Download PLANT AND ANIMAL SYSTEMS

Key Concepts in Science
PLANT AND ANIMAL
SYSTEMS
TEACHER GUIDE
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
PLANT AND ANIMAL SYSTEMS: CONTENTS
Student handouts are at the back of the Teacher Guide.
Correlation to Standards ............................................................................................................................. 3-4
Sally Ride Science Teacher Guides................................................................................................................. 5
Plant and Animal Systems: About the Book .................................................................................................. 6
Getting Started: In Your World .........................................................................................................................7
Preview Plant and Animal Systems, read the introduction, and discuss key concepts.
Chapter 1: Plant Systems ............................................................................................................................ 8-9
Model making a spider map of science vocabulary, read Chapter 1, and discuss key concepts in the chapter.
Students: Chapter 1 handout
Chapter 2: Animal Systems ............................................................................................................................ 10
Model taking notes as you read, read Chapter 2, and prepare an oral presentation.
Students: Chapter 2 handout
Thinking Like a Scientist............................................................................................................................ 11-12
Read Thinking Like a Scientist and answer the questions about heart rates in different animals.
Students: Thinking Like a Scientist handout
Read Chapter 3: Comparing Plant and Animal Systems ............................................................................. 13
Model summarizing with a two-column chart, read Chapter 3, and discuss key concepts in the chapter.
Students: Chapter 3 handout
Science Poster ................................................................................................................................................ 14
Make a poster comparing the body systems of a flowering plant and vertebrate animal.
Students: Science Poster handout
How Do We Know?
> Read How Do We Know? ........................................................................................................................ 15
Read about biologist Nathan Muchhala and answer the questions.
Students: How Do We Know? handout
> Invention Connection .............................................................................................................................. 16
Devise a way to measure a giraffe’s height indirectly.
Students: Invention Connection handout
> Write a Science Article ........................................................................................................................... 17
Write about Nathan Muchhala’s discovery of a new bat species that pollinates a long-stemmed flower.
Students: Write a Science Article handout
Study Guide: Hey, I Know That! ................................................................................................................ 18-19
Complete the study guide questions.
Students: Hey, I Know That! handout
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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CORRELATION TO STANDARDS
Correlation to Science Standards
For information on alignment to state science standards and NGSS, visit
https://sallyridescience.com/learning-products/product-standards
Correlation to Common Core
Sally Ride Science’s Key Concepts and Cool Careers book series provide students with authentic literacy experiences
aligned to Common Core in the areas of Reading (informational text), Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language
as outlined in Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies,
Science, and Technical Subjects. Plant and Animal Systems: Similar Solutions for Life and the accompanying
activities align to the following standards:
Reading Standards for Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects 6-12 (RST)
Grades 6-8
Key Ideas and Details
1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts.
2. Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; provide an accurate summary of the text distinct from prior
knowledge or opinions.
Craft and Structure
4. Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in
a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 6-8 texts and topics.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
7. Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information
expressed visually (e.g., in a flowchart, diagram, model, graph, or table).
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
10.By the end of grade 8, read and comprehend science/technical texts in the grades 6-8 text complexity band
independently and proficiently.
Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science,
and Technical Subjects 6-12 (WHST)
Grades 6-8
Text Types and Purposes
1. Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content. a.-e.
2. Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/
experiments, or technical processes. b., d., f.
Production and Distribution of Writing
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
7. Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several
sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.
8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the
credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while
avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
9. Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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CORRELATION TO STANDARDS
Range of Writing
10.Write routinely over extended time frames (time for reflection and revision) and shorter time frames (a single
sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Speaking and Listening Standards 6-12 (SL)
Grades 6-8
Comprehension and Collaboration
1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse
partners on grade 6, grade 7, and grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their
own clearly. a.-d.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
4. Present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically and using pertinent descriptions, facts, and details to
accentuate main ideas or themes; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.
Grade 6
Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with pertinent
descriptions, facts, details, and examples; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear
pronunciation. Grade 7
Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with relevant evidence,
sound valid reasoning, and well-chosen details; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear
pronunciation. Grade 8
Language Standards 6-12 (L)
Grades 6-8
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 6, grade
7, and grade 8 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. a.-d.
6. Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather
vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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SALLY RIDE SCIENCE TEACHER GUIDES
The Sally Ride Science Key Concepts in Science and Cool Careers book series are available as print books
and eBooks.* A Teacher Guide accompanies each of the 36 Key Concepts books and 12 Cool Careers books.
More information: sallyridescience.com/learning-products
*Book pages pictured in the Teacher Guides are from eBook editions. Some pages in the print books have different images or layouts.
Cool Careers
Cool Careers in Biotechnology
Cool Careers in Earth Sciences
Cool Careers in Engineering (Upper Elementary)
Cool Careers in Engineering (Middle School)
Cool Careers in Environmental Sciences (Upper Elementary)
Cool Careers in Environmental Sciences (Middle School)
Key Concepts in Science
Adaptations
Biodiversity
The Biosphere
Cells
Earth’s Air
Earth’s Climate
Earth’s Energy
Earth’s Natural Resources
Earth’s Water
Elements and Compounds
Energy Basics
Energy Transformations
Cool Careers in Green Chemistry
Cool Careers in Information Sciences
Cool Careers in Math
Cool Careers in Medical Sciences
Cool Careers in Physics
Cool Careers in Space Sciences
Flowering Plants
Food Webs
Forces
Genetics
Geologic Time
Gravity
Heat
Life Cycles
Light
Motion
Organic Molecules
Photosynthesis and Respiration
Physical Properties of Matter
Plant and Animal Systems
Plate Tectonics
The Rock Cycle
Solids, Liquids, and Gases
Sound
Space Exploration
Sun, Earth, and Moon
Units of Measurement
Vertebrates
The Water Cycle
Weathering and Erosion
Sally Ride Science provides professional development and classroom tools to build students’
passion for STEM fields and careers. Founded by Dr. Sally Ride, America’s first woman in space,
the company brings science to life for upper-elementary and middle school students.
Visit us at SALLYRIDESCIENCE.COM for more information.
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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PLANT AND ANIMAL SYSTEMS: Similar Solutions for Life
About the Book
Plant and Animal Systems: Similar Solutions for Life guides students to an understanding that plants and
animals have much in common—in fact, they are more alike than different. Because flowering plants and vertebrate
animals face many of the same challenges in staying alive, they have evolved analogous body systems that carry
out the functions of life—breaking down food, transporting nutrients and water, exchanging gases, and coordinating
activities, among others. At the end of each two-page spread, a brief statement called The Bottom Line sums up the
key ideas covered in those pages.
In Your World sparks students’ interest and curiosity by comparing the largest living things in Africa—African
elephants and baobab trees. This intriguing example sets the stage for the rest of the book by getting students to
think about how similar body systems keep these giant organisms alive.
Chapter 1 describes how dermal, ground, and vascular tissues, composed of specialized cells, make up the organs
of a plant—the roots, stems, and leaves. The chapter explains how these organs work together as systems, such as
a food-making system and a food distribution system. Students learn that plants carry out both photosynthesis and
cellular respiration. They use hormones to sense and respond to the environment and to control reproduction.
Chapter 2 focuses on the tissues, organs, and systems in animals. The chapter describes various animal systems,
including the digestive system, circulatory system, respiratory system, and skeletal system. Students learn that the
nervous system and endocrine system function as control systems in the body.
Thinking Like a Scientist explores how scientists collect, organize, and analyze data. Students reorganize and
interpret science data, presented in a table, to determine how an animal’s heart rate is related to its size.
Chapter 3 compares the systems of a eucalyptus tree to those of a koala. This comparison allows students to
deepen their understanding of how similar the body systems of flowering plants and vertebrates are.
How Do We Know? focuses on Nathan Muchhala, a biologist who discovered a new species of bat in Ecuador and its
connection to a long, trumpet-shaped flower. Then in Invention Connection, students apply what they have read about
Nathan’s research methods to brainstorm ideas for how to indirectly measure a giraffe’s height.
Hey, I Know That! allows students to assess their own learning through a variety of assessment tasks about the key
concepts covered in Plant and Animal Systems.
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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PLANT AND ANIMAL SYSTEMS: GETTING STARTED
In Your World
Preview the book
Ask students to browse through Plant and Animal Systems, looking at the cover, table
of contents, chapter titles, special features, photos, and diagrams. Explain that paying
attention to these features will give students clues about the text.
Read In Your World (pages 4 and 5) and discuss key concepts
Tell students to read In Your World. Then ask,
What are some of the challenges both plants and animals face in order to stay alive?
[Sample answers: They both need ways to get food, oxygen, and water; to break down food
for energy; to protect themselves; to coordinate their activities; and to reproduce. Plants
also need ways to take in sunlight.]
Have students write their ideas in their science notebooks. Have them share their ideas in
pairs and perhaps revise their answers. Call on two or three students to share their ideas
with the class. Then ask,
What can plants sense about their surroundings?
Have student pairs discuss their ideas. Then call on two or three students to share their
ideas with the class. Tell students they will learn more about how plants respond to their
surroundings as they read Chapter 1.
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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PLANT AND ANIMAL SYSTEMS: CHAPTER 1
Plant Systems
Read Chapter 1: Plant Systems
Before reading: Model learning vocabulary with a spider map
Tell students to go to page 6 of Plant and Animal Systems and browse through Chapter 1:
Plant Systems. Tell them to take notice of words that are new to them. Explain that one way
to help learn science vocabulary is to make a spider map for each term or group of related
terms. Give students the Chapter 1 handout and point out that it has a space for making a
spider map of key terms in Chapter 1.
Call on a student to read aloud the text on page 6. Then model a spider map by writing the
term tissues on the board and drawing a circle around it. Draw four lines radiating from the
main circle. Say,
These lines may include a short definition of the word, examples, or other supporting
details.
On one line, write the definition of tissue—A group of similar cells with a common structure
and function. Say,
The other three lines are for the three main types of plant tissue. What terms should I write
on these three lines?
Listen to students’ responses and write the three types of tissue—
dermal tissue, ground tissue, vascular tissue.
Draw two horizontal lines at the end of the dermal tissue line and tell
students those lines are for more details about dermal tissue. At this
point, have students copy the information into the spider map on their
handouts. Tell students that as they read, they should complete the
spider map for each tissue type.
Read Chapter 1: Plant Systems (pages 6-13)
Ask students to read Chapter 1: Plant Systems. As they read, they should
take notes on their handouts and add to the spider map about the
different kinds of tissue.
After reading: Elaborate on key ideas
After students read Chapter 1, say,
We learned that dermal tissue forms the outer surfaces of plants. Do
animals have anything like that? [Animals have epithelial tissue, such as
skin, which protects body surfaces both inside and out.]
Ground tissue makes up most of a plant’s body. Do animals have
anything like that? [Animals’ bodies are made up of muscle, bone, and
other tissues.]
SCIENCE BACKGROUND
Plants, like all organisms, respond to
stimuli in their environment in order to
survive and grow. For example, plants
respond to gravity by growing their roots
downward and their stems upward. This
response ensures that a plant’s roots will
be able to seek out water and nutrients that
collect in the ground, and that its leaves
and other green parts will be exposed to
sunlight so photsynthesis can occur. Plants
also respond to stimuli of light and touch.
Seasonal changes bring another set of
stimuli that plants respond to. For example,
in temperate climates, deciduous trees,
such as maples, respond to the shorter
periods of daylight and cooler temperatures
of fall and winter by shedding their leaves.
The trees become dormant and stop
growing, so they require less energy during
the time (winter) when it is least available.
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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PLANT AND ANIMAL SYSTEMS: CHAPTER 1
Plant Systems
Vascular tissue forms long tubes that carry water and other substances through a plant. Does an animal have
anything like that? [An animal has a circulatory system, including blood vessels that carry nutrients, water, and other
substances to the animal’s cells.]
Allow students to share their ideas. Then tell them that in Chapter 2, they will read about how animal systems are
similar to plant systems.
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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PLANT AND ANIMAL SYSTEMS: CHAPTER 2
Animal Systems
Read Chapter 2: Animal Systems
Before reading: Model taking notes
Before students read Chapter 2 of Plant and Animal Systems, model taking notes. Have
students turn to page 14. Call on a student to read aloud the first paragraph. Then say,
This first paragraph is introductory text. I don’t see anything that I should write down. But I
do want to keep this egg-tadpole-frog example in mind as I read on.
Then have a student read the second paragraph. Model how to figure out the gist of the
information:
This paragraph is telling me some ways that plants and animals are alike. So in my notes,
I’ll write, Plants and animals begin life as a single cell that divides again and again. I’ll also
write, Animal cells, like plants cells, become specialized and form different tissues.
Explain to students that the goal of taking notes is to summarize what is important and
how ideas relate to each other. Point out that notes can consist of outlines, concept maps,
sketches, or combinations of words and diagrams—whatever makes the notes meaningful.
Give students the handout for Chapter 2. Tell students that using it while reading Chapter 2
will help develop their note-taking skills. Encourage them to revise their notes from Chapter
1 if they think they can improve them.
Read Chapter 2: Animal Systems (pages 14-19)
Ask students to read Chapter 2: Animal Systems and take notes
on their handouts as they read. Note that the handout has a
place for them to illustrate important ideas from their notes with
drawings or diagrams.
After reading: Prepare and deliver oral presentations
Reinforce the idea that body systems work together to keep the
whole organism healthy and alive. Divide students into groups
of three or four, and have each group identify an example of
body systems that work together to carry out life functions. For
example, the muscular system and the skeletal system work
together to move all or parts of the body.
SCIENCE BACKGROUND
In most animals, combinations of various tissues
make up organs, and groups of organs that work
together form organ systems. For example, the
human circulatory system consists of a heart,
blood vessels, and blood, and each is composed of
different types of tissues. The circulatory system’s
main job is to transport nutrients, gases, and
other substances throughout the body. But the
circulatory system doesn’t work alone—its efforts
are coordinated with all of the other organ systems.
Nutrients absorbed by the digestive system are
carried by blood vessels to all the cells in the body.
The heart that pumps the blood through the blood
vessels depends on nutrients absorbed by the
digestive system and on oxygen taken in from the air
or water by the respiratory system. So any animal is
a coordinated living whole greater than the sum of
its parts.
Have each group create a one-minute oral presentation that
tells their classmates which systems they chose, how the
systems work together, and what function the systems perform
for the whole animal. [Sample topics: The digestive system and
the circulatory system work together to bring nutrients to cells.
The circulatory system and respiratory system work together to
bring oxygen to cells—to use for cellular respiration—and to remove carbon dioxide—waste. The endocrine system
and reproductive system work together to allow animals to reproduce.]
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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PLANT AND ANIMAL SYSTEMS: THINKING LIKE A SCIENTIST
Comparing Heart Rates
Read Thinking Like a Scientist (pages 20-21) and answer the questions
Ask students to read Thinking Like a Scientist. Give them the Thinking Like a Scientist
handout and tell them to use it to answer the questions on page 21. Have students work in
pairs to discuss the questions and come to agreement on the answers. Then ask each pair
to go through one question and show how they arrived at their answer.
Interpreting Data
This table shows the weights and heart rates of six different animals.
ANSWER KEY
1. Which animal has the fastest heart rate? Which animal has
the slowest? [A hamster has the fastest heart rate, at 450
beats per minute. A horse has the slowest, at 44 beats per
minute.]
2. How many times faster is a hamster’s heart rate than a
cow’s? [The hamster’s heart rate of 450 beats per minute
is 7.5 times as fast as the cow’s heart rate of 60 beats per
minute. (450 ÷ 60 = 7.5)]
SCIENCE BACKGROUND
A pulse is the rhythmic stretching of blood vessels
leading away from the heart. The pulse is caused
by the pressure of blood being pushed out of the
heart’s left ventricle with each heartbeat. Thus, you
can measure the pulse to find the heart rate, or
how fast the heart is beating. Heart rate is usually
determined by measuring the pulse for 10 seconds,
then multiplying by 6 to get the number of beats per
minute. The average adult human heart rate ranges
from 70 to 90 beats per minute. It is lower during
sleep; it is higher during exercise, due to the body’s
greater need for oxygen and nutrients.
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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PLANT AND ANIMAL SYSTEMS: THINKING LIKE A SCIENTIST
Comparing Heart Rates
3. Reorder the animals in the table from the one that weighs the least to the one that weighs the most. Study their
heart rates. Do these data confirm what the scientists discovered about the relationship between animal weight
and heart rate? Why or why not?
[Animals’ (in order of size) heart rates:
Horse: 44 beats per minute (bpm)
Cow: 60 bpm
Dog: 100 bpm
Rabbit: 205 bpm
Chicken: 300 bpm
Hamster: 450 bpm
Yes, rearranging the chart shows that the more an animal weighs, the lower its heart rate, and the less an animal
weights, the faster its heart rate.]
4. Where would you expect an African elephant to fit into the table? Explain your answer. [Sample answer: I would
expect the heart rate of an elephant to be significantly slower than that of a horse because an elephant weighs a
lot more than a horse. On page 5, it says that an adult male African elephant can weigh 5,455 kg. (The actual heart
rate of an elephant is 28 to 30 beats per minute.)]
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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PLANT AND ANIMAL SYSTEMS: CHAPTER 3
Comparing Plant and Animal Systems
Read Chapter 3: Comparing Plant and Animal Systems
Before reading: Model summarizing with a two-column chart
Before students read Chapter 3: Comparing Plant and Animal Systems, give them the
Chapter 3 handout. Tell them that the chapter compares the body systems of a eucalyptus
tree and a koala. Point out that the handout has a space to summarize key points of the
comparison by filling in a two-column chart.
Draw a two-column chart on the board. Write Eucalyptus tree above one column and Koala
above the other column. To the left near the top of the chart, write Framework. Then call on
a student to read aloud the last paragraph on page 22 and the first paragraph on page 23.
Ask,
What can we write in each column of our chart to compare the frameworks of the
eucalyptus and the koala?
Listen to students’ responses and then write the gist of their ideas in each column.
[Eucalyptus: A framework of supporting tissue keeps the tree upright. Koala: A framework of
bones keeps the koala’s body upright.]
Instruct students to copy the framework comparison in the two-column chart on their
handouts. Tell them to continue adding to the chart the comparisons that the chapter draws
between the eucalyptus and koala. Explain that the completed chart will be a summary of
Chapter 3 and a good study tool.
Read Chapter 3: Comparing Plant and Animal Systems (pages 22-25)
Ask students to read Chapter 3. As they read, they should take notes on their handouts and complete the two-column
chart comparing the body systems of a eucalyptus and a koala.
After reading: Discuss students’ two-column charts
After students finish reading Chapter 3, call on them to share the comparisons they recorded in their two-column
charts. Call on a different student to explain each comparison.
How do the koala and the eucalyptus exchange gases for cell respiration? [The koala breathes in oxygen for cell
respiration and breathes out carbon dioxide and water vapor, the waste products of cell respiration. The eucalyptus
tree takes in oxygen through tiny openings in its leaf structures for cell respiration. Carbon dioxide and water vapor
exit through the same openings.]
How do the koala and the eucalyptus respond to their surroundings? [The koala uses its nervous system when it
sniffs out tasty leaves. The eucalyptus may respond to its surroundings by producing bad-tasting substances to
discourage an animal from eating its leaves.]
How do the koala and the eucalyptus get the energy they need? [The koala’s digestive system breaks down the
leaves it eats into smaller nutrients. The circulatory system delivers these nutrients to cells. They are broken down,
with the help of oxygen, during cell respiration to release energy that powers everything the koala does. Meanwhile,
the eucalyptus makes its own food. Special cells inside its leaves use the Sun’s energy to carry out photosynthesis.
This produces sugars that are carried by the tree’s vascular system to every cell. Cell respiration releases the energy
in the sugars in a form that the tree’s cells can use.]
How do the koala and the eucalyptus make more of their own kind? [The tree drops fruits full of seeds. These seeds
will grow into new eucalyptus trees. The koala gives birth to a baby koala that will grow into an adult koala.]
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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PLANT AND ANIMAL SYSTEMS
Create a Science Poster
Compare a plant and an animal
Give student the Create a Science Poster handout for Plant
and Animal Systems. Tell them they will think of their favorite
flowering plant and vertebrate animal and then make a science
poster that compares the body systems of these two living
things. If time permits, allow students to do some research on
the Internet about the plant and animal they choose.
Tell students to come up with a catchy title and to create an
engaging poster with drawings, diagrams, labels, and captions.
Invite students to use their posters to explain to the class how
the body systems of the two different living things help them
survive in their environments.
The handout has a space for students to design their posters.
Give them poster board and colored pencils or markers so they
can create their final posters.
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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PLANT AND ANIMAL SYSTEMS: HOW DO WE KNOW?
Meet biologist Nathan Muchhala
Read How Do We Know? (pages 26-29)
Give students the How Do We Know? handout for Plant and Animal Systems. Have them
look at the questions on the handout for the first section, The Issue (page 26). Then have
them read that section and answer the questions. Have them complete the rest of the
sections (The Expert, page 27; In the Field, page 28; Technology, page 29) in the same way.
Then go over each question as a class. Call on two or three students to share their answers
to each question.
ANSWER KEY
1. How do the photos on page 26, shown here, help support what the science writer
explained about the connection between pollinators and flowers? [The photos
provide a visual example of how birds, bats, or insects and the flowers they
pollinate may be shaped to fit each other.]
2. How did the science writer use examples to help you understand that species
can get locked in an evolutionary race? [First the writer provided a general
explanation of how relationships can develop, and then she used the specific
example of the trumpet-shaped flower and the bats developing longer tongues.]
3. How did Nathan become interested in studying the relationship between flowers
and bats? [Nathan always liked to explore the woods. He also liked biology in
school. Then he helped a friend study bats in Ecuador.]
4. Why do you think Nathan works at night to capture the bats he is studying? [The
bats are nocturnal, which means they are active at night.]
5. How did Nathan use technology to help confirm his hypothesis? [Nathan used
a microscope to look at the shape of the pollen grains on the bat’s fur. They
matched the pollen grains produced by the long-tubed flower.]
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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PLANT AND ANIMAL SYSTEMS: INVENTION CONNECTION
A Tall Measure
Do the Investigation Connection activity
Give students the Invention Connection handout. Have them work in pairs to
develop a plan for indirectly measuring the height of a giraffe. The handout has
a place for students to sketch their planned measurement method and write an
explanation.
Invention Connection: A Tall Measure
Imagine you’re a biologist. You want to find out the height of a giraffe without
capturing and directly measuring it. You read how Nathan Muchhala used a test
tube of nectar to indirectly measure the length of a bat’s tongue. You also know
giraffes like to nibble leaves that grow high up on acacia trees. Discuss with a
partner how you could apply that knowledge to indirectly measure the giraffe’s
height, using Nathan’s work for inspiration.
ANSWER KEY
[Students’ methods of indirectly measuring the height of a giraffe may vary, but
they should include measuring the highest point at which leaves have been eaten
from the acacia tree, then subtracting the length of the giraffe’s head to account
for the giraffe reaching up to grasp the highest leaves.]
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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PLANT AND ANIMAL SYSTEMS
Write a Science Article
A Special Relationship
Give students the Write a Science Article handout. They will write a
science article about Nathan Muchhala’s discovery of the special
relationship between a long-tubed flower and a previously unknown
bat species.
If time permits, allow students to watch a video about Nathan’s
discovery:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/06/120611-battongue-video-untamed-americas-science-longest/
Students can base their article on information in How Do We Know?,
on pages 26-29 of Plant and Animal Systems. Here are some tips on
writing a science article:
> Come up with a headline that identifies the topic.
> Write an introduction, or “lead,” that grabs readers’ attention.
> Keep in mind the 5W’s and H—who, what, when, where, why,
and how.
> Include facts that are interesting, odd, or funny.
> Write a conclusion that connects the main ideas of the article. © 2015 Sally Ride Science
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PLANT AND ANIMAL SYSTEMS: HEY, I KNOW THAT!
Study Guide
Complete the Hey, I Know That! study guide (page 30)
Give students the Hey, I Know That! handout and tell them to use it to answer the questions
on page 30 of Plant and Animal Systems. Have pairs of students discuss their answers
and note any misunderstandings they may have. Then have students share and refine their
answers in small groups. Finally, have groups share their answers with the class and clarify
any misunderstandings.
ANSWER KEY
1. How are a plant’s vascular system and photosynthesis connected? (pages 8-9)
[During photosynthesis, a plant captures energy from sunlight. Special cells in the
plant’s leaves use that energy to change carbon dioxide from the air and water from
the soil into food—sugar, to be exact. This process also produces oxygen, which is
released into the air. The plant’s vascular tissues form a network of tubes that transport
water and nutrients through the plant. There are two types of these transport tubes.
One kind moves water and minerals up from the roots, so it supplies the water that is
needed for photosynthesis. The other kind of transport tube moves the sugar produced
by photosynthesis in the leaves to all of a plant’s other parts. The vascular system and
photosynthesis work together so that every cell in a plant gets the food and water
it needs.]
2. What happens during cell respiration in plants and animals? Make
a circular diagram that shows the key events. (page 10) [See the
diagram on page 10, shown here. In cell (or cellular) respiration,
an animal takes in oxygen from the air and sugars from food. The
animal’s cells use the oxygen in reactions to break down sugar
molecules to produce energy for everything the animal does.
This cell respiration produces carbon dioxide, which the animal
releases into the air when it exhales, and water. A plant carries on
a complementary process—photosynthesis. It uses energy from
sunlight, carbon dioxide from the air, and water from the soil to
produce sugars for food. This process releases oxygen into the
air. But at the same time, a plant also conducts cell respiration
just as an animal does. It takes in oxygen and uses it in reactions
to release the energy stored in sugars. As a result of this cell
respiration, the plant releases carbon dioxide and water.]
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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PLANT AND ANIMAL SYSTEMS: HEY, I KNOW THAT!
Study Guide
3. Make a circular diagram that shows the important
parts in the life of a flowering plant. Start and end
with a seed. (page 13) [See the illustration at right
of a tomato plant’s life cycle. The diagram should
show that a plant’s life cycle goes from a seed to
a plant to flower to fruit and back to a seed again.]
4. Look at the thorny devil lizard, shown here. How
do its circulatory and respiratory systems work
together to bring oxygen to its cells and carry
carbon dioxide away? (pages 17-18) [When the
lizard breathes, its lungs, which are part of its
respiratory system, take in oxygen (O2) from
the air. The lizard’s blood, part of its circulatory
system, carries the oxygen from the lungs to
the lizard’s cells. The cells use the oxygen to
break down sugars to produce energy to power
everything that the lizard does. As a product of
cell respiration, carbon dioxide (CO2) is released.
The lizard’s blood carries this CO2 back to the
lungs, where it is released into the air.]
5. Write a paragraph describing how an elephant
and a redwood tree support their enormous
weight. Why do both the redwood tree and the
elephant need internal transport systems? What
are those systems in plants and in animals?
(pages 22-25) [Sample paragraph: A redwood
tree and an elephant are enormous organisms
that need strong support structures to keep
them standing tall. They also both need internal
transport systems to carry nutrients to all of their cells and carry away waste products. In the elephant, the
support system includes the skeletal system, connective tissue, and muscular system. In the redwood tree, the
support system includes the hard vascular tissue that makes up the tree trunk’s core, the tough bark that protects
and supports the outside of the tree, and the thick roots that anchor the tree deep in the soil. The elephant’s
internal transport system includes the respiratory system, which brings in oxygen from the air for cell respiration
and releases carbon dioxide, a waste product of cell respiration. The elephant’s circulatory system uses blood to
carry nutrients to all of its cells and to carry away waste products. The redwood tree’s internal transport system
includes its vascular system, the system of transport tubes that move water and minerals up from its roots. This
transport system also moves sugar, which is made in leaves during photosynthesis and dissolved in water, to all of
a plant’s other parts.]
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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Key Concepts in Science
PLANT AND ANIMAL
SYSTEMS
STUDENT
HANDOUTS
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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PLANT AND ANIMAL SYSTEMS • Chapter 1
Plant Systems: Notes for Chapter 1
As you read each section of Chapter 1, write down the most important information you come across. Resist the urge to
write down everything that you read. Instead, focus on the big ideas, or gist, of what you are reading.
ROOTS, STEMS, AND LEAVES
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ON TO ORGANS
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A FOOD-MAKING SYSTEM
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TUBES AND TRANSPORT
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THE BIG BREAKDOWN
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LEAN ON ME
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© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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PLANT AND ANIMAL SYSTEMS • Chapter 1
SENSING AND RESPONDING
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MAKING MORE
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PICTURE THIS
Review your notes for Chapter 1. Summarize your notes by making a spider map of important vocabulary terms in the
chapter. Start with a circle labeled Tissue. On the four lines radiating out from the main circle, write a definition of tissue
and the three types of plant tissue. On the horizontal lines, write details about each kind of tissue.
PUT IT ALL TOGETHER
Use your notes and spider map to help you identify and list the most important ideas—the key concepts—in Chapter 1.
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© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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PLANT AND ANIMAL SYSTEMS • Chapter 2
Animal Systems: Notes for Chapter 2
As you read each section of Chapter 2, write down the most important information you come across. Resist the urge to
write down everything that you read. Instead, focus on the big ideas, or gist, of what you are reading.
FITTED OUT FOR SURVIVAL
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GETTING ORGAN-IZED
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THE NEED TO EAT
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A SPEEDY DELIVERY
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O2 IN, CO2 OUT
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ON THE MOVE
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© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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PLANT AND ANIMAL SYSTEMS • Chapter 2
LET’S COORDINATE
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PICTURE THIS
Review your notes for Chapter 2. Summarize your notes by developing diagrams or drawings with labels and captions to
represent two or three of the key ideas in the chapter.
PUT IT ALL TOGETHER
Use your notes and drawings or diagrams to help you identify and list the most important ideas—the key concepts—in
Chapter 2.
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© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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PLANT AND ANIMAL SYSTEMS • Thinking Like a Scientist
Thinking Like a Scientist: Comparing Heart Rates
Read Thinking Like a Scientist on pages
20-21 of Plant and Animal Systems. Then
use the information on the pages and in
the table to answer the questions.
Interpreting Data
This table shows the weights and heart
rates of six different animals.
1. Which animal has the fastest heart
rate? Which animal has the slowest?
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2. How many times faster is a hamster’s heart rate than a cow’s?
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3. Reorder the animals in the table from the one that weighs the least to the one that weighs the most. Study their heart
rates. Do these data confirm what the scientists discovered about the relationship between animal weight and heart
rate? Why or why not?
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Animal
Weight
Average heart rate
4. Where would you expect an African elephant to fit into the table? Explain your answer.
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© 2015 Sally Ride Science
PLANT AND ANIMAL SYSTEMS • Chapter 3
Plant and Animal Systems: Notes for Chapter 3
As you read each section of Chapter 3, write down the most important information you come across. Resist the urge to
write down everything that you read. Instead, focus on the big ideas, or gist, of what you are reading.
SIDE BY SIDE
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THE ENDLESS EXCHANGE
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FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD
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A NEW GENERATION
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© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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PLANT AND ANIMAL SYSTEMS • Chapter 3
PICTURE THIS
Summarize Chapter 3 by making a two-column chart comparing the body systems of a eucalyptus tree and a koala.
Eucalyptus tree
Koala
Framework
Cell respiration
Responding to surroundings
Getting energy
Reproduction
PUT IT ALL TOGETHER
Use your notes and two-column chart to help you identify and list the most important ideas—the key concepts—in
Chapter 3.
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© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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PLANT AND ANIMAL SYSTEMS • Create a Science Poster
Create a Science Poster: Compare a Plant and an Animal
Think of your favorite flowering plant and vertebrate animal. Make a science poster that compares the body systems of
these two living things. Your poster should have a catchy title. Include drawings, diagrams, labels, and captions.
Here are some possible areas in which to compare the two living things:
> Framework
> Getting energy
> Exchanging gases
> Coordinating activities
> Circulation and transport
> Reproduction
Use this space to design your poster. Then create your final poster on poster board.
Vertebrate animal: ______________________________________________
Flowering plant: ________________________________________________
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
PLANT AND ANIMAL SYSTEMS • An Evolutionary Embrace
How Do We Know?
An Evolutionary Embrace
Review the questions below for each section of How Do We Know? Then read each
section in the book and answer the questions.
THE ISSUE
As you read, analyze the writing by thinking about these questions:
1. How do the photos on page 26 help support what the science writer explained about the connection between
pollinators and flowers?
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2. How did the science writer use examples to help you understand that species can get locked in an evolutionary race?
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THE EXPERT
3. How did Nathan become interested in studying the relationship between flowers and bats?
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IN THE FIELD
4. Why do you think Nathan works at night to capture the bats he is studying?
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TECHNOLOGY
5. How did Nathan use technology to help confirm his hypothesis?
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© 2015 Sally Ride Science
PLANT AND ANIMAL SYSTEMS • Invention Connection
Invention Connection: A Tall Measure
Imagine you’re a biologist. You want to find out the height of a giraffe without capturing and directly measuring it.
You read how Nathan Muchhala used a test tube of nectar to indirectly measure the length of a bat’s tongue. You also
know giraffes like to nibble leaves that grow high up on acacia trees. Discuss with a partner how you could apply that
knowledge to indirectly measure the giraffe’s height, using Nathan’s work for inspiration.
Draw a diagram showing how
you would measure the giraffe.
Include labels and a
caption explaining
your method.
Caption:
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© 2015 Sally Ride Science
PLANT AND ANIMAL SYSTEMS • Write a Science Article
Write a Science Article: A Special Relationship
Imagine you are a writer for a children’s science magazine. Write a science article about Nathan Muchhala’s discovery
of the special relationship between a long-tubed flower and a previously unknown bat species. Base your article on
information in How Do We Know?, on pages 26-29 of Plant and Animal Systems.
Here are some tips on writing a science article:
> Come up with a headline that identifies the topic.
> Write an introduction, or “lead,” that grabs readers’ attention.
> Keep in mind the 5W’s and H—who, what, when, where, why, and how.
> Include facts that are interesting, odd, or funny.
> Write a conclusion that connects the main ideas of the article.
Headline: ______________________________________________________
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Caption:
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© 2015 Sally Ride Science
PLANT AND ANIMAL SYSTEMS • Hey, I Know That!
Hey, I Know That! Study Guide
Use this sheet to answer the Hey, I Know That! questions on page 30 of Plant and Animal Systems.
1. How are a plant’s vascular system and photosynthesis connected? (pages 8–9)
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2. What happens during cell respiration in plants and animals?
Make a circular diagram that shows the key events. (page 10)
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3. Make a circular diagram that shows the important parts in the
life of a flowering plant. Start and end with a seed. (page 13)
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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PLANT AND ANIMAL SYSTEMS • Hey, I Know That!
4. Look at the thorny devil lizard, shown here. How
do its circulatory and respiratory systems work
together to bring oxygen to its cells and carry
carbon dioxide away? (pages 17-18)
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
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5. Write a paragraph describing how an elephant and a redwood tree support their enormous weight. Why do both the
redwood tree and the elephant need internal transport systems? What are those systems in plants and in animals?
(pages 22-25)
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© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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