Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Science Fun 4: Transpiration and Photosynthesis

 Today we learned about stomata and photosynthesis. The book we are studying looks at how plants live, what processes must take place and why. Transpiration (involving stomata) and photosynthesis are just two of these processes.
 After the book work I decided we should follow up with some fun, hands-on work to really cement what we had learned so this is what we made.
Above: Drawing on the icing lines, turns out he's pretty good with an icing bag!  Conveniently our biscuits also had holes which represented stomata.

The process of transpiration is similar to human's sweating, it is the release of a substance through pores. In the case of plants the pores are called 'stomata' and they are located on the under side of the leaf. Also, the leaves aren't sweating they are breathing.
Carbon Dioxide IN
Oxygen OUT
(The opposite of the exchange that takes place when we breathe.)

This diagram shows both the process of transpiration and photosynthesis.
Photosynthesis is the production of energy (carbohydrates.)
Not all plants do this with the entire leaf but in out diagram it does. We used the image below to make ours.



What a great way to learn! Not only will it be remembered it was thrifty, fun and made me feel like it was the start of spring here and not the start of autumn.


As always, may your nest be blessed.
Lisa


This post is also linked to the French Country Cottage SPRING PARTY. See other entries here.

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