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Four Major Plant Groups:

Students will explore, identify, and collaborate to find and gain a better understanding of the four major plant groups.

Type: Lesson Plan

The Case of the Stolen Painting: A Forensic Mystery:

This video was conceived around the idea that students, particularly those not in AP-level classes, have a practical application for knowing about the major divisions between plants, particularly about the details of plant anatomy and reproduction.

My objectives for this lesson are as follows:

• Students will be able to identify the major evolutionary innovations that separate plant divisions, and classify plants as belonging to one of those divisions based on phenotypic differences in plants.
• Students will be able to classify plants by their pollen dispersal methods using pollen dispersal mapping, and justify the location of a "crime scene" using map analysis.

Extension:

• Students will be able to analyze and present their analysis of banding patterns from DNA fingerprinting done using plants in a forensic context.

For the lesson, students will need to be familiar with the idea that living things are related, that these relationships are part of organisms' evolutionary history; that there are types of plants; and that DNA can be used to establish similarities and differences between individuals and species. It will also be helpful for them to know that increased genetic diversity will increase a species' likelihood of survival. The lesson will take approximately 135 minutes (one 90 period, one 45 minute period), with some material assigned as homework. Materials needed: Paper, writing utensils, color printing is ideal.

Type: Lesson Plan

Characteristics of Plants Part 4 of 4: Angiosperms:

Flowering plants have growth and life cycle properties that make them distinct from other types of plants. Learn about their unique properties in this final and fourth tutorial of this series on plants. Check out the other tutorials in this series.

• Bryophytes (Part 1) - click .
• Pteridophytes (Part 2) - click here.
• Gymnosperms (Part 3) - click here.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Characteristics of Plants: Gymnosperms (Part 3 of 4):

Pine trees, and other gymnosperms, have some unique growth and life cycle properties. This is part three of a four-part series on the characteristics of plants. 

 Check out the other tutorials in this series.

• Bryophytes (Part 1) - click .
• Pteridophytes (Part 2) - click here.
• Angiosperms (Part 4) - click here.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Characteristics of Plants: Pteridophytes (Part 2 of 4):

Explore Pteridophytes, a group of plants that includes ferns. This is part two of a four-part series on the characteristics of plants. 

 Check out the other tutorials in this series.

• Bryophytes (Part 1) - click .
• Gymnosperms (Part 3) - click here.
• Angiosperms (Part 4) - click here.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Characteristics of Plants: Bryophytes (Part 1 of 4):

Discover a group of plants called bryophytes, which includes mosses, liverworts andhornworts. Thisinterative tutorial is part one of a four-part series on the characteristics of plants. 

 Check out the other tutorials in this series.

• Pteridophytes (Part 2) - click .
• Gymnosperms (Part 3) - click here.
• Angiosperms (Part 4) - click here.

Type: Original Student Tutorial