miniQUEST

Please help!
  My Plants are Disappearing!


Essential Understanding:
Most microorganisms do not cause disease, and many are beneficial.

MLO-Sci 6.5.3: Students will identify the survival needs and interactions between organisms and the environment.
Technology Indicator: Students will employ technology tools to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.


 
 
Introduction
Task 1
Task 2
Task 3
Evaluation
Conclusion

 
 
Introduction

I've got a problem and I want you to help solve it. You see, my plants are dying and I don't know why. Now understand this, the plants should be doing well. They've been getting all the sunlight and water that they need. 
 

However, I'm gettin' up there in age and I can't see so well anymore. So I think that there must be something I can't see that is causing the harm to the plants. Any help you could provide would be truly appreciated. Thank you!
This is a close-up view of 
one of my plants.

Task 1

Examine the following suspects to determine which best resembles the insects you saw in the close-up view above. When you have determined which suspect was guilty of eating the plants, continue on to Task 2.
 
 


Suspects

Task 2
I am a strict environmentalist. Investigate the Information links on the Suspects page above and find some things I could do to rid the plants of these pests. Prepare a list of environmentally sound ideas for me that would aid in ridding the plants of these pests. You may record the information you gather in a program such as Kidspiration and use a word processor, or use pencil and paper.

Task 3
Read from Biological Control on this link to learn more about the symbiotic relationship between the guilty party and another insect. Then, write a paragraph to inform readers about this relationship. Be sure to include the definition of symbiotic in your paragraph. You may record the information you gather in a program such as Kidspiration and use a word processor, or use pencil and paper.  Check the Evaluation before you begin.
 
 




Online Dictionary if needed
 
 

Evaluation
 
 
Score
Task 1 & Task 2
 Task 3
3
 The student identified the suspect correctly and generated at least three environmentally sound solutions to rid the plants of pests. (in sentence form) The student wrote a clear paragraph on the symbiotic relationship between the pest and another animal. The term, symbiotic, was defined in the paragraph.
2
 The student gave a reasonable effort to determine the correct suspect and generated at least two environmentally sound solutions to rid the plants of pests.  (in sentence form) The student described the symbiotic relationship between the pest and another animal. The student was able to define the term, symbiotic.
1
 The student was able to correctly identify the suspect or was able to identify one environmentally sound solution to rid the plants of pests.  (in sentence form) The student's writing was unclear an unclear on the symbiotic relationship between the pest and another animal. The term, symbiotic, was defined in the paragraph.
0
 The student was only able to correctly identify the suspect.  The student did not make a reasonable attempt to research the symbiotic relationship.

Conclusion

In many ways, plants and animals are the same. Both are living. Both depend on nutrients to survive. And as you have just learned, we can both suffer from pests!  In this activity, you used your observation skills to determine which insect was responsible for eating plants. In addition, you investigated methods of ridding plants of these pests, focusing on those methods that were most environmentally sound. Finally, you learned about symbiotic relationships and which other animal was involved in a symbiotic relationship with this pest.
 
 
 
 
 

Created by Ken Day
Last Updated 9/2002