Identify the Plant Organ!

All flowering plants possess a similar overall body plan. Using your knowledge of plant structure and function, identify the function of the plant organ. Plant Organ Roots Function

Stems

Leaves

Flowers

Flowering plants (angiosperms) have evolved, through natural selection a tremendous collection of variations plant organs and not all of them are located where you might expect them to be. Your goal for this activity is to identify the plant organs found upon the supplied plant sections. Record your observations within the table, as well as the evidence used to reach each conclusion. Plant Name Plant Organ/s Evidence

If you have difficulty describing your evidence, draw and label what you see in the following space and provide a short description of what you see:

Preparation Notes for Teacher

Materials
Paper plates or newspaper (1 for each plant section/one for each group) Plastic knives for dissection (1 per group) Broccoli, garlic, celery, lettuce, carrot, radish, asparagus, cinnamon (different five per group)

Procedure
Each student group should identify the plant organs found within the fruits/vegetables provided. You can use 5 fruits or vegetables for each group or have the students rotate between established fruit/vegetable areas. Within their groups, students should use observable evidence and conversation to identify plant structure and organs. Students may cut open the plants, as a means of seeking evidence or to confirm suspicions.

After each group has finished allow each group to discuss their findings with the class.

Plant Name Broccoli (or cauliflower) Garlic

Plant Organ/s Flowers Stems Leaves Stem

Evidence Flowers are the edible parts consisting of closed flowers. The stems support the flowers, observable vascular parts and terminal buds. A stem is present within the leaf cluster. Each clove is a group of modifies leaves, veins can be seen. The celery is green, leaves can be seen, and no branches coming off the stalk as might be expected from a stem. The celery stalk is technically a petiole, not a stem, it connects the leaves and stem. The stem of the celery is the solid core that connects the petioles to the roots.

Celery

Leaf

Lettuce

Leaves Root Leaves Root Leaves Stem Stem, it is the bark of a tree

Green, leaves coming out from a stem An underground storage plant organ, lateral roots and root hairs may be observed Green leaves may be observed coming out of the top An underground storage plant organ, lateral roots and root hairs may be observed Green leaves may be observed coming out of the top Lateral buds can be observed at the top, coming out of the stem. Hard, not green

Carrot

Radish Asparagus Cinnamon

Cinnamon