Wooded MountainsWhy do plants look different?

What do you see in the photo at the left? Maybe you notice that there are a number of different kinds of plants growing in this photo. Maybe you notice that different kinds of plants seem to grow in different areas. Why is that?

Your students can pursue this question through a series of 11 lessons that take about 15 days to complete. They will learn fundamental concepts of photosynthesis and transpiration, structure-function relationships in plants, and how observed variability reflects adaptation to environmental differences. This learning occurs throught the students' own experiments, modeling activities, and the investigation of a large dataset of climate measurements from different regions of the area in the photo above.

This module covers the following California content standards for grade 7 science:

  • Students know the characteristics that distinguish plant cells from animal cells, including chloroplasts and cell walls (1b).
  • Students know the nucleus is the repository for genetic information in plant and animal cells (1c).
  • Students know that mitochondria liberate energy for the work that cells do and that chloroplasts capture sunlight energy for photosynthesis (1d).
  • Students know that as multicellular organisms develop, their cells differentiate (1f).
  • Students know both genetic variation and environmental factors are causes of evolution and diversity of organisms (3a).
  • Students know the reasoning used by Charles Darwin in reaching his conclusion that natural selection is the mechanism of evolution (3b).
  • Students know plants and animals have levels of organization for structure and function, including cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, and the whole organism (5a).
  • Students know organ systems function because of the contributions of individual organs, tissues, and cells. The failure of any part can affect the entire system (5b).
  • Select and use appropriate tools and technology (including calculators, computers, balances, spring scales, microscopes, and binoculars) to perform tests, collect data, and display data (7a).
  • Use a variety of print and electronic resources (including the World Wide Web) to collect information and evidence as part of a research project (7b).
  • Communicate the logical connection among hypotheses, science concepts, tests conducted, data collected, and conclusions drawn from the scientific evidence (7c).
  • Construct scale models, maps, and appropriately labeled diagrams to communicate scientific knowledge (e.g., motion of Earth’s plates and cell structure) (7d).
  • Communicate the steps and results from an investigation in written reports and oral presentations (7e).

(There is also significant overlap with both grade 6 and 8 content standards.)

Complete information about this module is available to registered CENSEI teachers. Registration and all of our materials are absolutely free. Contact us at censei@gseis.ucla.edu.