How Does A Plant Drink Water?
by Saleria Blue, sblue@ebrschools.org

Content Area(s)
Science

Grade Level(s)
4, 

Overview
Use colored dyes to follow water up a plant's stem and into the petals (transpiration).

Software
Notes
Sketchy
Excel

Technology
Ruler
Celery
4 clear plastic small cups
Food Coloring (red, blue, green)
Water
Cutting utensil

Objectives
The students will understand how the forces of the process of transpiration aid in the transportation of water through the plant.

The students will recognize the form and function of stomata.

The students will report their findings in a paragraph and a sketchy.

Procedures
1. Cut at a slant across a leafy stalk of celery near the bottom. Make a lengthwise cut from the bottom to within an inch of where the leaves branch out.
2. Pour a small amount of water and 1 teaspoon of red food coloring in one clear cup.
3. Pour a small amount of water and 1 teaspoon of blue food coloring in the second cup.
4. Pour a small amount of water and 1 teaspoon of green food coloring in the second cup.
5. Place a section of celery stalk into a cup.
6. Put the cups and the celery in a sunny spot.
7. Observe the stalks ever hour and record any changes using Notes on your handheld .
8. Leave the stalks in the cups overnight.
9. On day two remove the stalks from of the cups and cut across each section and record findings.
10. Use Excel to graph changes.
11. From the notes and the data prepare a paragraph discussing any observations answering the question: How does a Plant Drink Water?
12. Using Sketchy dipict what happend to one of the variable groups of celery.

Other Supporting Material
Debbie%20Greenthumb:%20How%20Plants%20Grow
Why%20Plants%20Need%20Water

Submitted on: 1/10/2006 4:00:52 PM