In this unit, students observe the life cycle of the Brassica rapa (Wisconsin Fast Plants™). Their experiences introduce them to the following concepts, skills, and attitudes.

Concepts

• Many plants follow a life cycle that begins with growth from a seed and proceeds through the production of seeds.
• Plants have distinct stages in their life cycle.
• To live and grow, plants need light, water, and nutrients from the soil.
• Flowering plants must be pollinated in order to produce seeds.
• Many plants are pollinated by bees.
• A flower’s pollen sticks to a bee, but some rubs off when the bee feeds at other flowers.
• One seed produces one plant; one plant can produce many seeds.

Skills

• Planting and caring for the Brassica rapa.
• Observing, describing, and recording changes in plants.
• Comparing and discussing changes occurring in plants over time.
• Measuring and recording the growth of plants.
• Using graphs to display and compare growth patterns.
• Predicting future growth from observations and measurements.
• Reading to learn more about plants.
• Communicating results and reflecting on experiences through writing, drawing, and discussion.

Attitudes

• Developing an interest in studying the life cycle of plants.
• Developing sensitivity to the needs of plants.
• Developing an awareness of the interaction between plants and animals.