Environmental Control of Root System Biology (Annu Rev Plant Biology 2016)

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Useful for Plant Development and Plant Physiology lessons. By Ruben Rellan-Alvarez, Guillaume Lobet, and Jose R. Dinneny
An Open Access review article from Annual Reviews in Plant Biology, describing current research and models for root development.

 
Abstract
The plant root system traverses one of the most complex environments on earth. Understanding how roots support plant life on land requires knowing how soil properties affect the availability of nutrients and water and how roots manipulate the soil environment to optimize acquisition of these resources. Imaging of roots in soil allows the integrated analysis and modeling of environmental interactions occurring at micro to macroscales. Advances in phenotyping of root systems is driving innovation in cross-platform-compatible methods for data analysis.

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Greening the Classroom – Arabidopsis project modules for grades 8-10

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These free modules catalyze exploration of Arabidopsis and heredity, cellular processes, characteristics of life, and responses to the environment. Modules include seed stocks, protocols, teaching guides, and videos.

Aligned with Ohio Department of Education standards for grades 8-10.  Most modules are scalable.

Source: Arabidopsis Biological Resource Center with support from Ohio State Univ. and NSF

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Lessons: Make the Link, bringing global dimensions to science lessons (Sheffield Hallam University)

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Free resources to bring a global dimension to science lessons

Make The Link offers four units looking at topics like the provision of clean water, the impact of climate change across the world, the development of clean, fuel-efficient stoves for cooking meals in areas with limited infrastructure and ways of preserving food in areas with no access to powered refrigeration.

The units have been developed by the Centre for Science Education of Sheffield Hallam University, and Practical Action, an international development charity that uses science and technology to help lift people out of poverty.

All the resources offer:

  • an engaging context for the science which helps to motivate pupils
  • coverage of key scientific ideas with an inquiry-based approach to practical work
  • full colour resources, printed and digital, which can be used ‘off the shelf’
  • comprehensive teacher’s notes with detailed lesson plans, equipment lists and useful weblinks

You can find the resources for each unit by clicking the links in the orange menu. We hope you will enjoy using them!

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Lesson Set. Drought: EarthLabs for Educators (Carleton College)

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Earth science is emerging as a demanding high-school science course that prepares learners for college admissions and informed citizenship. Earth science classes integrate physics, chemistry, and biology to introduce students to a rich body of concepts and knowledge with which to understand the world around them and pressing environmental, social, and economic issues.

Drought is an ever-present threat to all people whose lifestyles have been built on the availability of water. Across the planet, millions of humans make their homes and grow crops in areas that receive minimal amounts of precipitation. Even a slight decrease in the annual amount of rain in such regions can cause crops, animals, and human populations to suffer.

Students learn that when precipitation drops below normal, drought conditions can develop and economic, environmental, and social impacts can follow. The unit teaches students to interpret climate data to recognize the symptoms and evaluate the severity of drought. It helps them realize that drought can still devastate areas that have stable infrastructure and access to expensive technologies. The unit raises awareness of the need to be prepared to face drought conditions that may become more common as our planet warms.

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Lesson: Can we feed the growing population?

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In this lesson from National Geographic Education, students explore the resources that make up our agricultural system. Students examine land uses and soil quality through graphs of land use and crop production and use computational models to compare the effect of different management strategies on the land. At the end of the lesson, students are able to describe how humans can maintain and replenish important resources to be able to produce food long into the future.

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Lesson: Will there be enough fresh water?

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In this lesson from National Geographic Education, students will explore the distribution and uses of fresh water on Earth. They will examine models of porosity and permeability, run experiments with computational models, and hear from a hydrologist working on the same question. At the end of the lesson, students will be able to explain how humans can preserve supplies of fresh water for the future.

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Primers & Special Dialogues – clear & humorous insight on plants

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The Geitmann Lab is here to help…
Are you (or students) not quite sure what the term “cytomechanics” means? Or what beasts “pollen tubes” are? Use the Geitmann Lab Primers to get oriented to plant reproduction, pollen tubes and cytomechanics.

Include plant lore in your celebrations of Valentine’s Day, Canada Day…and more. The Specials are clever dialogues aimed at those for whom biology is all Greek, as well as those who enjoy pretty pictures and/or those with a certain sense of humour.

Note: Some of the Specials are in French. They were contributed by students of class BIO2372 (Plant Anatomy and Morphogenesis).

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