Activity 3: Plants and their offspring
Looking carefully at plants
Are all plants of the same type exactly the same? Are they exactly
the same as the parent plant?
To answer these questions you will need to take a closer look at the plants. In these experiments, you will be able to zoom into the plants you are growing to get a closer look.
You need to know: The plants in this activity have some new characteristics that represent the real world a little better.
What is going on here?
Your challenge:
To determine how the growing pattern has
changed with these plants. What is different about these plants
compared to the ones you worked with earlier?
Instructions: Plant seeds and click the Play button,
.
Watch them carefully!
Watch your plants grow for at least 5
years. Then pause the model using the Pause button,
.
Magnify the plants: Click the
button, then click on a plant in the field. Look carefully at the close up picture of plants all around the field.
Do
you see something interesting? Stop and think! You can click the Reset
button,
, to try something else.
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Grow plants everywhere!
Your new challenge is to plant seeds from the seed packets and let
the model run long enough so that you
can get plants to grow in
every region of the field.
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You started with three types of plants that each grow best in specific regions of the field. Now you have plants all over the field!
Drawing conclusions
You started with three types of plants
that each grow best in specific regions of the field. Now you have
plants all over the field!
Final challenge
Your final challenge:
Fill the field with plants starting
with only one type of plant.
Field notes
It's time to share your field notes so we can all learn from one
another. It's like sharing pieces of the puzzle since the world is
a VERY BIG place and there's lots to learn!
The challenges in this activity were not easy, but you did it! Congratulations!