Introduction
Plants need water to grow.
What happens if we don't give our plants water? Observe potted plants and cut plants, give water to some, but not others. Record the results during a week.
Activities
Drop a folded paper flower into water. Observe what happens. The flower should open as water moves through the fibres of the paper (capillary action).
Another good starter for looking at capillary action is the 'Walking water' activity.
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Place a white carnation flower in a clear container of coloured water (use water-based food colouring). Observe what happens. You could do this with a series of photographs.
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Try the same activity with leafy celery stalks.
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Using cut leafy stems and recycled small water bottles, can learners devise an experiment to measure how much water is taken up by the stem, in an agreed time period? What method will learners choose to conduct this scientific enquiry? What success indicators will they be looking for? How will they measure and record their results?
Plenary
Cut horizontally through a celery stem and observe the water transportation vessels called xylem. Use a magnifier to look closer.