and death (i.e., a flowering plant)

▪ Concept 1: D. Identify the major organs (roots, stems, flowers, leaves) and their functions in vascular plants (e.g., absorption, transport, reproduction)

▪ GLE: Knowledge of changes in ecosystems and interactions of organisms with their environments

▪ Concept 1: A.a. Identify sunlight as the primary source of energy plants use to produce their own food