Plant Transpiration – Plants Sweat Too!

Title – Plant Transpiration – Plants Sweat Too!
By – Erik Hanchett
Primary Subject – Science
Secondary Subjects – Computers & Internet
Grade Level – 6-8

Objective:

Students will identify the factors and processes of plant transpiration in context of the water cycle.

Standards:

Technology:

• TSS1C1PO1
• TSS1C2PO1
• TSS1C2PO2
• TSS1C3PO2
• TSS6C2PO3

Science:

• MSS1C2PO3
• MSS1C2PO5

Description:

• Students will be divided into teams.
• Each team is given a plastic sandwich bag and some string.
• Students proceed outside to search the campus for various types of trees and shrubs.
• Next, students put the baggie around a small branch with leaves and tie the string around the branch tightly so water vapor cannot escape.
• Now the students record observations and collect plant type and location data. If several trials can be done, the observations will be more accurate.
• After a day or two, students return to the plants and collect the baggies with water inside from transpiration.
• Then in the lab, students can measure the amount of water each plant produced .
• Students can weigh the leaves of the plant that were inside the baggie.
• Now they can calculate how many milliliters of water was produced per gram of leaf material.
• Students will also complete the online virtual lab (link below) that tests various factors of plant transpiration (if available).
• Students write down data on a spreadsheet that is then automatically graphed.
• Students also write down answers to questions in the electronic journal that is then emailed to the instructor.
• Students also conduct a sister outdoor lab capturing water from trees and bushes around campus.

Virtual Lab Link:

http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/genbio/virtual_labs/BL_10/BL_10.html

Assessment:

• Outdoor lab data and graph
• Program graph and journal

E-Mail Erik Hanchett !