SCIENCE COLLECTIONS CD-ROMs TEACHERS GUIDE: PLANTS

Discovery Channel School

Science Collections CD-ROMs Teachers Guide: PLANTS

Copyright 2004 by Discovery Communications, Inc. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. SCIENCE COLLECTIONS CD-ROMs TEACHERS GUIDE: PLANTS Introduction
Welcome to the Discovery Channels Science Collections! These programs offer a way of reaching students that not only uses technology but also encourages exploration and discovery. Using interactive adventures that students will learn from and enjoy, this innovative approach to science encourages and applies the analytical and applied skills that you teach every day. The topics in the Science Collections CD-ROMs are meant to address the key concepts in a middle grade science curriculum. However, these CD-ROMs are a supplement to your curriculum, not a replacement. This Teachers Guide is organized as follows: Learning ObjectivesDescribes what students will know and be able to do after using this CD-ROM National Science Education StandardsExplains how this CD-ROM addresses the National Science Education Standards published in 1996 by the National Academy of Sciences Discovery Theater An overview of the five QuickTime videos included, how they relate to the CDs theme, and their Pre- and Post-Viewing questions The LaboratoryIdeas for how to use the collection of learning activities in this CD-ROM section, which include: Brain TeasersA timed quiz game that helps students review the content presented in the CD EyeWitnessAn observation activity designed to help students practice writing skills; they closely observe the action in a video clip and craft essential questions for further study. Circle LogicA logic exercise where students use their compare/contrast skills to create Venn diagrams InvestigationsA data gathering, sorting, and analysis activity in which students are asked to draw conclusions CategoriesA classification activity in which students identify organisms according to two key traits of their choosing Can You Relate?A writing exercise where students examine the impact of related events or processes and write a detailed essay about their conclusions What If?A brainstorming activity in which students are called upon to think about a situation, presented in a brief QuickTime video clip, and then write their thoughts, opinions, or predictions based on the footage and on their personal research

The LibraryInstructions to help your students use the CDs collection of World Book encyclopedia articles, including how to conduct key-word searches SimulationsHands-on, interactive modules that allow students to learn through guided exploration. The StudioA tool for creating custom multimedia presentations that also includes three ready-to-use presentations Answer KeyA compilation of answers to the Discovery Theater questions and the Laboratory activities

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Teaching ResourcesHandouts you can use while implementing this Science Collections CD-ROM and recommended Internet sites for student research For more detailed information on how to use the software, refer to the online Help in the program.

This guide also includes Management Strategies subsections, which have suggestions for using each of the CDROMs features in your classroom. Three computer setup options are discussed: Single computera single computer in the classroom being used as both a teacher presentation station and as a student workstation. The assumption here is that the computer is connected to a projection device or television monitor, and that students may also use the computer for independent work or review. Several computerstwo or more computers in the classroom set up as student workstations. The assumption here is that students will be working in small groups at each station or will be taking turns, working independently on one of the machines. You will need to have the Science Collections program installed on each machine. Because the CD-ROM is not a networked product, each computer needs to have a CD-ROM in its local drive. (Note that the Science Collections CD-ROMs are available in lab packs of 5.) Computer laba classroom of computer workstations. The assumption here is that students are working individually at the machines, and that each computer has the Science Collections program installed. Because the CD-ROM is not a networked product, each computer needs to have a CD-ROM on its local drive. (Note that the Science Collections CD-ROMs are available in lab packs of 5.)

Learning Objectives
Having studied plants with the help of this CD-ROM, students will be able to identify and describe the importance of plants in the food webs of a given ecosystem, discuss the importance of the rain forest ecosystem, relate plant evolution and adaptations, sort plants according to common traits, compare and contrast plant photosynthesis and animal respiration, compare and contrast the characteristics of different species of plants, describe various types of pollination and give examples of each, collect, sort, and apply information about flowering plants and their pollinators, in order to draw conclusions about the relationships between them.

National Science Education Standards

The content and learning activities found in the Discovery Channel School Plants CD-ROM have been tied to the National Science Education Standards published by the National Academy of Sciences in 1996. Only the Content Standards chapter is referenced and only the portions of the chapter that apply are quoted here. Teachers can find the complete standards document at http://www.nas.edu. The specific standards addressed by the learning activities in this CD-ROM and accompanying Teachers Guide are as follows:

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Content Standard: K-12 Unifying Concepts and Processes STANDARD: As a result of activities in grades K-12, all students should develop understanding and abilities aligned with the following concepts and processes: Systems, Order, and Organization Constancy, Change, and Measurement Evolution and Equilibrium Form and Function Science Content Standards: 5-8 Science as Inquiry CONTENT STANDARD A: As a result of activities in grades 5-8, all students should develop Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models using evidence. Students should base their explanation on what they observed, and as they develop cognitive skills, they should be able to differentiate explanation from description providing causes for effects and establishing relationships based on evidence and logical argument. This standard requires a subject matter knowledge base so the students can effectively conduct investigations, because developing explanations establishes connections between the content of science and the contexts within which students develop new knowledge. Think Critically and logically to make the relationships between evidence and explanations. Thinking critically about evidence includes deciding what evidence should be used and accounting for anomalous data. Specifically, students should be able to review data from a simple experiment, summarize the data, and form a logical argument about the cause-and-effect relationships in the experiment. Students should begin to state some explanations in terms of the relationship between two or more variables. Recognize and analyze alternative explanations and predictions. Students should develop the ability to listen to and respect the explanations proposed by other students. They should remain open to and acknowledge different ideas and explanations, be able to accept the skepticism of others, and consider alternative explanations. Science Content Standards: 5-8 Life Science CONTENT STANDARD C: As a result of their activities in grades 5-8, all students should develop understanding of Structure and Function Living systems at all levels of organization demonstrate the complementary nature of structure and function. Important levels of organization include cells, organs, tissues, organ systems, whole organisms, and ecosystems. Reproduction and Heredity Reproduction is a characteristic of all living systems; because no organism lives forever, reproduction is essential to the continuation of every species. Populations and Ecosystems Populations of organisms can be categorized by the function they serve in an ecosystem. Plants and some microorganisms are producersthey make their own food For ecosystems, the major source of energy is sunlight. Energy entering ecosystems as sunlight is transferred by producers into chemical energy through photosynthesis. That energy then passes from organism to organism in food webs.

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Diversity and Adaptations of Organisms Millions of species of animals, plants, and microorganisms are alive today. Although different species might look dissimilar, the unity among organisms becomes apparent form an analysis of the internal structures, the similarities of their chemical processes, and the evidence of common ancestry. Extinction of a species occurs when the environment changes and the adaptive characteristics of a species are insufficient to allow its survival. Fossils indicate that many organisms that lived long ago are extinct. Extinction of species is common; most species that have live on the earth no longer exist.

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Discovery Theater
The Theater is the video component of the CD-ROM. Five Discovery Channel videos in QuickTime format (a total varying from 15 to 20 minutes) can be viewed individually or in sequence. They cover different aspects of the main topic of the CD-ROM, but do so in a format and a style that allows students to see science in the real world. Each video is a window to a unique view of science. This allows for opportunities to address misconceptions, develop key ideas or themes, and encourage students to think scientifically. Note-taking Guidelines Discuss the following with the class and direct them to use the questions as a guide to taking notes as they watch each video: What is the main idea? What are the subtopics? List two or three facts or ideas about the main idea and each subtopic. Suppose you needed to explain this topic to a classmate who was absent today. Write a paragraph that summarizes the topic.

Questions The five videos on the CD-ROM are summarized below. While Pre- and Post-Viewing questions are offered for each, the configuration of computers in your classroom will affect when and how you ask these questions (see the next section, Management Strategies). These questions are aligned with the National Science Education Standards created by the National Academy of Sciences (see page 3). Note that the purpose of the Pre-Viewing questions is to engage students in conversation, allowing you to assess what they already know and address any misconceptions they may have. The Post-Viewing questions are designed to provide an opportunity for students to express their understanding of the content and to offer and explain their personal opinions about a scientific issue. Answers to the Post-Viewing questions are included in the Answer Key section of this Teachers Guide. Reproduction (3 min. 45 sec.) In the beginning there was simply land and water, and through the ages a diverse population of plants have developed to sustain the needs of the earth. This video describes the many interesting mechanisms that plants have developed for facilitating their propagation. Pre-Viewing 1. How do plants reproduce? 2. Why are plants important to other living organisms? Post-Viewing 1. Botanist, Warren Wagner, says, Plants are basic. Theyre the food for all of the world. Do you agree or disagree with his statement? Why? 2. Since many plants are bound to the ground by their roots, they have developed seed with different features. Describe two of these features.

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Plants in Space (3 min. 47 sec.) Someday the most important room on a spacecraft may be the greenhouse. This video explores NASA research, which has already found that a reasonable-sized greenhouse is sufficient to support the needs of one person. Pre-Viewing 1. Do you think plants can survive in outer space? Why or why not? 2. Do you think that plants could be helpful to astronauts? If so, how? Post Viewing 1. What has been learned by studying plants in the space shuttle? 2. Scientists now want to know if the color of light has the same effect on plants other than wheat. The answer will cost additional money to research this topic. Do you think money should be provided for this research? Use scientific evidence to support your answer. Rain Forest (3 min. 9 sec.) With plant life growing in four layers, the rain forest ecosystem contains the greatest diversity in the plant kingdom. This lush environment is featured in this video, along with scientists hopes that this plant diversity may hold important secrets to medical breakthroughs. Pre-Viewing 1. What do you know about rain forests? 2. Why do you think rain forests are important to life on earth? Post-Viewing 1. Glenn Shepherd, an anthropologist, traveled to Manu Biosphere Reserve in Peru to find plants that can be used to cure diseases. Do you think he will be successful? Why or why not? 2. Rain forests contain a huge diversity of plant life. What kind of soil do you think you would find in a rain forest ecosystem? Trees (3 min. 0 sec.) This video describes one of the tallest, oldest, and largest living things on earth a tree. It also explains how trees differ from other plants and how they contribute to the ecosystem of the forest, dead or alive. Pre-Viewing 1. What makes a tree, a plant? 2. How are trees different from other plants? Post-Viewing 1. A tree carries out or performs many different functions in the forest. Discuss three of these functions with your classmates. 2. How do you think trees evolved over the course of earths history? Explain your answer. Survival (3min. 10 sec.) Plants can be found in harsh environments all over the world. This video features the ways in which evergreens, such as pine trees and cacti, the Saguaro for example, have adapted to cope with such environments. Pre-Viewing 1. How do you think plants survive without freezing in cold climates? 2. How do you think plants survive very hot temperatures? 3. Why do you think some trees lose their leaves in winter?

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Post-Viewing 1. In the video, you learned that pine needle shape allows for wind and snow to pass between them without damaging the leaves. What are some other examples of how leaf shape is important to the plant? 2. We know that animals depend on plants for food. Do plants depend on animals? Give scientific evidence to support your answer. 3. Compare and contrast 3 different ecosystems in which plants play a vital role. Do you think there is an ecosystem in which plants do not play a vital role?

Management Strategies The number and configuration of computers in the classroom is something teachers must take into account when integrating technology into their curriculum. Clearly, the introduction, review, and reinforcement of this CD-ROMs content must occur within the context of the technology available in your classroom. With that in mind, we offer some management strategies that address the main ways in which computers may be set up in your classroom/school. Single Computer Used as a Presentation Station. Here, we assume you have a computer connected to a presentation device. Make sure that the computer has external speakers and that the sound level is loud enough to be heard by the entire class. Here are some ideas for getting the most out of the Discovery Theater. View each of the five QuickTime videos. Have students take notes using the Note-Taking Guidelines given previously. Ask students to summarize the key concepts covered by one of the videos. Ask for specific examples from the video that illustrate each concept. You can use the Concept/Vocabulary Worksheet included in the Teaching Resources section of this Guide. Or you can assign some of the Pre- and Post-Viewing Questions given above. If you are projecting the videos onto a screen or television monitor, you may want to avoid the Full Screen option, which hides the closed captions. For reinforcement/review, you can replay a video (or portions of it), but with the sound turned down. Then ask volunteers to tell the story by adding their own narration. This will encourage students to see how well they remember the information presented, as well as give them a forum for expressing their ideas. Its also good practice for when they make a classroom presentation. Ask the other students to add anything that may have been left out. The onscreen controls allow you to pause the video at any point, or to fast forward to any part of the video.

Single Computer Used as a Student Workstation. Here, we assume that you have a single computer in your classroom set up as an independent workstation. The strategies below allow you to use Discovery Theater in the context of this computer configuration. Divide the class into groups of 4-5, no larger. Give each group a turn at using the workstation to view all five QuickTime videos. This will take about 20-30 minutes per group and it may be spread over several days, depending on how many groups you have and how much time you can devote to this each day. Assign each student in the group a role. For example, one student might write a paragraph to summarize the key concepts covered by each of the videos. Another student could complete the Concept/Vocabulary Worksheet for each video (see the Teaching Resources section of this Guide). The others should record the main idea, sub-topics and key facts for each video using the Note-Taking Guidelines given previously. After a group has finished viewing all five videos, it should meet to evaluate each members work. Do they feel they have enough information from the videos to use in the activities that follow? Have each group review the QuickTime movies as they prepare to create a multimedia presentation (see the Studio below). It would be helpful to give the group the Multimedia Storyboard Worksheet to use as they review the videos (see the Teaching Resources section of this Teachers Guide).

Several Computers Used as Student Workstations. Here, we assume that you have two or more computers in the classroom set up as student workstations. Use the group strategies given under Single Computer Used as a Workstation. Having the entire class work in groups this way should take less time.

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Computer Lab. Here, we assume that you are using the CD-ROMs in a computer lab. In this case, it is likely that individual students are assigned to individual computers. The strategies listed here will enable you to take full advantage of this hardware configuration. Because students will be using the CD-ROMs fairly independently, you should encourage them to explore the videos in any order they choose. Make sure that each student has a headset. Have the students go through all five video segments one at a time and do the following for each: Write a brief paragraph describing the main idea in this video, or answer several of the Pre- and Post-Viewing Questions. After leaving the lab, students should exchange papers with their neighbor. Have them evaluate each others writing. Have them write on the other students paper either Yes, I agree that the main idea is or I disagree. I think the main idea is. Discourage students from being overly critical of another students work. The point is to encourage discussion and debate, not argument. Alternatively, you could have several students read their papers to the class. In this way, all five video segments can be discussed. Have students review the QuickTime movies in preparing to create their multimedia presentations. It would be helpful to give them the Multimedia Storyboard Worksheet to use as they review the videos (see the Teaching Resources section of this Teachers Guide).

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The Laboratory
The Laboratory consists of seven self-contained activities that can be done individually by students or worked on as a class. For the writing activities students can save their work to a floppy disk or print it. These exercises are intended to help students further develop their understanding of the concepts presented by the videos found in the Discovery Theater. It will be necessary for students to consult the Library articles, the Internet, and/or other references in order to complete most of the Laboratory activities. Some of the laboratory activities can serve more than one instructional purpose depending on where you, the teacher, use the activity in the context of your plants unit or lesson. The activities on the Plants CD-ROM and their potential uses are summarized in the chart below. Answers can be found in the Answer Key section of this Teachers Guide. Activity Brain Teasers A quiz game based on the information presented in the Library articles and the five videos in the Discovery Theater. EyeWitness Students observe and describe insects collecting pollen from flowers. Circle Logic Students compare & contrast the characteristics of a cactus and a conifer. Investigations Students sort and analyze information on flower size, flower color and type of pollination for each of several plants, in order to draw conclusions about the relationship among these characteristics. Categories Students classify up to 12 trees into categories based on some common characteristic. Can You Relate? Students are asked to describe the relationship between plant photosynthesis and human respiration. What If? Students are asked to formulate a plant list and management plan for a greenhouse on the moon. Management Strategies Single Computer Used as a Presentation Station We assume you have a computer connected to a presentation device. Make sure that the computer has external speakers and that the sound level is loud enough to be heard by the entire class. Brain Teasers. Before starting the Brain Teasers activity, remind students that the score depends on how quickly (and correctly) they answer the question. Divide the class in half and have each team select a captain to make the keyboard responses. Team 1 plays first. Then, restart the game for Team 2. (Each game includes 15 questions chosen randomly from a larger pool of questions.) Who comes up with a better score? Have the opposing team attempt to explain each of the other teams incorrect answers. EyeWitness. This is an observation activity in which students view a segment of one of the videos from the Discovery Theater, but with an eye toward describing what is seen. Have the class review the complete QuickTime movie. Working as a group, use the word processing window to answer the questions. Ask a student who is particularly good at keyboarding to do the data entry. One or more students should also volunteer to serve as grammarians, looking out for errors in spelling, punctuation, and grammar. The other students should Instructional Use(s) reinforcement/review, learning/practice

learning/practice learning/practice learning/practice

learning/practice learning/practice

assessment

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have the notes they took on the Discovery Theater videos handy so they can contribute information. Once this is done, print out and distribute the responses to the class for their notebooks. Circle Logic. Before starting this activity, review the related video and library articles. To make this a whole-class activity, assign one student who is proficient in the use of the Venn Diagram tool to construct it for the class at the keyboard. You may want to distribute the Venn Diagram Worksheet (see Teaching Resources) as a scratch sheet. Build the Venn Diagram together. Remind students that they can ask the keyboardist to take them into the Library or to search the Internet if they feel they need to find more information. When the diagram is complete, print it and post it in the room. To make this an individual assignment, distribute the Venn Diagram Worksheet (see Teaching Resources), provide students with adequate traditional reference materials, and have them complete the diagram off line.

Investigations. This activity, which requires reasoning and collaboration, lends itself well to a whole-class activity. Ask students to look at the data pertaining to the topic and make judgments based on their analysis of the data. The data items are arranged in a spreadsheet-like format. Some things to note: Assign a student to be the keyboardist. To sort the data, simply click on the column headings for each data type. Have the students suggest patterns they see in the data. They may ask the keyboardist to sort the data in a particular way. Explain that much of a research scientists work is analyzing data and looking for patterns. As students identify a pattern in the data, ask them to explain their rationale. In this way, the student can begin to think scientifically. The other students should indicate whether they accept that pattern. A second student should be assigned to take notes on the patterns that are found. Then, have the class decide which pattern it feels is the strongest and use the pattern to complete the activity. Have the class discuss their conclusions.

Categories. Use the same strategies listed above for Circle Logic. Can You Relate? Show the class the video clip for this activity. Have students write down the assignment in their notebooks. Tell students to look at the data items to make sure they understand what is being analyzed. Coach the class on the following process for completing the activity. Have them look for patterns in the data. Simple patterns to look for include: As X increases, Y decreases; as X increases, Y increases. If a pattern is identified, have students explain the significance of the pattern. For example, if X increases as Y increases, then its possible Y causes X. Explain that much can be learned even when there isnt a pattern in the data. For example, if X is believed to cause Y, but an analysis of data shows no relationship between the two, then its possible that Y is caused by some other factor. Have students return to their desks and work individually or in the same groups they were assigned to for the Discovery Theater to complete the activity. They may use reference materials to look up additional information. Have selected students share their work with the rest of the class. What If? Show the class the video clip for this activity. Have students write down the assignment in their notebooks, then return to their desks to complete it individually.

Single Computer Used as a Student Workstation Brain Teasers. Divide the class into the same groups of 4-5 that they were in for the Discovery Theater. Have each group play the game; one student should be assigned to record the score as well as the questions the group

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missed. After all groups have had a turn, have the whole class compare scores and explain the correct answers to the questions that each group missed. EyeWitness. Divide the class into the same groups of 4-5 that they were in for the Discovery Theater. Give each group a turn at using the workstation to view the applicable video. Encourage the students to look for additional information in the Library and give them time to do so. Then have students do their writing individually, off line. Circle Logic. Have the students break into the same groups they were in for the Discovery Theater. Each group will need a turn at using the computer. Or, distribute the Venn Diagram Worksheet (see Teaching Resources) and have the groups work together to build their diagram on paper. Investigations. Use the same strategies listed above for Single Computer Used as a Presentation Station, but have the student groups take turns using the computer. Have each group print its results and write a brief report explaining its data analysis. The groups can use the Journal, which is found by clicking on the Tools tab. This activity includes a series of questions. Each group should answer these questions in the Journal. After all groups have completed the activity, you may either display the groups results in the room or have a spokesperson present each groups findings to the class. Categories. Use the same strategies listed above for Circle Logic. Can You Relate? Use the same strategies listed above for Single Computer Used as a Presentation Station, but have the students working in their groups. What If? Use the same strategies listed above for Single Computer Used as a Presentation Station, but have the students working in their groups.

Several Computers Used as Student Workstations Here, we assume that you have two or more computers in the classroom set up as student workstations. Use the same strategies given above for Single Computer Used as a Workstation, namely, having students work in groups of 4-5. Since with several computers less turn-taking is necessary, your student groups should complete their work in less time. Computer Lab Here, we assume that you are using the CD-ROM in a computer lab and that each student is assigned to his/her own workstation. The ideal strategy in this case is to let students explore the CD based solely on their own interest and at their own pace. To encourage your students sense of wonder and curiosity, discuss these ground rules before they begin using the CD. Explore your worldThe real world is endlessly fascinating and complex. The Science Collections CD-ROMs uncover information about the world of science that isnt readily found in textbooks. Encourage your students to think outside the box. Make conjecturesThe history of science is in many ways a history of intelligent guesses. Theres risk involved, but also the thrill that comes from discovery. Scientific inquiry is an important part of the scientific process. From the exploration activities to interviews with scientists in the field, your students will be exposed to science as an active process. Test your assumptionsScientists make conjectures and develop theories. Yet, the essence of the scientific process is to test theories, not assume anything is obviously true. When a theory is shown to be incorrect (in whole or part), the theory is revised or abandoned in favor of a more accurate explanation. In this way, scientists seek out the truth. Verify your resultsScientists not only develop theories to explain natural phenomena, but also ways to verify these theories. Its important for your students to appreciate that scientists dont accept theories on faith. There

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must be a means for verifying the results of experiments. Thus, a scientist learns to develop a healthy skepticism. Share your discoveriesScience is not a solitary endeavor. Scientists work in collaboration with other scientists. They also share the results of their discoveries with others in their fields. In this way communication is emphasized and knowledge is advanced.

There are three strategies we would suggest for evaluating student work if you take this exploratory approach. One is to have students write notes on each video (see the Note-Taking Guidelines for the Discovery Theater), answer the Pre- and Post-Viewing Questions, and record their answers to each of the Laboratory activities. Students can do this easily while working on the CD by using the Journal feature. Use the Studio (see below) as a mechanism for having students prepare a final project that illustrates a major theme they have learned by using the CD. A more open-ended approach would be to let students select one of the following assignments after they have viewed the videos in the Discovery Theater. Students should use the rest of the CD to whatever extent they deem necessary in order to complete the project they have selected. They can report on their project in writing, in a slide show created with the Studio, or in an oral presentation. Slide shows and oral reports should be presented to the whole class. Here are some suggested assignments: Select one topic or issue related to the theme of this CD that you would like to learn more about. List reasons why this is important to you. Where and how would you go about getting more information? Write several questions that express what you hope to find out. Finally, research the answers to your own questions. Pretend you are a reporter for a magazine called Discovery Science. What questions would you ask a scientist who is studying an issue or problem related to the theme of this CD? Select a scientist mentioned in the Discovery Theater or find one on your own. Write an article that answers the questions. Find several scientific assumptions about the topic of this CD that were once believed to be true, but have since been corrected. Write a report that describes these assumptions, why they were held as true, how they were tested or questioned by other scientists, and how they came to be corrected or revised. Select a topic or issue related to the theme of this CD that has developed over time due to the work of several scientists. Report on how ideas were shared among the scientists, how one built on or borrowed from the work of the others, and what was the final outcome.

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The Library
The Library consists of World Book Encyclopedia articles to help students in their personal research as well as in their work on the activities included in the Laboratory. In addition there are graphics and other visual aids. The following articles are included in the Plants CD-ROM:

Introduction Kinds of Plants Parts of Plants Plant Change Plant Classification Plant Defense Plant Enemies Plant Growth Plant Importance Plant Reproduction Plants Rain Forest Sexual Reproduction Soil Characteristics Soil Classification Soil Composition Soil Conservation Soil Formation Soil Vegetative Propagation Where Plants Live

Simulations
These hands-on, interactive modules allow students to learn through guided exploration. A separate Simulations guide is available on the Science Collections CD-ROM in both Microsoft Word and PDF format. Along with a general explanation of how the simulations work, the guide also includes several student activities complete with step-by-step directions and worksheets that can be assigned to students working independently or in small groups.

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The Studio
This easy-to-use utility enables students to create a slide show using images from the CD-ROM videos, as well as information gathered during their work in the lab, from the articles in the Library, and from the CDs link to the Internet. Of course, students should also be encouraged to search for additional information in other sources. The creation of a slide show can serve several instructional purposes: A learning/practice activity that takes students deeper into one of the concepts already presented An assessment device to help you, the teacher, measure what has been learned An extension opportunity for students who are intensely interested in learning even more about a topic presented or in learning about a topic closely related to, but not directly addressed, by the CD

Regardless of how you choose to use this feature, it is advisable to create a grading rubric for the activity and distribute this to students in advance so that they are clear about your expectations for their slide shows. Lesson Launchers The program comes with three pre-created slide shows to help you get started. Topics include: 1. 2. 3. Rain Forest: Discuss the importance of the rain forest ecosystem. Plants & Animals: Compare and contrast plant photosynthesis and animal respiration. Pollination: Describe various types of pollination and give examples of each.

Story Starters for the Studio Here are a few suggested topics students may use to create a slide show on plants How Plants Reproduce Diversity of Plants Cosmic Conservatory (students create a slide show to illustrate their answer to the What If Investigation from the Laboratory)

Developing the Slide Show Before having your students build their multimedia presentations, encourage them to use the Library for additional research, or the Laboratory for additional activities. The key to a successful multimedia presentation is planning. Encourage your students to be systematic in creating their presentations and not just start assembling slides at random. While its possible to create a multimedia presentation that looks good, there must an underlying idea or theme that the presentation makes. The best way to ensure this is to create a scoring rubric that clearly states for students the criteria on which you will judge their work (see the Developing a Scoring Rubric section).

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Here is a simple nine-step process students can use for creating a multimedia presentation: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Select a topic or story starter. Write an outline of the story. For each entry in the outline, select a supporting graphic. Use the Multimedia Storyboard Worksheet (see the Teaching Resources section of this Guide). Write a caption (if needed) for each graphic. Use the Storyboard Worksheet for writing the captions. Go to the Studio and select the slides. Remind students that Title cards are also included in the Studio; these cards can be used as topic organizers. Add captions to the slides (make sure they are readable). Add sound effects or music (optional). Include any slide transitions. Preview the presentation using the scoring rubric, and make needed corrections. Save or export the presentation.

Developing a Scoring Rubric Because student output, such as a multimedia slide show, is more complex than a written assignment, assessing the students work may seem more difficult. In a project such as this students must be able to express their learning clearly, demonstrating not just what they know but also their ability to communicate it to others. An important part of assessing the work then, consists of students evaluating themselves and each other, in addition to evaluation by the instructor. The tool that makes it possible to evaluate work in this student-centered context is a rubric. A rubric is simply a list of criteria by which student output will be judged. It defines the attributes of a quality project, provides the criteria by which a project will be assessed and gives specific indicators that describe various levels of achievement for each of those criteria. In this respect a rubric is a concrete guide or checklist that students can refer to as they work, besides being a measuring device for the teacher. For example, a generic rubric for a Studio project might look something like this: Needs Work (1 pt.) Content data is inaccurate in places or key pieces of information are missing presentation is drab and ordinary Average (2 pts.) data is complete but inaccurate in places is entertaining and interesting Best (3 pts.) data is both accurate and comprehensive shows creativity and is entertaining; shows that the student had fun putting it together shows evidence of personal interest, thoughtful analysis, and creative thought behind the way the information is presented text has no errors in grammar, usage, spelling, or punctuation and utilizes higher level vocabulary and complex sentence structure

Presentation

Effort

exhibits minimal effort to fulfill the assignment

shows evidence of personal interest in the topic and thoughtful analysis

Publishing

text has numerous errors in grammar, usage, spelling, or punctuation

text has few errors in grammar, usage, spelling, or punctuation

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This example is just a suggestion. Keep in mind that you know your students best and you know their academic needs. As the teacher, you will need to develop your own rubric for your class so that it reflects the age and prerequisite skills of your students, the specific goals you have for your class, the complexity of the content topic selected, and the level of achievement you expect.

In the above example, three levels of achievement are defined, but you could certainly have four or more, depending on the complexity of the project and how much time you expect students to spend developing their slide shows. For example, you might want to add an expectation that reflects a standard mandated by your own district or state. Also, depending on the management strategy you select you might want to add criteria for group behavior and collaboration. The detail of the rubric will also be affected by whether you assign the Studio project as a learning activity, a final assessment, or an extension activity. If you choose to use a rubric, it should be given to students when they begin work on their projects. This helps students focus and also provides for on-going self-assessment. Management Strategies As an alternative to a structured activity, work with the class to create a multimedia presentation. Tell them that they have been asked to create a presentation to the school about some of the key concepts covered in the curriculum. Single Computer Used as a Presentation Station As a whole class: Review your scoring rubric. Select a story starter or have students suggest their own and vote to select one. Select several slides. Assign several special roles. For example, you will need a data entry person, one or more grammarians, one or more recorders who will record questions that require further research, and volunteers to do the research. For each image, write a brief description that explains the image. Encourage all students to contribute. If necessary, send the students back to their desks to do any needed research. Then gather as a class for a second sitting to work on the slide show. View the multimedia presentation. Have students make suggestions for changes to the narration or the sequence of images. Have students use your rubric to evaluate their own work.

When done as a group, the presentation can be used as a way of demonstrating to students the key components of the presentation: 1) the focus on a key idea, 2) supporting text and graphics, and 3) a narrative flow or story. Show students how your scoring rubric is used to evaluate the presentation.

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Single Computer Used as a Student Workstation Divide the class into groups of 4-5, no larger. Give each group a turn at using the workstation to use the Studio. This may take several days, depending on how many groups you have and how much time you can devote to this each day. Assign each student in the group a role. For example, each group will need a data entry person, one or more grammarians, one or more recorders who will record questions that require further research, and one or more researchers. Each group should choose one of the story starters and then look through the Studio and select several slides that best exemplify the concepts or terms. Groups should then leave the computer and use the Multimedia Storyboard Worksheet for sketching out their presentations. For each image, they should write a brief descriptive statement. When the group gets its next turn on the computer, have them follow the rest of the nine-step process described at the beginning of this section of the Teachers Guide. Have the group present the slide show to the class and have the class evaluate it using your rubric.

Several Computers Used as Student Workstations Here, we assume that you have two or more computers in the classroom set up as student workstations. Use the group strategies given above for Single Computer Used as a Workstation. Having the entire class work in groups this way should take less time. Computer Lab Here we assume that you are using the CD-ROMs in a computer lab. In this case it is likely that individual students are assigned to individual computers. Each student should create his or her own presentation. Alternatively, you may find it saves time in the lab to have students work in pairs. In any case, review your scoring rubric with students before they begin. Have students use the nine-step process described at the beginning of this section of the Teachers Guide. Have each student or pair present the slide show to the class and have the class evaluate it using your rubric.

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Answer Key
Discovery Theater Questions Answers to all Pre-Viewing questions will vary depending on what students already know. Reproduction Post-Viewing 1. Students opinions will vary, but those who agree with the statement should support their answer with the following key concepts: 1) plants (also referred to as autotrophs) are essential for animal life because they are able to use the Suns energy to make their own food, which animals cannot do; 2) many organisms eat plants (herbivores and omnivores), and themselves become food for other animals (carnivores); 3) plants are abundant; 4) plants are easier for scientists to genetically manipulate, increasing food production; 5) plants decompose when dead, releasing nutrients back into the soil or water from which other organisms grow. 2. Students should focus on these key concepts: 1) plants that use wind as their primary source of seed dispersal will have shapes that will allow them to travel far distances, such as the maple seed with its winged shape; 2) plants that depend on animals will either use fruit to attract the animals or have burrs or sticky seeds that will attach to the outside of the animal when it passes by; 3) plants that rely on water to carry their seeds away have seeds that will be float until them come into contact with a suitable growth material. Plants in Space Post-Viewing 1. The more carbon dioxide an astronaut produces, i.e. from exercising, the more oxygen the plants produce in response. 2. Students opinions will vary. Those who advocate this research may support their opinion with the following points: 1) newly developed plants may provide better food here on earth as well; 2) newly developed plants may produce more oxygen and food for the astronauts. Those who do not support this research may feel that money should be spent on other types of research, that space travel may not be as important as other objectives, such as medical cures. Rain Forest Post-Viewing 1. Students opinions will vary, but most will recognize that since a high percentage of existing pharmaceuticals have been developed from rain forest plants, the tremendous diversity of plant life in that ecosystem makes it statistically probable that more medicinal values have yet to be found. 2. The soil in the rain forest is surprisingly depleted of nutrients because the heavy rainfall dissolves many of the nutrients. Most of the nutrients are located in the living plants themselves. The soil is able to maintain the lush plant life because decaying plants and leaves are constantly replenishing the soil. The soil has a high percentage of humus or decomposing materials. Trees Post-Viewing 1. Trees have many different functions. Students should cite one or more of the following: 1) While the tree is alive it provides food & oxygen, cleans up some of the C02 and provides shelter for animals and plants; 2) When the tree dies it will provide food for bacteria and other decomposers, energy (if it is used as fuel), and recycle its own nutrients back into the soil. 2. Answers will vary. One hypothesis is that trees may have evolved because they needed to grow taller to reach towards the sun and that a trunk developed because one was needed to provide support for a tall organism.

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Survival Strategies Post-Viewing 1. Sample answers: 1) tropical plants have big and broad leaves; 2) desert plants have leaves that store water so they are tough and plump; 3) plants that live in the tundra have leaves that are resistant to water loss. The Antarctic and Arctic ecosystems have very few land plants. Animals depend on a food web that has only aquatic plants. 2. All plants need carbon dioxide and animals give off carbon dioxide during respiration. Some plants rely on animals to disperse their seeds. Plants also rely on microbes to recycle nutrients into the soil and on insects and worms to aerate the soil. 3. Students answers will vary. Plants live in many different environments. Students may refer to any environment cited in the Library article entitled, Where Plants Live.

Laboratory Activities Brain Teasers Plants and animals interact in many ways. Plants are important to animal life because 1. They produce oxygen. 2. They are a large source of food. 3. They are a major source of building materials. 4. Plants are important for all of these reasons. Plants produce their own food through the process of photosynthesis. Where do they get the energy to carry out this process? 1. From soil. 2. From water. 3. From the sun. 4. From other plants. Unlike animal cells, plant cells have walls. An advantage of a plant's rigid cell walls is that they 1. Provide support. 2. Protect plants from predators' teeth. 3. Keep all substances from entering or leaving the cell. 4. All of the above are true. Plants absorb water and nutrients from the soil. Which part of a plant carries out this function? 1. The stem. 2. The flowers. 3. The leaves. 4. The roots. Many animals help plants reproduce. Which of the following is not a way in which animals assist with plant reproduction? 1. Bees pollinate flowers. 2. Humans make seeds into food for pet birds. 3. Squirrels spread and often bury seeds. 4. Hummingbirds pollinate flowers. Plants will likely be useful to human space travel in the future because 1. They provide oxygen to breathe and serve as a source of food. 2. Rockets are all powered by wood-burning engines. 3. Space suits are made completely out of fabrics made from plants. 4. Plants can grow in the vacuum of space.

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Many plants are sources of food for humans. Which of the following plants does not provide food for humans? 1. Pine tree. 2. Cacao tree. 3. Iris. 4. Sugar cane. Plants that live in hot, dry climates have many functional adaptations to preserve moisture. An example of such an adaptation is 1. A fern's slender leaves. 2. A barrel cactus's thick, rubbery skin. 3. A water lily's shape. 4. A pine tree's needles. Some plants bear their seeds in a fruit. Which of the following is the fruit of its plant? 1. A pea. 2. An apple. 3. A pecan. 4. All of these are fruits of their plants. Some plants are carnivorous: they feed on insects. In rare cases, some even eat small birds, rodents, or frogs. An example of a carnivorous plant is 1. A Venus's fly-trap. 2. A dandelion. 3. A maple tree. 4. Poison ivy. Many plants rely on insects for their reproduction. Which of the following characteristics encourages insects to help pollinate plants? 1. The length of a plant's roots. 2. The size of a plant's leaves. 3. The color, fragrance, and shape of a plant's flowers. 4. The thickness of a plant's stem. Plants must absorb energy from the sun to produce food. Which part of a plant is responsible for this process? 1. The roots. 2. The leaves. 3. The fruit. 4. The flowers. A plant's heredity and environment affect its growth. Which of the following does heredity determine? 1. Whether a plant bears its seeds in cones or fruit. 2. The amount of sun available to a plant. 3. The amount of water available to a plant. 4. The amount of nutrients in the soil. Conifers are plants that bear their seeds in cones. Which of the following is a conifer? 1. An apple tree. 2. A eucalyptus tree. 3. A fern. 4. A pine tree.

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When we eat fruits, we usually eat the fleshy part around the seeds. When we eat vegetables, we eat the stems, leaves, or roots of the plant. Which plant below is not a fruit? 1. Tomato. 2. Avocado. 3. Cabbage. 4. Green pepper. When people burn down rain forest vegetation and plant crops among the ashes, this is called slash-and-burn cultivation. What is the problem with this process? 1. The soil in rain forests contains only small amounts of nutrients. 2. The plants do not receive enough water to grow quickly. 3. There are too many nutrients in the soil for plants to grow well. 4. The climate is too cold for young plants, and many die. Plants must protect themselves from potential predators in order to survive. Which of the following is not a plant defense tactic? 1. Growing spines or thorns. 2. Developing mutual relationships with organisms that protect them. 3. Containing chemicals that have a bad taste or are poisonous. 4. Growing fruit. Carnivorous plants, most of which feed on insects, have evolved to be able to trap their prey. Which is a structural adaptation of a carnivorous plant? 1. Sharp teeth that allow it to chew prey. 2. Sensitive hairs that allow it to sense insects landing on it. 3. Living in climates with high insect populations. 4. Flexible stems that can move around to catch prey. Plant breeders encourage traits in plants, such as resistance to disease or increased food production. Which of the following might a breeder try to do? 1. Breed a kind of wheat that produces fewer seeds. 2. Breed a tree that will bear larger fruit. 3. Breed a type of corn that will be more attractive to insects. 4. Breed a bush that is toxic to humans. Plants produce their own food by using the sun's energy to form sugars from carbon dioxide and water. This distinguishes them from animals, who 1. Consume other organisms instead of producing their own food. 2. Produce their own food without energy from the sun. 3. Produce food from carbon dioxide alone. 4. Produce food from water alone. Tropical rain forests are remarkable for their diversity of plant species. Which of the following is true about rain forest trees? 1. They receive very little rain. 2. There are two dominant tree species in each rain forest. 3. There's a variety of tree species rather than one dominant species. 4. Rain forests are dominated by bushes and shrubs. Plants usually share underground space with earthworms and other organisms. How can earthworms be helpful to plants? 1. They can eat the roots of plants. 2. They can help pollinate plants' flowers. 3. They can eat through plants' stems. 4. They can distribute nutrients and moisture throughout the soil.

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The characteristics of soil determine what kinds of plants can grow in it. What would be a helpful adaptation for plants living in dry, sandy soil? 1. Wide-spread roots just below the ground's surface. 2. Thin leaves that lose water quickly. 3. Very tall stems. 4. Lots of leaves. Although plants can produce their own food, animals depend on plants for food - whether the animal eats plants directly or other animals that eat plants. A food that humans eat that cannot be traced back to plants is 1. Beef. 2. Milk. 3. Eggs. 4. All food can be traced back to plants. In coniferous forests, trees of the same species grow close together and rely mainly on wind for pollination. In tropical rain forests, trees don't need to live close together because 1. Trees in rain forests do not need to be pollinated. 2. There is no wind in rain forests. 3. There are no trees in rain forests. 4. Many species of animals in the rain forest help pollinate plants. Environmental factors can greatly affect the appearance of a plant. Which of the following is an example of this? 1. Two trees of different species may differ greatly in size. 2. Two trees from different parent plants may be different heights. 3. Two trees of the same species in different levels of sunlight may differ in size. 4. Two trees of different species have different genes. Tropical rain forests provide many resources for humans, such as medicines to help fight illness and disease. However, rain forests are being threatened. How? 1. Too many species are living in them, so they are not very adaptable. 2. Humans clear sections of rain forest to plant crops or graze cattle. 3. Natural forest fires are destroying all the world's rain forests. 4. All of the plants in rain forests are being eaten by natural predators. The sprouting of a seed is called germination. What happens to the plant right after germination? 1. The tiny plant grows into a bigger plant. 2. The plant is pollinated. 3. The plant dies. 4. The plant grows fruit. Transpiration is the process through which plants give off water into the air. Most of the water escapes through pores of their leaves. Which of the following plants do you think gives off the most water? 1. A barrel cactus. 2. A pine tree. 3. A saguaro cactus. 4. A deep-woods fern. Humans and animals use many plants for food, although we eat different parts of different plants. Which of the following is not eaten by humans, but is eaten by cows? 1. The roots of carrot plants. 2. The leaves of lettuce plants. 3. The stems of oat plants. 4. The seeds of corn plants.

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Eyewitness Sample Answer: The insects are crawling on and in the flowers. They seem to be eating something off the flowers, and some of them are being covered with a dusty substance (pollen) as they move around on the flowers. Circle Logic Sample Answer: Similarities: Both are plants, both do not have broad leaves, both reproduce using seeds, and both can be small shrubs or bushes or very tall. Differences: Cacti live in dry regions, while conifers grow in temperate or subtropical regions; cacti have spines or bristles and conifers do not; cacti have few or no leaves while conifers have small needle-shaped leaves; and cacti bear their seeds in pods or fruit, while conifers bear their seeds in cones. Investigations Sample Answer: The larger flowers are pollinated by animals and insects, while the smaller flowers rely on inanimate agents (wind and water) for pollination. The colorful flowers attract animals and insects, while flowers with little color (brown or green) do not attract animals or insects. Plants that rely on wind and water pollination seem to have no need of color. Size and color also correspond: the larger flowers are colorful, while the smaller flowers are green or brown. The grasses (corn, wheat, etc.) rely on wind and water for pollination, while the other types of plants, which have larger and more colorful flowers, attract pollinating animals or insects. Plant corn wheat duckweed eel grass alfalfa hedgehog cactus fuchsia squash saguaro cactus aster Flower Size (cm) 0.05 0.50 0.10 2.00 5.00 5.00 6.00 7.00 8.00 10.00 Pollinator wind wind water water bees hummingbird hummingbird bees bat butterfly Flower Color brown brown green green purple red pink orange white and yellow yellow

Categories Answers will vary since students will select their own criteria for sorting the objects. Students may consider whether the tree is deciduous or coniferous, in which case a sample answer would be as follows: Deciduous: Maple, Birch, Elm, Apple, Walnut, Cherry Coniferous: Blue Spruce, Douglas Fir, Sequoia, Pine, Cedar, Yew Other Sample Categories: Flower and dont flower, warm climate and cool climate, produce food and dont produce food, common to students location or uncommon, hardwood or softwood, etc. Can You Relate? Sample Answer: Human respiration shares an important relationship with the functioning of plants. Plants release oxygen, which humans need to burn sugars and produce energy. Plants therefore allow all human activity to occur. Human activity also allows plants to conduct photosynthesis because humans release carbon dioxide when they

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breathe, which plants need to produce sugars and oxygen. Plants and animals, including humans, are dependent on each other. What If? Sample Answer: If I were put in charge of establishing a greenhouse on the moon to supply food and oxygen for the people in the colony, I would take as many plants as possible to ensure variety. I would bring only plants that would supply food, omitting any poisonous plants. I would bring as many different kinds of food plants as possible, but especially plants that could be used to make a variety of foods (such as wheat and corn), and plants that supply important vitamins and nutrients (such as fruits and vegetables). To make sure the plants stayed healthy, I would have to make sure they were getting enough sunlight. I could take artificial full spectrum lights in case the moon did not receive the quality of light that the plants required. I would need to bring water, soil, and fertilizers from Earth to help ensure the plants survival. Unused and dead plant parts would be composted as fertilizer. If the plants and colonists were contained in the same space, the plants would get enough carbon dioxide and could produce all the oxygen for the colonists to breathe. I would also bring bees & butterflies to the greenhouse to pollinate the flowers and help the plants reproduce. The bees would also produce honey for the colony.

Teaching Resources
The following pages include some worksheets and other resources that may be helpful to you or your students in using the Science Collections CD-ROMs. Included are the following: Concept/Vocabulary Checklist. This is useful when students are viewing the QuickTime videos (either as introductory videos or for review). They can use the worksheet to note terms and concepts used in the video. Multimedia Storyboard Worksheet. When students are creating a multimedia presentation, they can use the Storyboard worksheet to sketch out their presentation and jot down notes for use in their narration. Venn Diagram Worksheet. For use in the Circle Logic activity.

The following Internet sites may also prove helpful for students, especially as they work on the Laboratory activities and on their Studio projects: http://www.nasa.gov/ (NASA) http://www.noaa.gov/ (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) http://www.nih.gov/ (National Institutes of Health) http://www.nas.edu/ (The National Academies of Science) http://www.llnl.gov/llnl/03education/science-list.html (Lawrence Livermore National Lab) http://www.usgs.gov/ (U.S. Geological Survey) http://whyfiles.news.wisc.edu/ (Univ. of WisconsinMadison; The Why Files) http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/ (subscription required; American Association for the Advancement of Science) http://www.nasm.si.edu/ (National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution) http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook (The World Factbook)

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Science Collections CD-ROMs Teachers Guide: PLANTS CONCEPT/VOCABULARY WORKSHEET

Use this worksheet to list concepts and vocabulary from the videos. Concept Vocabulary

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MULTIMEDIA STORYBOARD WORKSHEET Use this worksheet to create a storyboard for your multimedia presentation. 1 2 3

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Science Collections CD-ROMs Teachers Guide: PLANTS VENN DIAGRAM WORKSHEET

The cactus family is a family of plants characterized by traits such as spines and stems that store water. Conifers are plants that bear their seeds in cones. Use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast cacti and conifers.

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