Lesson Plan For:

Subject: Biology
Grade: 13
Time: 70 minutes x 3
Unit Title: Biosystems Maintenance
Lesson Topic: The Uptake and Transport of Water and Minerals

General Objectives:

Students should have knowledge and understanding of:

The mechanism by which plants absorb minerals and water their roots and transport them
through the xylem

Specific Objectives:
At the end of the lesson students should be able to:

1. State the features of transport in plants.

2. Draw and label the cross section of the root of a dicot plant.
3. Describe the adaptations of plant roots in absorbing ions and water from the soil.
4. Explain the uptake of ions by active transport in roots.
5. Draw diagrams to describe the entry of water into plant roots in terms of water potential.

Content:

Transportation in living organisms is possible as a result of vascular systems. Both animals and
plants have vascular systems.

A vascular system is one which has tubes which are full of fluid being transported from one
place to another. In animals, the bloods system is a vascular system. In plants the xylem and
phloem form the vascular system.

The xylem transport minerals and water for the plant as well as it provides support. The phloem
however transports organic molecules. Movement through the xylem requires energy which is
provided directly by the sun.

Previous knowledge:

Students should know from previous grades:

The definition of the following terminologies: active transport, diffusion, water potential,
osmosis and solute potential

Instructional Materials:
Texts: 1. Bradfield, P., Dodds, J., Dodds, et al., (2002) AS & A2 Level Biology, Essex: Pearson
Educational.
2. Biological Science 1 and 2
3. Jones, M., Jones G., (1997) Advanced Biology. Cambridge University Press.,
White board white board marker, Biological Science1 and 2, text, lap top, multimedia
projector (for the uploading of diagrams)

Teaching Strategies: Discussions, explanations, illustrations, questioning,scenario.

Procedure:
Introduction
Students will be given a concept map on transport in plants to complete. This will allow teacher
to find out what students know and any misconceptions that they have. See attached.

Teacher will provide students with the lesson topic and the objectives

Step 1

Teacher will ask students the following questions:

Identify the structures responsible for transport in plants.
Which structure is responsible for the transport of mineral and ions?
Identify the processes involved in the transport of substances in plants starting from their
base to their apex?
Teacher will assist students as necessary

Step 2
Teacher will present students with a labeled cross section of the root of a dicot plant in which
they are to reproduce in their books. Each structure will be discussed.

Step 3
Teacher and students will discuss the adaptations of plant roots in absorbing ions and water from
the soil.

Step 4
Teacher will explain to students with the aid of diagrams the mechanism by which minerals are
taken up by plants.

Step 5
Teacher will present students a section a dicot root and ask them to describe how they think
water enters the root and travel to the vascular tissue of the root. Teacher will assist students as
necessary.

Assessment of Student Learning:

At the end of the lesson, students will be randomly asked to give one point from the lesson. They
will also be given the following activity:
1. What is the consequence of the Casparian strip for the apoplast pathway of water
movement?
2. By what method does water enter the xylem tissue from the surrounding root cells?

Homework:

Students will be given the following questions as homework and be instructed to come to class in
preparation for a discussion on the questions:

1. Describe the structure of xylem tissue.

2. Relate the structure of a xylem vessel to its function.
3. Describe the ascent of water in plants.
4. Define transpiration.
5a. State the main factors that affect transpiration.
5b. Explain how each factor affects transpiration
5c. Describe an experiment that can be used to investigate how each factor affects transpiration
rate.

Evaluation: