FlowerPower

Activity Guide

Introduction to plant anatomy

1st Activity

The Flower Power Presentation introduces participants to plant reproduction. Using the images in the presentation, identify the names and roles of the reproductive anatomy of plants.

Male anatomy:

• Stamen: Role: Produces and holds the flower’s pollen.

Female anatomy:

• Pistil: Role: Produces and stores nectar. Sticky surface absorbs pollen.

• Ovary: Role: Stores the flower’s eggs.

• Ovule: The egg inside the ovary. It is the egg that will grow into the seed.

Pistil

OvuleOvary

Stamen

A little deeper

Male anatomy, called the Stamen:

• Stamen: Role: Produces and holds the flower’s pollen.

• Filament: Role: Supports the anther above the female reproductive organs.

Female anatomy, called the Pistil:

• Stigma: Role: Sticky landing site for pollen grains. While visiting a flower, pollinators will move pollen from the anthers onto the sticky surface of the stigma.

• Style: Role: Tube that leads down to the ovary. The pollen caught by the sticky surface of the stigma will travel down the style until it reaches the ovary. • Ovary: Role: Contains ovules (or eggs) that develop into seeds or fruit. Once the ovule is fertilized by the pollen, it will begin to grow into a seed. Once that seed falls to the ground, it will grow into another plant. That’s why these are called the reproductive parts of the plant, they allow the plant to grow seeds and reproduce to keep the species alive.

AntherFilament

Stigma

Picking Apart A Flower (Flower Dissection)

2nd Activity

Description of activity:

Participants dissect a flower and identify its reproductive parts (the pistil, stamen and ovary). Using scientific language, participants record their observations on the “Flower Dissection” page of the Activity Booklet.

If the activity is for a classroom, and if working in pairs is possible, do perform the flower dissection in pairs, with each student getting a chance to take apart a flower. Performing the activity in pairs will encourage conversation about their observations. *If you have purchased a mixed bouquet, distribute two different flower types to students. Students can take note of the differences in their observations.

Materials:

• Slideshow (separate document provided) • Activity Booklet (separate document provided)• Flowers (one flower for each participant + extra for demos) • Basic dissection and observation tools (tweezers, scalpels, magnifying glasses, but just your hands is perfect too!) • Scotch tape • Pencil crayons

Preparation:

Purchase bouquet of flowers or pick (with permission, some flowers from outdoors). Tulips, crocus, scillas and tiger lilies are great common garden flowers for this activity! This activity requires a minimum of one flower for each participant, but extras may be needed for demonstration.

• Recommended flower types: Tulips, lilies, crocus, scillas, alstroemeria – most of which are commonly found in bouquets!

Demonstration:

• Step 1: Take off all the flower petals. Once the petals are gone, you are left with the reproductive system of the plant.

• Step 2: Remove all the male parts of the flower. (All the stamen a.k.a. stems with pollen) Now, all you are left with is the female part of the plant: the pistil and ovary.

• Step 3: Open the ovary to reveal the eggs. (Students can use their nails or small scalpels) Remember: the eggs are sometimes tiny, so may not be easy to see – but they’re in there!

Participants getting into the action:

1. Each participant receives one flower head.

2. The participant dissects its flower, following the demonstration.

3. On the table, participants lay out the different parts of the flower. In their Activity Booklet, they draw the results of their dissection and/or affix the different parts of the flower’s anatomy to their booklet and label each part. The booklet contains an area to record any other observations. Exemple: The pollen stuck on our fingers.

Evaluation:If this activity is conducted in a classroom, the Activity Booklet can be collected at the end for evaluation.

DISSECTED LILY

Reproductive System

Stamen(Male anatomy)

Pistil and ovary(Female anatomy)

TULIP PERUVIAN LILY

Vocabulary

These words are found throughout the activities and in the Presentation Slides. For teachers, they are provided for evaluation or vocabulary exercises, if applicable.

Reproduction: The process of making a copy of something.

Pistil: Where the flower stores its nectar.

Ovary: Where the flower keeps its eggs.

Stamen: Holds the flower’s pollen.

Ovule: The egg inside the ovary. The ovule will grow into the seed.

Pollination: The ovule (or egg) inside a flower being fertilized by pollen.

Cross-pollination: The act of transporting pollen from one flower to another.

Fertilized/Fertilization: The contact between female and male anatomy.

Direct pollination: Product created by pollination.

Indirect pollination: When pollination played a role in the creation of a product.