Video trouble?

Discuss:

Why do you think the orchid is dying?

Video trouble?

Discuss: We have an empty square. Can you think of a plant that likes growing in lots of sunlight but little water?

missing plant

Video trouble?

Discuss:

What do you think is going to happen to the cactus if you water it every day? Why?

Video trouble?

Anchor Connection Discuss. Look at the "Wonder" column of your class See-Think-Wonder chart. Have any questions been answered by the past lesson?

Step
01/13

In the past lesson, you saw this cactus. This cactus needs very little water. Discuss. What happened when this cactus was given too much water?

Step
02/13

When this cactus had too much water, it became sick! So, all plants need some water—but it can’t be too much or too little. It has to be just right.

Step
03/13

A cactus needs very little water. A cactus can grow well in Death Valley because it is very, very dry here. The cactus gets just the right amount of water.

Step
04/13

A cactus needs very little water, but a lot of light. Very little water and a lot of light are just right for a cactus. That makes Death Valley a good place for a cactus!

Step
05/13

Death Valley is not always a good place for the superbloom flowers. These flowers need the right amount of light and water, but Death Valley usually has too much of one and not enough of the other.

Step
06/13

A few weeks after the flowers bloom, they dry up, like this. Discuss. Why do you think the flowers dry up like this in Death Valley? (Hint: think about the right amounts of water and light.)

Step
07/13

Death Valley has too much light for the flowers. All of the light makes it very hot. And there is too little water for the flowers. Too much light and heat and too little water are just wrong for the flowers.

Step
08/13

But seeds are waiting in the sand. The superbloom cycle will happen again the next time the water, light, and warmth are just right!

Step
09/13

Discuss. We know that not enough water and too much light and heat make superbloom flowers dry up and disappear. What should these students add to their sheets? How should they do it?

Step
10/13

Get your Superbloom Cycle worksheet.

Step
11/13

If you didn’t write or draw about light and heat yet, do so now. You can write words or draw pictures.

Step
12/13

If you didn’t write or draw about there not being enough water, do so now. You can write words or draw pictures.

Step
13/13

This is the last update you will make to the Superbloom Cycle worksheet! Discuss. What changes did you make to your sheet as you learned new things?

# Extensions

Below are ideas for extending this topic beyond the activity & exploration which you just completed.

Lesson Assessment and Answer Key
Reading with suggested activities: The Giant Saguaro
Activity: How a Cactus Stores Water
Activity: A Plant with a Water Tank
Web Resource: Games, activities, and information from the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Art Extension: Grassheads With Style
Distance Learning: Substitute Activity

# Extra Activity: #How a Cactus Stores Water

Using paper towels and wax paper, this simple activity shows students how the thick, waxy stems of cactus or the thick leaves of a succulent hold water.

If you have access to any succulents, bring in a few stalks and leaves. Let your students slice the leaves open and see the moist interior.

# Extra Activity: #A Plant with a Water Tank

The bromeliad, a plant that lives in the rainforest, avoids the shade of the forest floor by growing on the branches of tall trees. Living high in a tree, the bromeliad can't get its roots into the ground. So it stores water in a bowl made of its waxy leaves. This water tank is home to frogs, as you can see in this video.

The pineapple is a kind of bromeliad that you can grow and experiment with in your classroom. Find out how at this site from the Rain Forest Alliance.

# Art Extension: Grassheads With Style

At Mystery Science, we couldn't resist adding a bit of style to our grassheads. If your class would like to do the same, you'll find plenty of inspiration online. Your grasshead could wear a mohawk or a cute little bow. You can add googly eyes, pipe cleaner eyeglasses, and paper clothes. The possibilities are endless.

Here are supplies you may need:

pipe cleaners (for eye glasses)
peel-and-stick googly eyes
construction paper for "clothes"
ribbons for hair bows
scissors for grasshead barbers and stylists

# Distance Learning: Substitute Activity

If you are learning remotely, you can read about cacti and their adaptations.

Assign pages 4-14 in Prickly Plants, an Epic! digital book.

Ask students to discuss: “Why do cacti have spines?”

Ask students to draw their favorite cactus.

Image & Video Credits

Mystery Science respects the intellectual property rights of the owners of visual assets. We make every effort to use images and videos under appropriate licenses from the owner or by reaching out to the owner to get explicit permission. If you are the owner of a visual and believe we are using it without permission, please contact us—we will reply promptly and make things right.

Exploration

earth by Calvin Hamilton

Desert by Roger469

cactus by NPS.gov

Africa cactus by John Atherton

Pink orchid by Arad

orchid by Dave Clode

aloe leaves by Raul654

orchids in window by Genie Schreiner

Flying duck orchid by Peter Woodard

aloe plant orange flower by Erin Silversmith

dying/yellowing orchid by tanie51

cactus upclose by chcidoameriky.cz

making aloe vera gel by Sarit Dangmaneerat

aloe on hand by

round cactus by NPS.gov

bottle of aloe gel by Fruit of the Eart

cactus on table by Loree

Yellow orchid by H. Zell

desert plants by Maria Nikolajeva

potted cactus by cowgurl160

Boabob tree by JialiangGao www.peace-on-earth.org

Orchid seed pod by Sunil Elias

desert scene by John Morgan

ferns on forest floor by Doug Lee

water a cactus by Zdenko Zivkovic

fern leaves by Sanjay ach

orchids in a field by Fritz Flohr Reynolds

shade loving plants by Peter Herpst

field of cacti by NPS.gov

ferns and hostas by Lynne Gordon

living room by MIchelle

cactus at night (lightening) by Pete Gregiore

Grass Head from Plant Adventures Lesson 3 Students need the Grass Heads that they created in the previous lesson.	Details 1 per student
Grass Head printout Students need the Grass Head worksheets that they completed in the previous lesson.	Details 1 printout per student
Paper Plates	1 plate per student

Should you water a cactus?

Below are ideas for extending this topic beyond the activity & exploration which you just completed.

Image & Video Credits

19 mins

25 mins

1 mins

20 mins

Extend this lesson

Reading

Activity

Web Resource

Distance Learning

Transcripts

Should you water a cactus?

Below are ideas for extending this topic beyond the activity & exploration which you just completed.

Image & Video Credits

Activity Prep

Prepare To Discuss the White “Hair” Surprise

Grass Heads With Style (Optional)

Transport the Grass Heads Home (Optional)

19 mins

25 mins

1 mins

20 mins

Extend this lesson

Reading

Activity

Web Resource

Distance Learning

Transcripts

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