I Get Around
Summary
Students examine seeds and perform tests to see how weed seeds disperse.
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to:
- Explain how some weeds arrived in New Zealand.
- Describe three ways weeds spread to new areas
- Explain two ways to prevent weeds from spreading.
Suggested prior lessons
- What is a weed?
- Cultivating weeds
Curriculum Connections
Science Levels 3-7
Vocabulary/concepts
weed, introduced, dispersal, seed, vegetative reproduction, rhizome, runner
Time
1 ½ - 2 hours over several weeks
Materials
- old socks (1 per student)
- collection of seeds (for“Blowin’ in the wind”)
- copies of “Blowin’ in the wind”
- calculation sheet
- potting mix, trays or pots
- paper towels
- large plastic zipper bags
- plant rhizomes (e.g.: twitch or yarrow)