1. Topic: Plant Structure Section: 1C Animals, Plants & Micro-organisms 1C3 Plant Structure & 1C4 Transport in Plants
Section 1C: Animals, Plants & Micro-organisms
Main Topic Sub-topics
1C3 Plant Structure Structure and functions of the main parts of a typical plant
On completion of this section, students should be able to:
OB 45 identify the main parts of a typical flowering plant and their functions; the root, the stem, leaf & flower
1C4 Transport in Plants Passage of water and minerals through the plant
Transpiration
OB 46 Understand that the xylem transports water and minerals in the plant and that phloem transports food (Higher Level only)
OB 47 Carry out simple activities to show the path of water through plant tissue, and show that water evaporates from the surface of a leaf by transpiration

2. Structure and transport in flowering plants
Diagram 1
Structure and transport in flowering plants
Diagram 2
Diagram 3

3. Outline of Lessons Learning Objectives Lesson 1
Number of Lessons: Five (1 double for experiments and
three single classes)
Learning Objectives
Lesson 1
Recognise many types of plants
Differentiate between the regions of a flowering plant
Identify the parts of a flowering plant
Describe the functions of the different parts of the plant
Explain the importance of the leaf as the site of photosynthesis

4. Outline of Lessons Lesson 2 Distinguish the various parts of a leaf
Locate where stoma are on a leaf
Be able to state the plural of stoma
Relate the function of the stomata to the two processes of photosynthesis and transpiration
List the types of tissue in a plant
Identify the function of the tissue types in the plant
Describe what is transported in plants
Copy a diagram to illustrate the route of movement of water and food in a plant

5. Outline of Lessons Lesson 3 Define transpiration
Define transpiration stream
Explain the factors affecting transpiration
Describe experiments to
Show the path of water through a plant
Show that water is taken in by the roots and passes up and out of a plant
Show that water evaporates from the surface of a leaf by transpiration

6. Outline of Lessons Lesson 4 & 5 Perform the following experiments
Show the path of water through a plant
Show that water is taken in by the roots and passes up and out of a plant
Show that water evaporates from the surface of a leaf by transpiration

7. Objective
OB 45 identify the main parts of a typical flowering plant and their functions; the root, the stem, leaf & flower
Discuss the function of all the different parts

8. Introduction Many plant types Examples: Algae Mosses & ferns Conifers
Diagram 6
Diagram 5
Many plant types
Examples:
Algae
Mosses & ferns
Conifers
Flowering plants
Diagram 4
Algae are things like seaweed
Mosses can be seen growing on rocks. Mosses and ferns like to grow in damp areas
Conifers are plants that produce seeds in cones. There are many forest throughout Ireland that have conifer trees. Your Christmas tree is an example of a conifer.
Flowering plants include oak, ash and chestnut trees, grasses, cereals, and flowers.

9. Main features of flowering plants
Divided into roots, stem and leaves
Specialised cells for transport of water, minerals and food around plant
Reproduce by seeds
Seeds enclosed in fruit
The specialised cells are xylem and phloem. These cells from the vascular tissue of the plant. The reason they are term vascular is because like vascular tissue in animals, it is involved in the movement of materials from one place to another.
Xylem is responsible for the movement of water and minerals absorbed at the root to the leaves. The water is needed for photosynthesis and transpiration.
Photosynthesis is the name given to the process by which green plants make their own food.
Transpiration is a process that helps plants cool themselves down on a warm day. It is kind of the same as how we sweat on a hot day or when we are doing exercise to cool our body temperature down.
Phloem is responsible for the transport of food made in the leaves by photosynthesis.

10. Structure of a typical flowering plant
Diagram from exploring science Teachers resource CD.
Diagram on page 76 in class textbook.
Flowering plant sub-divided into above and below ground.
Below ground is called the root and above ground is called the shoot.
The shoot has the following parts:
The stem
The leaves
The flower
The buds
The fruit
Diagram 7: From Exploring Science Teachers Resource CD

11. Label the parts of a flowering plants
Get the class to quickly jot down what they think is the correct answers
Diagram 8:Junior Cert Science A voyage of discovery Teachers CD ROM

12. The answers Flower Leaf Shoot Stem Roots
Ask the class for the answers
Roots
Diagram 9: Junior Cert Science A voyage of discovery Teachers CD ROM

13. Functions of the main parts of typical flowering plant
Roots
Anchor & support
Absorb water & minerals
Some store food
Roots ground the plant to one place, in doing so they provide support to the rest of the plant above the soil.
What other things have roots to keep them in the one place?
Your hair & teeth.
Boats when docked.
An important function of the roots is absorption of water and minerals. As mentioned earlier plants need water for photosynthesis (to make food) and like humans they need minerals to stay healthy.
Some plants roots are used to store food. Can you think of any plant that you eat that comes from under the ground?
Carrots and turnips are examples of plant roots that have swollen because they store food.
Why are plant roots not the same colour as leaves?
Leaves have a green pigment in them that helps them make food but this only happens if there is sunlight. Because roots are below the ground they will not be exposed to sunlight and therefore food could not be made here. But remember the roots can store food they just cannot make it.
From Clipart

14. Functions of the main parts of typical flowering plant
The stem
Support & holds up leaves & flowers
Transport water, minerals & food
Some stores food
An example of a plant that stores food in its stem is potatoes

15. Functions of the main parts of typical flowering plant
Leaves
Site of photosynthesis
Allow gas exchange
Allow water vapour to pass out of plant
Some store food
As we mentioned before, the leaf is the site of photosynthesis because it has a green pigment called chlorophyll that with the help of sunlight helps the combining of water and carbon dioxide to form food and oxygen.
The water enters the plant through the leaves and is transported by xylem from the roots to the leaves.
The carbon dioxide enter the plant at the leaves, which we’ll discuss in a while. Food is made and also oxygen. This oxygen passes out of the plant through little pores in the under-surface of the leaf. This oxygen is used by us to breathe. So without plants we would not be able to survive.
An example of leaves that store food are lettuce and cabbage.

16. Diagram 10:From Exploring Science Teachers Resource CD.
As discussed in the previous slide
The water enters the plant through the leaves and is transported by xylem from the roots to the leaves.
The carbon dioxide enter the plant at the leaves, which we’ll discuss in a while. Food is made and also oxygen. This oxygen passes out of the plant through little pores in the under-surface of the leaf. This oxygen is used by us to breathe. So without plants we would not be able to survive.

17. The Leaf Stoma one pore Stomata  two + pores
If you looked under the surface of a leaf under the microscope that you would see tiny pores. These pores are called stoma.
The main parts of the leaf are the leaf blade which has a spine like structure running up the middle. This is called the midrib. It extends from the stalk (also known as the petiole) which attached the leaf to the stem of the plant. From the midrib on this diagram you can see little extensions, these are the veins. Plants can have two types of veins. 1) netted veins as can be seen from this diagram or 2) parallel veins such as those you would find on the blade of a daffodil leaf.
Stoma is the singular and stomata is plural.
These allow for gas exchange in the plant.
Carbon dioxide enters the plant from the environment and is used in the leaf for photosynthesis. Oxygen is made in the leaf and exits the leaf through the stomata to the environment, where it is used by animals for respiration.
Diagram 11: Junior Cert Science A voyage of discovery Teachers CD ROM

18. Importance of the leaf Light Chlorophyll Carbon dioxide Water
Sun
Light
Chlorophyll
Diagram 12: Junior Cert Science A voyage of discovery Teachers CD ROM
Re cap on the importance of the leaf.
As we mentioned before, the leaf is the site of photosynthesis because it has a green pigment called chlorophyll that with the help of sunlight helps the combining of water and carbon dioxide to form food and oxygen.
It is also the site of transpiration, which is the loss of water from the surface of a plant.

19. Functions of the main parts of typical flowering plant
Buds
Growth point
Flowers
Produce seeds for reproduction
The final plant parts we will discuss the function of is the bud and the flower.
The bud allows for new growth of leaves or flowers
Flowers produce seeds that are used for reproduction
From Clipart

20. Objective
OB 46 Understand that the xylem transports water and minerals in the plant and that phloem transports food (Higher Level only)

21. Transport in flowering plants
Transport in flowering plants
Diagram 13
Water
Minerals
Food
We discussed briefly earlier, water, minerals and food are transported around plants by vascular tissue.
Vascular tissue is composed of xylem and phloem
Xylem transports water and minerals from the root to around the plant.
Minerals important for plants
Mineral Required for Deficiency
Nitrates Growth Yellow leaves & stunted growth
Phosphate Photosynthesis & Respiration Poor roots & purple leaves
Potassium Photosynthesis & Respiration Yellow leaves, dead spots, poor fruit & flowers
Magnesium Chlorophyll Yellow leaves
Phloem transports food from the leaves around the plant

22. Water Transport
Tiny tubes allow continuous flow of water from roots to leaves
Tiny tubes appear as veins
Stomata allow water evaporation
Transpiration
The veins are the vascular tissue and are made of a special type of cell called xylem
Transpiration is the loss of water vapour from a plant.

23. Water Transport
Diagram 14

24. Plant Tissue Two types involved in plant transport Xylem
Transport water and dissolved minerals
Made of dead cells & lined with substance to make it water proof and provide support
Can you name the two types of plant tissue that are involved in transport?
The chemical that lines xylem is called lignin. It is like PVC glue and it form a waterproof barrier lining the inside of xylem vessels
Minerals important for plants
Mineral Required for Deficiency
Nitrates Growth Yellow leaves & stunted growth
Phosphate Photosynthesis & Respiration Poor roots & purple leaves
Potassium Photosynthesis & Respiration Yellow leaves, dead spots, poor fruit & flowers
Magnesium Chlorophyll Yellow leaves

25. Plant Tissue Phloem Transports food from the leaves around the plant
Diagram 15 : Exploring Science
Name the process in the leaves that makes the food?
What is needed for photosynthesis to occur?
What name is given to the tissue that transports water and dissolved minerals?

26. Transpiration Loss of water from a plant Most occurs through stomata
Functions of transpiration
Supplies leaves with water
Supplies plant with minerals
Helps cool plant down
For plants transpiration is a very important process. It helps control the amount of water in a plant. The process supplies water to the leaves.
Questions to ask students.
What process needs water in the leaves?
What does photosynthesis do?
What tissue type carries the water from the roots to the leaves?
What tissue type transports the food made in the leaves?
A lot of what is known about how transpiration works in plants is due to the work carried
out by two Irish Scientist who worked at Trinity University in Dublin in the 1890s. Their
names were Henry Dixon and John Joly
Transpiration also supplies minerals, just like us plants need certain minerals to keep
them healthy. For example two minerals that are very important to plants are calcium and
magnesium.
Magnesium is needed by plants to make the green pigment called chlorophyll.
Student Question
What process in the leaves involves chlorophyll?
The other mineral that is important to plants is calcium. It creates a concrete type
substance that cements
neighbouring plant cell walls together.
Remember when you examined onion cells and cheek cells , what did you notice about
their pattern and structure?
Plant cells were almost resembled a stone wall, it looks like they were placed one on top
of the other. They were very closed packed together. This is because the mineral calcium
packs them close.

27. Transpiration stream
This is the upward flow of water through xylem caused by a reduction of pressure at the top of the plant as water is evaporated

28. Factors Affecting Transpiration
Diagram 16
Humidity
Temperature
Wind
Soil water content
Humidity refers to the amount of water in the air
Temperature how much sunlight, the hotter the day the more the plant will transpire. Remember one of the functions of transpiration is to cool the plant down.
Wind helps to control the temperature. The sunlight may be strong but the wind will reduce the temperature.
Soil water this dictates the amount of water available to the plant.
The plant will always try to control the amount of water it can afford to loss. For example
in a drought, a plant tries to reduce its water loss to ensure it will survive. Example of
one such plant is a cactus. It reduces water loss by having spines instead of leaves.

29. Objective
OB 47 Carry out simple activities to show the path of water through plant tissue, and show that water evaporates from the surface of a leaf by transpiration

30. To show the path of water through a plant
Diagram 18
Diagram 17 : Exploring Science
Diagram 19
Experiment: To Show the path of water through a plant
Risk Assessment:
Scissors when cutting the celery stalk
Care needs to be taken when handling any sharps (i.e. scalpels, blades, scissors)
Glassware
Possible risks are cracks and breakage that may cut an individual handling glassware.
This experiment will be need to be set up one day and then examined in a few days. The experiment set-up should
be left in a bright, warm room.

31. To show that water is taken in by the roots and passes up and out of a plant
Diagram 20 : Exploring Science
Experiment: To Show that water is taken in by the roots and passes up and out of a plant
Risk Assessment:
1. Glassware
Possible risks are cracks and breakage that may cut an individual handling glassware.
This experiment will be need to be set up one day and then examined in a week. The experiment set-up should
be left in a bright, warm room.
Purpose of the oil: To prevent evaporation
Result
The water level in the test-tube with the plant will have dropped.
Conclusion
The roots are responsible for the absorption of water. The water rises from the roots through the stem and is then lost in the leaves by transpiration

32. To show that water evaporates from the surface of a leaf by transpiration
Diagram 21 : Exploring Science
Experiment: To Show that water evaporates from the surface of a leaf by transpiration
Risk Assessment:
1. Glassware
Possible risks are cracks and breakage that may cut an individual handling glassware.
This experiment will be need to be set up one day and then examined the next day. The experiment set-up should
be left in a bright, warm room.
Result
Droplets of liquid can be found inside the plastic bag
Test these with dry cobalt chloride paper which is blue, if the paper turns pink when in contact with the droplets then this shows that the liquid is water.
Conclusion
Plants loss water from their leaves.

33. Bibliography
Exploring Science by Michael O’Callaghan, Seamus Reilly & Aiden Seery. Teachers Resource CD revised edition, Edco
Exploring Science by Michael O’Callaghan, Seamus Reilly & Aiden Seery. Textbook revised edition, Edco
Junior Cert Science : A voyage of discovery. Teachers CD ROM by Hilary Dorgan, Declan Kennedy & Pat Walsh, Folens
for Junior Cert Science curriculum

34. Resources Diagram 1 http://www.midwestaquaticsandexotics.com/
Accessed : 11th February 2008
Diagram 2
Diagram 3
Diagram 4
Diagram 5

35. Resources Diagram 6 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Ferocactus1.jpg
Accessed : 11th February 2008
Diagrams 7, 10 & 12
Exploring Science by Michael O'Callaghan, Seamus Reilly & Aiden
Seery. Teachers Resource CD revised edition, Edco
Diagrams 8, 9 & 11
Junior Cert Science : A voyage of discovery. Teachers CD ROM by
Hilary Dorgan, Declan Kennedy & Pat Walsh, Folens
Diagram 13

36. Resources
Diagrams 15, 17 & 20
Scanned from Exploring Science by Michael O'Callaghan, Seamus
Reilly & Aiden Seery. Textbook revised edition, Edco
Diagram 16
Accessed : 11th February 2008
Diagram 18
teries
Diagram 19

37. Resources Handout & Test
Material from Exploring Science by Michael O'Callaghan, Seamus
Reilly & Aiden Seery. Workbook revised edition, Edco
Microsoft Power point Clipart