The Plant Kingdom: The Study of The Root

Age
6-9.

Presentation
Chart 3

HOW ROOTS MOVE IN THE DIRECTION OF THE WATER


 * 1) Since water is essential to the growth of the plant and its basic survival, roots will seek water out in the soil if it is not immediately.

Experiment 2

ROOT HAIRS

MATERIALS: A small clay flower pot, some radish seeds, water a drinking glass, two small transparent bowls.


 * 1) Put some radish seeds in a glass and fill it half way with water.
 * 2) Place the flower pot in one of the bowls which is then filled with water.
 * 3) Place the flower pot in one of these bowls which is then filled with water.
 * 4) After 24 hours, remove both the pot and the seeds from the water.
 * 5) Inver the flower pot and try to make the seeds adhere to the bottom of the pot.
 * 6) Then return the up-side-down pot to the bowl of water so that the seeds are out of the water.
 * 7) Use the other transparent bowl up-side-down as a cover.
 * 8) Keep the whole thing in the light.
 * 9) Observe what happens every day and write down your observations.

Experiment 3

FORMATION OF ROOTS

MATERIALS: A jar with a rather narrow mouth, water, some twigs from a plant.


 * 1) Fill the jar with water and immerse the twigs.
 * 2) Observe the plants each day adding water if necessary.
 * 3) Write your observations.

Experiment 4

ACIDIC REACTION OF ROOT HAIRS

MATERIALS: A jar containing germinated radish seeds, blue litmus paper.


 * 1) Put the litmus paper on the sucking hairs of the plant.
 * 2) Observe what happens and write your observations.

Experiment 5

DIRECTION OF THE ROOTS

MATERIALS: A glass, ink-blotter paper, black construction paper, a rubber band, sand, bean seeds, water.


 * 1) Cut the ink blotter paper to fit around the inside of the glass.
 * 2) Place the bean seeds between the blotter paper and the sides of the glass making sure they are positioned differently.
 * 3) Then fill the glass with sand and wet the sand.
 * 4) Cut the black construction paper large enough to wrap around the outside of the glass, holding it in place with a rubber band.
 * 5) The sand must be kept wet.
 * 6) Do the same using other seeds.
 * 7) Observe your glass every day.
 * 8) Observe what happens and write your observations.

Chart 4

ROOTS OVERCOME ANY OBSTACLE


 * 1) So strong is that need for the water and the minerals, the plant will not allow anything to be an obstacle.
 * 2) Roots will grow around large objects in order to obtain what it basically needs to survive.

Chart 5

GIVE DRINK TO THE THIRSTY


 * 1) By observing the leaves of a plant above the ground, we can understand the root system.
 * 2) The width of the leaf system corresponds to the root expansion below the ground.
 * 3) If the plant is long and thin, so is its root system, and so forth.