Term+4+Topic+2011

Our Theme this term is // **All About ... ** //**The Future **

Our Science topic is Plants and Trees

So far this term (we are now in week 3) we have been learning about
 * how plants are classified
 * the names of plant parts
 * how plants reproduce
 * how seeds germinate
 * how plants feed - by photosynthesis

Below are some of the experiments/observations we have carried out =How Seeds Germinate= We have been looking at how seeds germinate. First we soaked some broad bean seeds overnight, then we each lined the sides of a plastic cup with several paper hand towels and put one seed between the paper and the side of the cup, about half way up. We put a radish seed on the opposite side of the cup and placed all of the cups on the windowsill in the sun. Then we kept the paper damp and waited ....

After three days we could see that the broad bean seeds had begun to split. Soon a root appeared and headed down to the bottom of the cup. If the root first started to grow up, it soon realised its mistake and turned to go down. We kept the paper damp and waited ....

At this point something went wrong - the paper began to grow black spots of mould. We carefully changes the paper hand towels for paper kitchen towels, kept the paper damp and waited ....



After several more days, a green shoot started to grow out of the seed. We could see that there were leaved curled up with the shoot. ==

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The radish seed also grew a root and then a shoot. Its leaves then opened.

== = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Asher and Connor planted their radish seed in soil and they are growing well:



Connor's bean seed was the only one whose root grew upwards!
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Mike's seed won the prize for the biggest root!


Now we have each planted another broad bean seed, this time in seed mix. We kept them damp and after several days we could see roots at the bottom of the pots. Several days more and green shoots appeared. Below are two of our seedlings. We have now taken them home to plant out in our gardens.



=How water moves through plants= In another set of experiments we

=Weeks 3 & 4 Homework=

Compare New Zealand’s forests prior to the arrival of the Europeans and today. Choose how to present your findings.

Hint: Any 'exotic', 'introduced' or 'non-native' trees have been introduced by Europeans. Native trees were here before Europeans arrived.

Useful websites: http://www.doc.govt.nz/conservation/native-plants/ http://www.new-zealand-vacations-in-west-auckland.com/new-zealand-trees.html http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/photo/pohutukawa-flowers http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/conifer-broadleaf-forests http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/1966/forests-indigenous/1 http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/conifers http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/logging-native-forests/1 http://www.maf.govt.nz/forestry http://www.kcc.org.nz/forest http://www.insights.co.nz/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Forestry_in_New_Zealand

=Photosynthesis=

Introduction to Photosynthesis

=Rain Forests=

Zoom Rainforest