Topic: Horsetails and ferns

Supplementary material for use in lessons in the group of natural sciences (nature, biology, chemistry, geography, physics), additional classes, science clubs. It can serve as a resource for expanding knowledge, preparing students for science competitions.

Target group

Students of an elementary school.

Core curriculum

5. Diversity and unity of plants:

2. mosses - student:
   a) observes the representatives of mosses (photos, engravings, live specimens) and presents the features of their external structure,
   b) on the basis of the presence of characteristic features identifies the unknown organism as a representative of mosses,
   c) explains the importance of mosses in nature; plans and conducts an experiment showing the ability of mosses to absorb water;

3. fern, forklift, horsetail - student:
   a) observes the representatives of fern, forkbeard and horsetail (photos, engravings, live specimens) and presents the features of their external structure,
   b) on the basis of the presence of characteristic features, identifies the unknown organism as a representative of fern, forklift or horsetail,
   c) explains the importance of fern, forkbeard and horsetail in nature insert a formula

General aim of education

Students describe the look and environment of life of horsetails and ferns.

Key competences

• communication in foreign languages;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn.

Criteria for success
The student will learn:

• recognize ferns and horsetails;

• indicate the elements of the construction of ferns and horsetails;

• exchange environments in which ferns and creaks may appear.

Methods/techniques

• expository

  • talk.

• activating

  • discussion.

• programmed

  • with computer;

  • with e‑textbook.

• practical

  • exercices concerned.

Forms of work

• individual activity;

• activity in pairs;

• activity in groups;

• collective activity.

Teaching aids

• e‑textbook;

• notebook and crayons/felt‑tip pens;

• interactive whiteboard, tablets/computers;

• magnifying glass;

• dry specimens of horsetails;

• specimens of horsetails and ferns.

Lesson plan overview

Before classes

• Students get acquainted with the content of the abstract. They prepare to work on the lesson in such a way to be able to summarize the material read in their own words and solve the tasks themselves.

Introduction

• The teacher gives the topic, the goals of the lesson in a language understandable for the student, and the criteria of success.

Realization

• The teacher displays a photograph showing horsetail (giant horsetail) and fern (common caper). He asks students to name the plants visible on the photograph.

• The teacher uses the text of the abstract for individual work or in pairs, according to the following steps: 1) a sketchy review of the text, 2) asking questions, 3) accurate reading, 4) a summary of individual parts of the text, 5) repeating the content or reading the entire text.

• Students carry out the interactive exercises checking the level of knowledge learned during the lesson. The teacher initiates a discussion during which the correct solutions for all the exercises performed by the students are discussed.

• The teacher asks students to give the difference between the concepts: the rhizome and the stem. The chosen student gives an explanation which the students write in the notebook.

• The teacher gives the students specimens of dry shoots of summer horsetail and fern leaves. He asks them to rub the leaves between their fingers close to their ears. What do they hear? Can they explain where the name came from: creaks?.

• Students observe the construction of ferns and horsetails, compare them with illustrations in abstract. .

Summary

• The teacher asks the students to answer: Is there a chance to find a fern flower during the summer solstice?.

Homework

• Listen to the abstract recording at home. Pay attention to pronunciation, accent and intonation. Learn to pronounce the words learned during the lesson.

• Find information on which ferns and horsetails found in Poland are protected..

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

Horsetails and ferns

Ferns and horsetails are more developed plants than mosses. For example, they have stem reinforcement elements, so that they can reach higher heights. Ferns and horsetails have roots supplying them with water and mineral salts from the ground. These plants produce rhizome, or underground stems. In fern rhizomes leaves grow – the only elements of the plants that are above the surface. Young fern leavesi (fertile leaves) they are characteristically spiral‑shaped or rolled up. On the underside of the leaves there are sporangia spreading spores. From them arises another generation of ferns.

The horsetails differ in appearance from the ferns. From the rhizomes sprout stems, in which at regular intervals sprout branches covered with small scaly leaves. Horsetails produce sporangia in special ears located at the tops of the stems.

Ferns and horsetail in our country usually reach no more than 1.5 meters in height. They grow better in a warm and humid climate, where they can reach the size of small trees.

Horsetail has even lower requirements than ferns. Some of them grow in fields and dry meadows, and even on sandy embankments. Horsetails are also grown. Extracts from various parts of horsetails – thanks to their properties – they are used in medicine and cosmetics. An infusion of horsetail strengthens hair and nails and helps with kidney disease.
Horsetails may release numerous shoots from rhizomes developing underground. These rhizomes often grow at a depth of 0.5 to over 1 meter. That is why horsetail is extremely resistant to treatments used in agriculture.

• Ferns and horsetails are made of roots, underground stem (rhizomes) and leaves.

• Horsetail can grow in dry places.