OPENUNIVERSITY
M ALAYS IA
FAKTJLTI PENDIDIKAN DAN BAIIASA
EXPERIMENTS
FOR
TEACHING OF SCIENCELIVING: LIVING ANT)
MATERIAL LOWER SECONDARYSCHOOL
(HBSC3303)
SEMESTERMEI 2OO9
l'
Basic needsof plants.
Objective: To determinethe basic needsof plants:sunlight,air and water.
Problem: Do plants need sunshine
Material:
Growing plant with largeleavcs
Vaseline
Black constructionpaper
Paperclips
Experiment1:
1. Placea greenplant in a well-lighted placc whereit canbe seenwithout being handledby class
members.
2. Carefully coverboth sidesof severalleaveswitlt vaseline
3. Observetheseleaveseachday and comparothcm with uncoatedleaves.Take note of the colour
and the fieshnessof the leaves.
Experiment 2
1. Cut out a patternon one side of a folded pieceof black constructionpaper.
2. Clip the patternon a leaf and leaveit attachedfor scveraldays.
3. After severaldaysremovethe constructionpaperand observethe results.
Observation Inferences
Experiment 1
Experiment 2
Questions:
l. What would happenif only the topsideof the leaveswere coatedwith vaseline?
What would happenif only the bottom side coatedwith vaseline?
2. would the leavc continue to die if the coating wefc rcmoved after one day?
and half of the
a
J. What would happenif only half of the lcaveswere covered?(half of the topside
bottom side)
days'
4. what happento the plant leavcs after the mask is rcmoved? observe for several
Problem: Can Plants Livc Without Water?
Material:
Beanseeds
Two smali flowcrpots
Water
Soil, humus
Experiment 3
1. plant somebean seedsin eachof the flowerpots.Namc thcm plant A and plant B'
2. Placeboth Plantsin *" *n:nt:"
,
3.
4. Do not lvater plant "B"
Results:
Observation Inferences
Plant "A"
Plant"B"
Questions:
1. Would the sameresultsbe possiblcwith differcnt kind of seeds?
2. Is it possibleto give a plant too much water?
3. How can farmertell if a plant is receiving,
(a) enoughwatcr?
(b) not enoughwater?
(c) too much watcr?
Problem: Can Plant Live Without Air?
Material:
Bean seeds
Two jars and two plastic cups
Soil , humus
Cotton
Water
Experiment4
1. Plantbeanseeds
injars.
2. Waterboth soilsfairly well. When air bubblesceascto risethe air hasbeenexpelledfrom the
soil.
a
J. Capthe first jar. This cutsoff the air supplyto the plant.
4. Keepthe secondplantmoistby wateringasneedcd.
Experiment 5
1. Fill the two cupswith water.
2. On place a cottonpad on top of are the cups and somebeanson the cotton. This will keep the the
scedsmoist.
3. Drop someseedsinto the water of the secondcup thus eliminatingthe air.
4. Maintain the sametempcraturcand light the samefor both cups.
Results:
Observation Inferences
ProccdurcA
ProcedureB
Qucstions:
1. What other ways can air be eliminatedfrom the cup?
2. Is too much air ever a problem for farmer?
3. Would the sameresultsoccur with different types of seeds?
4. Plantsmake their foocibut they do needa supply of minerals.Choosethree minerals
and describewhat happensto plant growing without them.
5. Animals and plantsnecd food. Give two reasonswhy animalsand plantsneed food.
Observation of animal cells: cheek cclls and plant cclls: lcaf cpidcrmal cclls
Objective: To prepareslidesof animal cells and plant cells using the correctstaining
technique.
:
Material and apParatus
Microscope
Microscopeslide
Cover slip
Dropper
Forceps
Blade
Toothpick
Methylene blue
Iodine solution
Onion
Experiment1:
(a) Observationof cheekcells
1. Rinse Yourmouth.
from the insideof your cheek'
2. Using a toothpick,gently scrapeoff a thin layer of cells
on a slide'
3. Mount the scrapingsin a drop of methylenebluc solution
4. Lowcr the coverslip gentlyover it'
followedby high power objectivelens'
5. Examinethe specimenunderlow power objectivelens
chromatinmaterial,cell membrane
6. Draw thc cheekcell andlabel the foilowing parts:nucleus,
and cYtoPlasm.
you can look at deadskin cells instead'Put a
If you do not wish to useyour own cheekcells;
off anclstick it down to a slide' This
small piece of cellotapeon youl'hand and tlien peel it
be ableto seetheir contcnt'
rvill show vou the size and shapeof cells but you will not
Experiment2
(b) Observationof leaf epidermalcells
1. Using a forceps,peel off the epidermallayer of onion scaleleaf.
2. Cut off a small piece and mount the epidermallayer in a drop of iodine solutionon a slide.
a
J. Lower the cover slip gently over it.
4. Examine the specimenunder low power objectivelens followed by high power objectivelens.
6. Draw the onion leaf epidermalcell and label the following parts:nucleus,chromatinmaterial,
cell membrane,cell wall, cloplasm and vacuolc.
To seeplant cells with chloroplastsyou could look at moss leavcsin the sameway. They
are only one cell thick.
Results:
Drawings and labeling
Magnifi cation of drawing
Questions:
1. Name the typc of cells which lines the inner cheek.
2. Why it is that onion leaf epidermal cell do not contain chloroplast?
J. Statethe similarities and differencesbetweenanimal cells and plant cells.
4. Why the nucleusis callcd the 'control ccntre' of the cell?
f. What is tissue?What word meanscollection of tissuesdoing one particularjob?
Try to find out: when cells were discovercdand by whom.
