Topic: Strengthening tissues

Target group

5th‑grade students of elementary school

Core curriculum

5. Variety and unity of plants:

1) plant tissues - the pupil observes and recognizes (under a microscope, in the diagram, in the picture or on the basis of the description) plant tissues and indicates their adaptive features to perform specific functions (creative, covering, parenchyma, strengthening, conductive tissue);

General aim of education

Students describe the structure and functions of strengthening tissues

Key competences

• communication in foreign languages;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn.

Criteria for success
The student will learn:

• recognize plant tissues;

• discuss the basic functions of individual plant tissues;

• show the relationship between the structure of tissues and the function they perform;

• to observe microscopic observation of plant tissues.

Methods/techniques

• expository

  • talk.

• activating

  • discussion.

• exposing

  • exposition.

• 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;

• grass stalks;

• leaf petioles;;

• equipment and utensils for microscopy;

• pear flesh;

• magnifying glass;

• microscope.

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 explains the aim of the lesson and together with students determines the success criteria to be achieved.

Realization

• The teacher asks students to read the given fragment of the abstract and try to remember its content. Then the participants, working in pairs, ask each other about the knowledge of the fragment.

• The teacher divides the class into groups. Each team receives blades of different grasses. Students' task is to break or break them, look under the microscope, and then identify the tissue that gives the plants stiffness.

• The lecturer distributes the magnifying glass and pieces of celery petioles to the pupils. He asks students to indicate on their cross‑section the epidermis, parenchyma and strengthening tissue. He asks, then you can get to know the last of these tissues.

• Participants familiarize themselves with the content presented in the interactive illustration „Histology of wooden stem”. Then the teacher discusses the issues with the students..

• Together with the teacher, the students make a note about the relationship between the structure and function of the colenchyma and sclerenchyma.

• The students perform Experiment 1, write in notebooks observations and conclusions.

Summary

• The teacher asks students to carry out the recommended interactive exercise themselves.

• At the end of the lesson the teacher asks: If there was going to be a test on the material we have covered today, what questions do you think would you have to answer? If the students do not manage to name all the most important questions, the teacher may complement their suggestions.

Homework

• Make at home a note from the lesson using the sketchnoting method.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

Strengthening tissues

Strengthening tissues (supporting tissues) give the plant rigidity and flexibility. This is especially important for those terrestrial plants that reach large sizes. There are two types of strengthening tissues: collenchyma and sclerenchyma. Colenchyma occurs in young, quickly growing parts of plants, like petioles and stems. It is made of living, elongated cells that form closely to each other. Their cell walls are strengthened by uneven thickening (the largest in the cell angles), which increases the plant's resistance to tearing. Sclerenchyma occurs in the grown‑up, older parts of plants. It is made of dead cells with thick, woody walls. The shape of the cells depends on their location in the plant. Heavily elongated and pointed fibers are found in flax and hemp stalks. Small, irregular sclereids can be found in pear fruit, nut shell or fruit seeds.

• The body of plants is filled with tissues, i.e. assemblies of cells with a similar structure specialized to perform specific functions.

• Strengthening tissues give the plant stems rigidity and flexibility.