How to Pollinate a Passion Fruit Plant

Contributor
Larry Clark
Type Category
Instructional Materials
Types
Demonstration
Note
This resource, vetted by NSTA curators, is provided to teachers along with suggested modifications to make it more in line with the vision of the NGSS. While not considered to be "fully aligned," the resources and expert recommendations provide teachers with concrete examples and expert guidance using the EQuIP rubric to adapted existing resources. Read more here.

Reviews

Description

The video is a “how to” video, explaining the use a paintbrush as a tool for pollination when there aren’t enough bees. The video would need to be used in conjunction with other media or first-hand observational  experiences with flowers and animals that pollinate them.

Intended Audience

Learner
Educational Level
  • Middle School
  • Elementary School
  • Early Elementary
Language
English
Access Restrictions

Free access - The right to view and/or download material without financial, registration, or excessive advertising barriers.

Performance Expectations

2-LS2-2 Develop a simple model that mimics the function of an animal in dispersing seeds or pollinating plants.

Clarification Statement: none

Assessment Boundary: none

This resource was not designed to build towards this performance expectation, but can be used to build towards it using the suggestions provided below.

Comments about Including the Performance Expectation
The video shows the real world application of the Performance Expectation, but it is not in lesson format. The teacher would need to support the students in making the connections (and developing a model) to show the function of the animal, and its structures, and how the paintbrush serves that function during the process of pollination.

Science and Engineering Practices

This resource was not designed to build towards this science and engineering practice, but can be used to build towards it using the suggestions provided below.

Comments about Including the Science and Engineering Practice
The video demonstrates the application of the engineering practice of designing and/or building a device to solve an authentic problem which is that there aren’t enough bees to pollinate the flowers. Teachers may need to review the problem and the solution with the students after watching the video. The teacher could ask questions for discussion such as, “What was the problem the farmer has?” “How did he solve the problem?” “How did the tool have the same function as a bee?” “What structures does the bee have that is also on the paintbrush?” Teachers may capitalize on this lesson to begin a conversation about biomimicry.

Disciplinary Core Ideas

This resource was not designed to build towards this disciplinary core idea, but can be used to build towards it using the suggestions provided below.

Comments about Including the Disciplinary Core Idea
This lesson addresses the Disciplinary Core Idea but students would need more exposure to natural phenomenon to be able to explain how the paintbrush performs the same function as animals. This reviewer suggests growing plants in the classroom and engaging students in an identical problem: You need to pollinate, but there are no insects in the classroom. What could you do? The students will need extensions to observe video/media and first hand experiences and explain the dependent relationship between animals and plants for pollination and for food.

Crosscutting Concepts

This resource was not designed to build towards this crosscutting concept, but can be used to build towards it using the suggestions provided below.

Comments about Including the Crosscutting Concept
The Crosscutting Concept is never explicitly addressed in the video and the teacher will need to help students in describing the structures that are most important here. For example compare the structures of a bee (using an enlarged photo or a dead bee or beestick) with the paintbrush. Discuss that t he bee and the paintbrush are both yellow, one has a long handle and one does not, they both have bristles, one has wings, and have students try to figure out which structures are critical for the function of pollination.

Resource Quality

  • Alignment to the Dimensions of the NGSS: This video is not intended to align with the Performance expectation, yet it is an authentic application of the three dimensions. Students will be motivated to explain how the tool works and how the tool is useful for the same function as an insect. The need to solve the problem using engineering practices are clear and would be engaging to students. The resource would need to be supplemented with other lessons, further questioning, and an investigation with actual plants to help students deeply engage with the 3 dimensions and be prepared to meet the performance expectation.

  • Instructional Supports: There are no instructional supports in the video. It is merely the demonstration of the authentic application of the disciplinary core idea, the crosscutting concept and the engineering practice.

  • Monitoring Student Progress: The teacher could ask the students to individually respond to a writing and drawing prompt (or discussion prompt) in science notebooks to assess the depth of student understanding of the performance expectation. 1. Why did the man need to develop the tool? 2. How did the tool help solve a problem for the man? 3. What bee structures does the tool mimic?

  • Quality of Technological Interactivity: There are no interactions with technology, it is just a video.