SC15.5.8

Science (2015) Grade(s): 5

SC15.5.8
Defend the position that plants obtain materials needed for growth primarily from air and water.

Unpacked Content

Scientific and Engineering Practices

Engaging in Argument from Evidence

Crosscutting Concepts

Energy and Matter

Knowledge

Students know:

How plants obtain nutrients.
How to measure growth of a plant.

Skills

Students are able to:

Collect and analyze evidence about plant growth.
Determine whether evidence supports the claim that plants do not acquire most of the material for growth from soil.
Use reasoning to connect the evidence to support the claim. A chain of reasoning should include the following:
- During plant growth in soil, the weight of the soil changes very little over time, but the weight of the plant changes a lot. Additionally, some plants grow without soil at all.
- Because some plants don't need soil to grow, and others show increases in plant matter but not accompanying decreases in soil matter, the material from the soil must not enter the plant in sufficient quantities to be the chief contributor to plant growth.
- Therefore, plants do not acquire most of the material fro growth from soil.
- A plant cannot grow without water or air. Because both air and water are matter and are transported into the plant system, they can provide the materials plants need for growth.
- Since soil cannot account for the change in weight as a plant grows and since plants take in water and air, both of which could contribute to the increase in weight during plant growth, plant growth must come chiefly from water and air.

Understanding

Students understand that:

Matter, including air and water, is transported into, out of, and within plant systems.

Vocabulary

claim
evidence
hydroponic

Aligned Learning Resources

What Does Life Require?

Hydroponics: Can Plants Grow Without Soil?

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Steve Trash Science: Plants/Wicked Waves of Sound

Design by Adaptive Theme