bulb biology, the paperwhite narcissus flower project and hyacinth hydroponics
TRANSCRIPT
Bulb Biology
The
Paperwhite Narcissus Flower Project
And
Hyacinth Hydroponics
Mary Van Dyke
Green STEM Learning
2016
Bulb Biology, The Paperwhite Narcissus Flower ProjectAnd Hyacinth Hydroponics
LevelElementary Grades 3 – 5
Lesson time30 – 45 minutes in class,Take home/class a few minutes a day for two-‐ three months
PurposeTo help students understand bulb biology, and look after a flowering bulb over extended length of time –breaking dormancy through flowering and die-‐back
Materials – for class of 25 studentsStudy Stationq Onion, tulip bulb, hyacinth, narcissus.
Onion sliced in half to show modified leaves and shoot/rootsq Cutting board and knife (adult use only)q Microscopes/ hand lenses/ loupesq Video station with 5 tablets/laptops to watch Bulb Biology 7-‐minute video
https://vimeo.com/147187220
Planting Stationq Recyclable plastic dropclothq Earth mixing trayq Potting soil (do pre-‐calculations on how much needed)q Water and gallon jugs or watering can to pre-‐mix potting soilq Trowels x 8 (students likely to use hands in preference)q Hand washing sink close byq 4 inch or 10 cm square pots, # 1 per studentq 1 larger pot for the classq Inbal (lightly-‐scented) Paperwhite narcissus bulbs
1 per student plus a few for the classroom
Label Stationq Copies of mini-‐book x # of students (4 books per page)q Gallon ziploc plastic storage bags x # of studentsq Sharpie felt tips x 8 (colored or black)
Hyacinth Hydroponics Project (optional classroom extension)q Hyacinth bulb (cold treated)q Pint/quart soda bottle, jar or bulb vase
Student OutcomesStudents learn to set up inquiry investigation. What happens if I plant a flowering bulb and water and place indoors in a sunny place? Students observe and share changes and plant growth over time including flowering process, photosynthesis and then dieback of flower and leaves.Observe and study plant parts, and parts of a monocot flowerExtension learn characteristics of monocot and dicot: that narcissus is a monocot (parallel veined leaves, flower symmetry of three, seeds with single foodpart).
Preparation• Photocopy mini-‐books one per student• Set up 3 work stations (either outdoors or in classrooms)• Prepare potting soil – so it is moist and ready to pack into pots
Teacher NotesView the film ahead of time and review that a bulb is a way for the plant to store energy (food) created by photosynthesis.
IntroduceWhat is a bulb? How does it work?Paper coat, basal stem root plate, shoot, bulb is modified leavesWhat kinds of bulb do we know about?Onions, garlic, tulips, also reproduce by seed and vegetatively– by splitting off bulbletsTalk about plant lifecycle
Bulb BiologyStudy examples of onion, tulips and other bulbs and watch video https://vimeo.com/147187220
PlantingPut layer of soil into potAdd paperwhite narcissus bulb (roots down, shoot up)Layer on some soil above
Label Ziploc bag with student name and paperwhite narcissus and mini-‐book
Take Home Keep paperwhite narcissus bulb pot on saucer in dark, cool place at first, with sheet of paper over the top, until green shoot appears – for two to three weeks – only water once a weekThen place paperwhite narcissus bulb pot in cool, sunny locationKeep moist below basal plate, so bulb does not rot.In 4 – 6 weeks flower buds will appear. As bulb shoot grows may need watering daily.
Record Observations and Analyze Class DataWhen does your paperwhite narcissus flower bud and bloom?Draw and describe the flower
q How many petals does your flower have? Three, six – but not always. This is the characteristic symmetry of a monocot flowering plant with parallel veined leaves and single coyledon, i.e. the foodpartof the seed. Dicot flowering plants have seeds with two foodparts (cotyledons), netted veined leaves, and flowers with symmetry of 5 or 8 .
q Find and count the stamens.These are the male parts of the flower and are covered in yellow pollen
q Can you find pollen?On the stamens – and then can be elsewhere too as it is a yellow fine sticky powder
q Where is the stigma?In the center of the flower. This is the female part and will be fertilized by the pollen. Also find the ovary where seeds will form and ripen once fertiilized.
q Do you like the flower’s scent?According to popular wisdom more than 25% of our population may not like the scent of the heavily-‐scented paperwhites such as Ziva, so we are selecting to grow more the lightly-‐scented Inbal variety. Poll and graph your class preferences: How many students like or dislike the scent or are neutral about the scent? What percentage of the class do like the scent?
Parts of a FlowerFrom https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AParts_of_flower(3).gif
Hyacinth Hydroponics How-‐To
Hyacinths grown to bloom indoors need to be a “cold-‐forced” bulbs.i.e. if you buy a bulb unforced you need to keep it in the fridge to go through a pretend “winter” cycle for 6 – 8 weeks prior to warming up and growing indoors.
Put the “forced” hyacinth bulb above vase/bottle of water – so that basal plate is a few mm above the waterline
Keep an eye on the waterline and refill each day as needed, maintaining the water level just below the bulb’s basal plate
Observe how hyacinth roots seek out the water and grow downwards, while the shoot tip grows upwards.
Hyacinth Hydroponics Inquiry
• What extent of hyacinth roots do you expect will grow?
• Why does the hyacinth not need nutrients or food to grow?
• When did you start to grow your bulb – and when does your hyacinth flower bloom?
• How long does the bloom period then last?
• Do you like the scent of your hyacinth flower?
• Is the flower a monocot or dicot?A hyacinth is a monocot: with characteristic parallel-‐veined leaves and symmetry of three in flower petals, similar to a narcissus and tulip.
After the flower dies back you can plant bulb in the garden in a sunny or part shade place (4 inches deep) and it may grow and flower outdoors next year too.
Note: Hyacinths can cause a contact dermatitis reaction in some people -‐ handle carefully.
Tulip bulb section
Narcissusshoots
PaperwhiteNarcissus blooms
My Paperwhite Narcissus Care
• Place the pot on a saucer, keep first two weeks in cool, dark place until green shoots appear, than move to a fairly light place, e.g. a window cill or table with indirect sunlight.
• Lightly water the Paperwhite narcissus as it grows. The narcissus plant should be kept moist but not too wet.
• Keep your plant safely out of the way of pet cats and dogs.
Enjoy watching your narcissus grow and flower.
NAME:My Paperwhite Narcissus Care
• Place the pot on a saucer, keep first two weeks in cool, dark place until green shoots appear, than move to a fairly light place, e.g. a window cill or table with indirect sunlight.
• Lightly water the Paperwhite narcissus as it grows. The narcissus plant should be kept moist but not too wet.
• Keep your plant safely out of the way of pet cats and dogs.
Enjoy watching your narcissus grow and flower.
NAME:
My Paperwhite Narcissus Care
• Place the pot on a saucer, keep first two weeks in cool, dark place until green shoots appear, than move to a fairly light place, e.g. a window cill or table with indirect sunlight.
• Lightly water the Paperwhite narcissus as it grows. The narcissus plant should be kept moist but not too wet.
• Keep your plant safely out of the way of pet cats and dogs.
Enjoy watching your narcissus grow and flower.
NAME:My Paperwhite Narcissus Care
• Place the pot on a saucer, keep first two weeks in cool, dark place until green shoots appear, than move to a fairly light place, e.g. a window cill or table with indirect sunlight
• Lightly water the Paperwhite narcissus as it grows. The narcissus plant should be kept moist but not too wet.
• Keep your plant safely out of the way of pet cats and dogs.
Enjoy watching your narcissus grow and flower.
NAME:
Cross-section Through a Typical BulbShowing Parts of the Bulb
Cross-section Through a Typical BulbShowing Parts of the Bulb
Cross-section Through a Typical BulbShowing Parts of the Bulb
Cross-section Through a Typical BulbShowing Parts of the Bulb
Cross-section Through my PotShowing the Paperwhite Narcissus
Bulb Growing
Cross-section Through my PotShowing the Paperwhite Narcissus
Bulb Growing
Cross-section Through my PotShowing the Paperwhite Narcissus
Bulb Growing
Cross-section Through my PotShowing the Paperwhite Narcissus
Bulb Growing
My Flower Blooming My Flower Blooming
My Flower Blooming My Flower Blooming
q How many petals does your flower have?
q Find and count the stamens.
q Can you find pollen?
q Where is the stigma?
q Do you like the flower’s scent?
Flower Observation
q How many petals does your flower have?
q Find and count the stamens.
q Can you find pollen?
q Where is the stigma?
q Do you like the flower’s scent?
Flower Observation
q How many petals does your flower have?
q Find and count the stamens.
q Can you find pollen?
q Where is the stigma?
q Do you like the flower’s scent?
Flower Observationq How many petals does your
flower have?
q Find and count the stamens.
q Can you find pollen?
q Where is the stigma?
q Do you like the flower’s scent?
Flower Observation
• After blooming the Paperwhite narcissus will die back, saving energy in the bulb. In the spring you can compost or trash this bulb.
• The Paperwhite narcissus is from a different climate zone and would take two or three years to rebloom indoors!
• NB Other bulbs: tulips, crocuses, hyacinths and tête-‐à-‐tête daffodils can be replanted outside after flowering indoors.
What shall I do with my bulb after it flowers?
Project by Mary Van DykeGreen STEM Learning
• After blooming the Paperwhite narcissus will die back, saving energy in the bulb. In the spring you can compost or trash this bulb.
• The Paperwhite narcissus is from a different climate zone and would take two or three years to rebloom indoors!
• NB Other bulbs: tulips, crocuses, hyacinths and tête-‐à-‐tête daffodils can be replanted outside after flowering indoors.
What shall I do with my bulb after it flowers?
Project by Mary Van DykeGreen STEM Learning
• After blooming the Paperwhite narcissus will die back, saving energy in the bulb. In the spring you can compost or trash this bulb.
• The Paperwhite narcissus is from a different climate zone and would take two or three years to rebloom indoors!
• NB Other bulbs: tulips, crocuses, hyacinths and tête-‐à-‐tête daffodils can be replanted outside after flowering indoors.
What shall I do with my bulb after it flowers?
Project by Mary Van DykeGreen STEM Learning
• After blooming the Paperwhite narcissus will die back, saving energy in the bulb. In the spring you can compost or trash this bulb.
• The Paperwhite narcissus is from a different climate zone and would take two or three years to rebloom indoors!
• NB Other bulbs: tulips, crocuses, hyacinths and tête-‐à-‐tête daffodils can be replanted outside after flowering indoors.
What shall I do with my bulb after it flowers?
Project by Mary Van DykeGreen STEM Learning
Community Impact
On another note, our bulbs are FANTASTIC! …Again, we so appreciate you helping us with this and I know many of my students have commented on how much they enjoyed the planting of the bulbs.
Nicole Schofield Jamestown 5th Grade Teacher
January 2016
Ms. SchofieldNoah's flower has bloomed in honor of an early Spring.Thanks for sending home the project, he is a very good waterer. Happy New Year!
Jason, Noah’s DadJanuary 2016
Hello! Do you remember me?We planted bulbs at Jamestown.I am looking after my bulb!
Noah to Mary Van Dyke, at a community event
May 2016
Also see Green STEM Learning BlogWOW factor: How to Grow Bulbs Indoors and Out