The effect of gravity on the growth of seedlings: practical
I can measure, record and explain the growth response of seedlings placed in different orientations.
- Year 11
- AQA
The effect of gravity on the growth of seedlings: practical
I can measure, record and explain the growth response of seedlings placed in different orientations.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Investigating the response of germinated seedlings to gravity (e.g. germinated beans placed vertically and horizontally)
- Producing accurate, labelled scientific drawings to depict the growth response
- Interpreting and describing the results
- Explaining the growth response of seedlings to gravity using ideas about auxins and gravitropism
Keywords
Auxin - plant hormones that affect the growth of plants
Gravitropism - a plant growth response towards or opposing the direction of gravity
Scientific line drawing - simple representation of a real object
Conclusion - summary of the results of an investigation with data and scientific explanations
Common misconception
Pupils may think that a drawing must be as realistic as possible hence sketching is encouraged. Pupils may also think that roots will continue to grow in the direction that they start.
Emphasise that a line diagram is a simple representation of an object so sketching is not best practise. This lesson explains how roots will grow in the direction of gravity even if their orientation is changed.
Equipment
Beans, cotton wool, petri dish, plastic zipped food bags, kitchen roll, stapler.
Content guidance
- Risk assessment required - equipment
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which plant hormones control phototropism?
Q2.Match each part of the plant to the effect auxin has on it.
Q3.What is a tropism?
Q4.Look at this image of a shoot. From which direction is the light coming?
Q5.Gravitropism is a plant's response to .
Q6.Where has auxin gathered in the root pictured?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of the following are features of biological drawings?
Q2.What is the plant response to gravity known as?
Q3.True or false? Shoots use positive gravitropism.
Q4.Put these steps in the right order for investigating gravitropism.
Q5.In roots, auxin growth.
Q6.In the following example, why has the shoot grown upwards and the root grown downwards?
