Dallas Zoological Society Partnership : Texas Ecology

Texas Plant Diversity

Topic Overview
Quick Facts
Texas is such a large state that you can find many different plants that have different adaptations, depending on which part of the state they live in.
The parts of a tree trunk include the heartwood, sapwood, cambium and bark.
A large variety of fruits and vegetables are grown in Texas, including pecans, peaches and onions.
In the Fall of 1996 botanists in Louisana and Texas observed over 7000 pitcher plants trap about two million small bugs.
All of the plants in Big Bend National Park are protected; they are important representatives of the Chihuanhuan Desert.
Plants that live in the desert must be able to store water and protect that water from animals that would try to get to it.
Some areas of Texas have plants or environments that can store extra water, w hich can prevent flooding of places where people live.
Places in Texas and surrounding states where native plants are preserved can be beautiful places to visit, and provide chances to see other livng things such as birds or bison.
Preserving native plants in Texas can help provide cleaner water, cleaner air and can prevent erosion of the soil.
Begin the Lesson
Ask the students to make a list of at least five, but no more than ten plants. Next, ask the students to try to circle the plants that are native to Texas or that grow only in Texas. How do we know which ones are native? We will learn about some in today’s lesson.
Whole Class Introduction to the Lesson
You will need at least one computer with Internet connectivity and a projection device, a classroom with more than one computer, or access to a computer lab. This introduction will take approximately 10 minutes to complete.
Visit the website:
http://www.texasep.org/html/wld/wld_3pna.html
Sample Questions:
How many plants grow only in Texas? 425
Why is it important to protect them? They could become extinct.
Show the students a large map of Texas. Point to different areas and ask the students to guess what kind of plants they might find in each part of the state. Acceptable answers include:
West (Big Bend): cactus, small shrubs, sage
South: grasses, a few trees, such as oak trees, small shrubs
Central: shrubs, grasses, wildflowers, Bluebonnets
East: tall forest type trees, pine trees, maple trees
Gulf coast: grasses, salt water grasses, sea grasses
As part of the introduction, you may want to review some of the glossary terms in advance of students going online. At this point you can launch the WebLesson as whole-class activity using a projection device, or you can assign students to work individually or in teams in a computer lab.
WebLesson Sites
Introduction
If someone in your family has a green thumb, you have probably grown up around plants, either in a garden or in pots in your house. When you go to play at your favorite park, you can probably identify some different kinds of plants such as trees, flowers, grass, shrubs, or weeds. Have you ever stopped to wonder how many of these plants are native to the area where you live? Texas is such a large state, that there are many different large geographic areas, or biomes that have different climates that support different living things. Plants that grow in different parts of Texas have special features that help them survive in that specific ecosystem.
Scenario
You have a close family member that loves all different kinds of plants and has never had much of a chance to travel. You read in the newspaper that the Sunflower Travel Agency is having a contest to plan a self-guided tour to learn about Texas plants. The winner of the contest has their trip paid for by the travel agency. By the end of this lesson, you will be ready to enter (and win!) this contest.
Lesson Pages
Big Bend National Park-Common Plants of Big Bend National Park
http://www.nps.gov/bibe/naturescience/commonplants.htm
Desert Plants
http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/desert/tplants.htm
Research and Extension Center Virtual Herbarium
http://uvalde.tamu.edu/herbarium/shrub_com.htm#D
About us –Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
http://www.wildflower.org/about/
Rich Media
Wildflowers
http://www.rice.edu/armadillo/Wildflowers/
How is a prairie different from common fields of grass?
http://texasprairie.org/index.php/learn/about_prairies_entry/how_is_a_prairie_different_from_common_fields_of_grass/
Build-A-Prairie
http://www.bellmuseum.org/distancelearning/prairie/build/
Rich Media
Texas Department of Agriculture Kids Corner
http://www.picktexas.com/kc/kc_bios_2.htm
Texas Forestry Museum-Life in the Forest
http://www.treetexas.com/kids/activities/default.htm
Rich Media
Carnivorous Plants
http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/lsps07.sci.life.eco.carnivplants/
East Texas Bogs
http://www.texasep.org/cpft/etbogs.html
EPA-Wetlands-Wetland Types-Bottomland Hardwoods
http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/types/bottomland.html
Habitats-Seagrass
http://www.onr.navy.mil/focus/ocean/habitats/seagrass1.htm
Conclusion & Project
Conclusion
The plants in one area of Texas can be very different from another area. Desert plants have special structures such as spongy tissue and thorns, which help them store and retain water. Plants in some parts of the Piney Woods in the East have the opposite problem and have structures such as knees on the Bald cypress trees that help the tree cope with large amounts of water. Many people may think of the color brown when they picture a prairie; however, we have seen pictures that show beautiful blues, greens and other vibrant wildflower colors that were growing in North-Central Texas long before the first covered wagons came rolling in with settlers and livestock. If you live in Texas, you have the privilege of being able to visit a desert, a beach, and almost everything in between without leaving your state. Plants that grow on the Gulf Coast are very important not only to the small ocean creatures that come to have their babies there, but also to humans. Large areas of sea grass can hold extra water from a storm or flood and protect homes and businesses. Texas is full of arboretums and nature centers where you can view plants up close and learn about what native plants will grow best in your area. Maybe some day you and your family can take your very own Texas plant tour!
Project
Now that you know how to find some interesting Texas plants, you can write an itinerary for the Sunflower Travel Agency Plant Journey Contest. Give your tour an interesting name. You may write the description of your tour in outline or paragraph form. The itinerary should include the total number of days and the estimated time to travel between each place. List at least two plants that will be viewed in each destination.
Glossary
succulent - plant that stores water
nondescript - something that looks plain
linear - in a straight line
biome - large geographic area that includes plants and animals well suited to the climate
expandable - able to get larger or spread out
xeriscape - using plants in your yard that are well suited to dry climates and being careful about how you water them
tannic acid - chemical with a pH of below 7 with the formula C4H10O9
flora - plants
ecological - referring to living things and their environment
loam - moist clay soil
acre - 43,560 square feet, or 4,047 square meters
abut - to be next to or border something
invasive - non-native plant that is using the space and nutrients that native plants need
herbaceous - plant with a soft stem instead of a large one made of wood; flowers are herbaceous
saplings - young trees
encourage - to give someone confidence to do something
investigate - to explore or find out information
xylem - tissue of the plant that moves water from the roots to the leaves
phloem - tissue of the plant that moves sugar from the leaves to the roots
veining - xylem and phloem tissue visible in the green plant parts
translucent - material that allows light to pass through it
depressions - areas where a section of ground is lower than its surroundings
decaying - when something that is dead breaks down
fluted - extending small parts out from the main trunk
organic wastes - wastes produced by an animal or food wastes
rhizome - stem that grows horizontal underground
vibrant - growing well
Dallas Zoological Society Partnership : Texas Ecology

Texas Plant Diversity

Introduction
Introduction
If someone in your family has a green thumb, you have probably grown up around plants, either in a garden or in pots in your house. When you go to play at your favorite park, you can probably identify some different kinds of plants such as trees, flowers, grass, shrubs, or weeds. Have you ever stopped to wonder how many of these plants are native to the area where you live? Texas is such a...

Lesson Plan

Topic Overview
Quick Facts
Texas is such a large state that you can find many different plants that have different adaptations, depending on which part of the state they live in.
The parts of a tree trunk include the heartwood, sapwood, cambium and bark.
A large variety of fruits and vegetables are grown in Texas, including pecans, peaches and onions.
In the Fall of 1996 botanists in Louisana and Texas observed over 7000 pitcher plants trap about two million small bugs.
All of the plants in Big Bend National Park are protected; they are important representatives of the Chihuanhuan Desert.
Plants that live in the desert must be able to store water and protect that water from animals that would try to get to it.
Some areas of Texas have plants or environments that can store extra water, w hich can prevent flooding of places where people live.
Places in Texas and surrounding states where native plants are preserved can be beautiful places to visit, and provide chances to see other livng things such as birds or bison.
Preserving native plants in Texas can help provide cleaner water, cleaner air and can prevent erosion of the soil.
Begin the Lesson
Ask the students to make a list of at least five, but no more than ten plants. Next, ask the students to try to circle the plants that are native to Texas or that grow only in Texas. How do we know which ones are native? We will learn about some in today’s lesson.
Whole Class Introduction to the Lesson
You will need at least one computer with Internet connectivity and a projection device, a classroom with more than one computer, or access to a computer lab. This introduction will take approximately 10 minutes to complete.
Visit the website:
http://www.texasep.org/html/wld/wld_3pna.html
Sample Questions:
How many plants grow only in Texas? 425
Why is it important to protect them? They could become extinct.
Show the students a large map of Texas. Point to different areas and ask the students to guess what kind of plants they might find in each part of the state. Acceptable answers include:
West (Big Bend): cactus, small shrubs, sage
South: grasses, a few trees, such as oak trees, small shrubs
Central: shrubs, grasses, wildflowers, Bluebonnets
East: tall forest type trees, pine trees, maple trees
Gulf coast: grasses, salt water grasses, sea grasses
As part of the introduction, you may want to review some of the glossary terms in advance of students going online. At this point you can launch the WebLesson as whole-class activity using a projection device, or you can assign students to work individually or in teams in a computer lab.
WebLesson Sites
Introduction
If someone in your family has a green thumb, you have probably grown up around plants, either in a garden or in pots in your house. When you go to play at your favorite park, you can probably identify some different kinds of plants such as trees, flowers, grass, shrubs, or weeds. Have you ever stopped to wonder how many of these plants are native to the area where you live? Texas is such a large state, that there are many different large geographic areas, or biomes that have different climates that support different living things. Plants that grow in different parts of Texas have special features that help them survive in that specific ecosystem.
Scenario
You have a close family member that loves all different kinds of plants and has never had much of a chance to travel. You read in the newspaper that the Sunflower Travel Agency is having a contest to plan a self-guided tour to learn about Texas plants. The winner of the contest has their trip paid for by the travel agency. By the end of this lesson, you will be ready to enter (and win!) this contest.
Lesson Pages
Big Bend National Park-Common Plants of Big Bend National Park
http://www.nps.gov/bibe/naturescience/commonplants.htm
Desert Plants
http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/desert/tplants.htm
Research and Extension Center Virtual Herbarium
http://uvalde.tamu.edu/herbarium/shrub_com.htm#D
About us –Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
http://www.wildflower.org/about/
Rich Media
Wildflowers
http://www.rice.edu/armadillo/Wildflowers/
How is a prairie different from common fields of grass?
http://texasprairie.org/index.php/learn/about_prairies_entry/how_is_a_prairie_different_from_common_fields_of_grass/
Build-A-Prairie
http://www.bellmuseum.org/distancelearning/prairie/build/
Rich Media
Texas Department of Agriculture Kids Corner
http://www.picktexas.com/kc/kc_bios_2.htm
Texas Forestry Museum-Life in the Forest
http://www.treetexas.com/kids/activities/default.htm
Rich Media
Carnivorous Plants
http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/lsps07.sci.life.eco.carnivplants/
East Texas Bogs
http://www.texasep.org/cpft/etbogs.html
EPA-Wetlands-Wetland Types-Bottomland Hardwoods
http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/types/bottomland.html
Habitats-Seagrass
http://www.onr.navy.mil/focus/ocean/habitats/seagrass1.htm
Conclusion & Project
Conclusion
The plants in one area of Texas can be very different from another area. Desert plants have special structures such as spongy tissue and thorns, which help them store and retain water. Plants in some parts of the Piney Woods in the East have the opposite problem and have structures such as knees on the Bald cypress trees that help the tree cope with large amounts of water. Many people may think of the color brown when they picture a prairie; however, we have seen pictures that show beautiful blues, greens and other vibrant wildflower colors that were growing in North-Central Texas long before the first covered wagons came rolling in with settlers and livestock. If you live in Texas, you have the privilege of being able to visit a desert, a beach, and almost everything in between without leaving your state. Plants that grow on the Gulf Coast are very important not only to the small ocean creatures that come to have their babies there, but also to humans. Large areas of sea grass can hold extra water from a storm or flood and protect homes and businesses. Texas is full of arboretums and nature centers where you can view plants up close and learn about what native plants will grow best in your area. Maybe some day you and your family can take your very own Texas plant tour!
Project
Now that you know how to find some interesting Texas plants, you can write an itinerary for the Sunflower Travel Agency Plant Journey Contest. Give your tour an interesting name. You may write the description of your tour in outline or paragraph form. The itinerary should include the total number of days and the estimated time to travel between each place. List at least two plants that will be viewed in each destination.
Glossary
succulent - plant that stores water
nondescript - something that looks plain
linear - in a straight line
biome - large geographic area that includes plants and animals well suited to the climate
expandable - able to get larger or spread out
xeriscape - using plants in your yard that are well suited to dry climates and being careful about how you water them
tannic acid - chemical with a pH of below 7 with the formula C4H10O9
flora - plants
ecological - referring to living things and their environment
loam - moist clay soil
acre - 43,560 square feet, or 4,047 square meters
abut - to be next to or border something
invasive - non-native plant that is using the space and nutrients that native plants need
herbaceous - plant with a soft stem instead of a large one made of wood; flowers are herbaceous
saplings - young trees
encourage - to give someone confidence to do something
investigate - to explore or find out information
xylem - tissue of the plant that moves water from the roots to the leaves
phloem - tissue of the plant that moves sugar from the leaves to the roots
veining - xylem and phloem tissue visible in the green plant parts
translucent - material that allows light to pass through it
depressions - areas where a section of ground is lower than its surroundings
decaying - when something that is dead breaks down
fluted - extending small parts out from the main trunk
organic wastes - wastes produced by an animal or food wastes
rhizome - stem that grows horizontal underground
vibrant - growing well

Curriculum Standards

TEXAS
112.22. Science, Grade 6.
(2) Scientific processes. The student uses scientific inquiry methods during field and laboratory investigations. The student is expected to:

(A) plan and implement investigative procedures including asking questions, formulating testable hypotheses, and selecting and using equipment and technology;

(B) collect data by observing and measuring;

(C) analyze and interpret information to construct reasonable explanations from direct and indirect evidence;

(D) communicate valid conclusions; and

(E) construct graphs, tables, maps, and charts using tools including computers to organize, examine, and evaluate data.
112.23. Science, Grade 7
(2) Scientific processes. The student uses scientific inquiry methods during field and laboratory investigations. The student is expected to:

(A) plan and implement investigative procedures including asking questions, formulating testable hypotheses, and selecting and using equipment and technology;

(B) collect data by observing and measuring;

(C) organize, analyze, make inferences, and predict trends from direct and indirect evidence;

(D) communicate valid conclusions; and

(E) construct graphs, tables, maps, and charts using tools including computers to organize, examine, and evaluate data.
(12) Science concepts. The student knows that there is a relationship between organisms and the environment. The student is expected to:
(A) identify components of an ecosystem
112.24. Science, Grade 8
2) Scientific processes. The student uses scientific inquiry methods during field and laboratory investigations. The student is expected to:

(A) plan and implement investigative procedures including asking questions, formulating testable hypotheses, and selecting and using equipment and technology;

(B) collect data by observing and measuring;

(C) organize, analyze, evaluate, make inferences, and predict trends from direct and indirect evidence;

(D) communicate valid conclusions; and

(E) construct graphs, tables, maps, and charts using tools including computers to organize, examine, and evaluate data.

112.43. Biology
(2) Scientific processes. The student uses scientific methods during field and laboratory investigations. The student is expected to:

(A) plan and implement investigative procedures including asking questions, formulating testable hypotheses, and selecting equipment and technology;

(B) collect data and make measurements with precision;

(C) organize, analyze, evaluate, make inferences, and predict trends from data; and

(D) communicate valid conclusions.

(12) Science concepts. The student knows that interdependence and interactions occur within an ecosystem. The student is expected to: (C) compare variations, tolerances, and adaptations of plants and animals in different biomes;
(13) Science concepts. The student knows the significance of plants in the environment. The student is expected to:

(A) evaluate the significance of structural and physiological adaptations of plants to their environments; and

(B) survey and identify methods of reproduction, growth, and development of various types of plants.

112.44. Environmental Systems
(2) Scientific processes. The student uses scientific methods during field and laboratory investigations. The student is expected to:

(A) plan and implement investigative procedures including asking questions, formulating testable hypotheses, and selecting equipment and technology;

(B) collect data and make measurements with precision;

(C) organize, analyze, evaluate, make inferences, and predict trends from data; and
(D) communicate valid conclusions.
(4) Science concepts. The student knows the relationships of biotic and abiotic factors within habitats, ecosystems, and biomes. The student is expected to:

(A) identify indigenous plants and animals, assess their role within an ecosystem, and compare them to plants and animals in other ecosystems and biomes;
NATIONAL
NS.5-8.1 SCIENCE AS INQUIRY
As a result of activities in grades 5-8, all students should develop:
*Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
*Understandings about scientific inquiry

NS.5-8.3 LIFE SCIENCE
As a result of their activities in grades 5-8, all students should develop understanding:
*Structure and function in living systems
*Populations and ecosystems

NS.5-8.6 PERSONAL AND SOCIAL PERSPECTIVES
As a result of activities in grades 5-8, all students should develop understanding:
*Populations, resources, and environments

NS.5-8.7 HISTORY AND NATURE OF SCIENCE
As a result of activities in grades 5-8, all students should develop understanding of:
*Science as a human endeavor


Differentiated Learning

Here are some projects that can be used after the students have completed the online assignment or as a complement to your lesson. The students can use any media deemed appropriate for the project. Each has been recommended with specific student groups in mind.
AS-All Students
GT-Gifted/Talented
ESL-English Second Language
SN-Special Needs
Individual and Group Projects
Visit a nearby arboretum or garden and take pictures of native Texas plants. Put the pictures into a PowerPoint or on a poster and give a five minute presentation to your class about native plants. AS, GT
Make a mobile of Texas regions and the plants that live there. Make the hanging parts in the shape of the state of Texas. On one side, label the correct region, and on the other side make a list or draw the plants that can be found in that region. AS, ESL, SN
Plan a garden at your house or school that includes native plants. Conduct your research at the library, or use the internet. Draw your plan on poster board. Include information about what time of year to plant the plants, what extra products they might need such as peat moss or fertilizer, and write a watering schedule. Make sure the watering schedule follows any water restriction rules for your city. If your parents will let you, then plant the garden and keep a journal. AS, GT
Draw pictures of native plants in Texas and then paste them onto a map of Texas in the proper location. SN, ESL
Make a matching quiz about plants in Texas. Use pictures from the Internet or draw pictures of ten plants. Put the numbered pictures on a large sheet of butcher paper or poster board. Write the names of the plants out of order at the bottom of the page. Exchange quizzes with a partner. AS, ESL, SN
Final Project – Whole Class
Divide the class into groups of three to five students. Assign each group a region of the state; use the ecoregions designated by Texas Parks and Wildlife, or the regions used on the tourist Web site:
www.TravelTex.com
Each group needs to construct a diorama that shows native plants for the area. Each group should use a large shoebox, or bottom of a display board. Use clay or model magic and craft paint to make three dimensional models of native Texas plants found in that area. In addition to the diorama, the students should write an information sheet that includes the names of the plants, the average temperatures throughout the year and any special adaptations the plants have that help them survive. The students can also include information about invasive species and other threats to the native plants in the area.

Reference

Biographies
Eula Whitehouse
http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/WW/fwhde.html
Texas woman with careers as a nurse, botanist and artist; coordinated the University of Texas botany exhibit for the Texas Centennial in 1936
Benny J. Simpson
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/ornamentals/natives/about.html
Co-founder and former president of the Texas Native Plant Society
Bessie Heard
http://www.heardmuseum.org/theheard/history.asp
Donated the land for the Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary in McKinney
Jane Zajicek
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/faculty/zajicek.html
Associate Professor in the Department of Horticultural Sciences at Texas A&M University
Timelines
Ethnobotany
http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/pecos/ethnobot.html
Learn how people have used a variety of native plants throughout history in the lower Pecos Canyonlands
Botanical Research Institute of Texas
http://www.brit.org/About/History.htm
History of the formation of this institute, located near SMU
The National Arboretum
http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/wash/dc94.htm
History of the establishment of a national arboretum
SFA Arboretum
http://arboretum.sfasu.edu/arboretumhistory.html
History of the establishment of the Stephen F. Austin State University Arboretum
Additional Information
Morning Sky Greenery
http://www.morningskygreenery.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_58_
78&products_id=760&osCsid=ffca34fd9f77bedba6f70e2ed196697d
Purchase different kinds of grasses, with pictures and good descriptions of various kinds of grasses including their structure and wildlife that feed on them
Lost Springs Ranch
http://www.lostsprings.com/plants.aspx
Photos and information about plants in the Hill Country
Useful Wild Plants, Inc.
http://www.usefulwildplants.org/index.htm
Different uses for wild plants
Reid Lewis
http://homepages.vvm.com/~reid/rl-cory.htm#trees
Comprehensive list of native Texas plants
James D. Mauseth
http://www.sbs.utexas.edu/mauseth/ResearchOnCacti/introduction.htm
Information for reference about cactus anatomy
National Geographic Society
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geographyaction/habitats/prairies.html
Information about prairies in the United States

Questions & Answer Keys

Study Questions and Answer Keys
  1. Explain one possible advantage of the lechugilla plant having bitter tasting roots.
    Answer: The advantage of bitter tasting roots would be that animals would be less likely to eat them and the plant would survive to reproduce.
  2. List three ways in which people who lived in the Big Bend country used the native plants.
    Answer: Oak trees were used for firewood and furniture. Sotols were used to make baskets. Nolina was used for mats and sandals. Century plants were a food source.
  3. Describe three adaptations that help plants survive in the desert.
    Answer: The Saguaro Cactus has long roots and stores water in a stem that can grow in size. The Barrel Cactus is pleated and can get bigger around as it stores water in spongy tissue and shrink as it uses the water. White hairs on the Old Man Cactus help it reflect the heat of the sun. The Prickly Pear Cactus has many thorns to keep animals from getting to its stored water.
  4. Name one feature these three plants have in common.
    Answer: All three plants are eaten by white tailed deer.
  5. How does the Desert Christmas Cactus compare to the Prickly Pear Cactus that can be found in the Chihuahuan Desert?
    Answer: The Prickly Pear forms large green flat clusters with thorns. The Desert Christmas Cactus forms a tall bush-like structure. They both have red blooms.
  6. List two advantages of using native plants around buildings and houses.
    Answer: Native plants are well suited to the climate; they already know how to live in that area. Using native plants to build green roofs can help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
  7. Which of these flowers are you most likely to see when driving on a Texas highway? Explain why.
    Answer: You are most likely to see the state flower, the Texas Bluebonnet. It is planted along the roadsides by the Texas Department of Transportation to slow down erosion.
  8. Explain how the original prairie plants have changed since people have settled in Texas.
    Answer: The land today that is called prairie usually does not have native plants or original plants on it. The original plants were cleared away to make room for crops, or they were eaten by livestock.
  9. Explain how prairie plants survive the periodic fires.
    Answer: The prairie plants grow long roots and the fires only burn the top part of the soil.
  10. List two foods you have eaten recently (or ones that your mother put on the table that you politely declined!) that are grown in Texas.
    Answer: Pecans, cantaloupes, peaches, blueberries, oranges, grapefruit, and corn are all acceptable answers.
  11. How do trees get new rings?
    Answer: The tree grows a new layer of xylem the water carrying tissue, and phloem, the food-carrying tissue every year.
  12. In the summer of 2007, the entire state of Texas received large amounts of rain. Describe what the tree rings from this year will look like in the tree cookie.
    Answer: The rings that form in 2007 in the trees will be far apart, because the trees had enough water.
  13. Describe the habitat of a pitcher plant.
    Answer: Pitcher plants can be found near streams in savannas or bogs. They can also be found growing in deep, white sand.
  14. What kinds of human activities threaten the plants in a bog or baygall?
    Answer: Logging, or cutting down trees and altering the flow of rivers and streams, or pumping groundwater out of the aquifer, are activities that can threaten bog and baygall plants.
  15. What adaptation does the bald cypress have that allows it to survive in standing water?
    Answer: The cypress trees grow knees, which are roots that grow up out of the ground.
  16. Why are bottomland hardwoods important to places where humans live?
    Answer: These areas can store extra water in cases of heavy rain; this keeps places where people live from being flooded. The swamps also act like filters. They allow time for pollutants to settle out of the water before the water moves toward the ocean.
  17. List two ways in which sea grasses grow.
    Answer: Sea grasses can produce under water flowers that release seeds. They also grow rhizomes, which are shallow roots that can sprout new plants.
  18. Why are sea grasses important to ocean animals?
    Answer: Sea grass beds are places where ocean animals can hide from predators or lay their eggs where they will be protected.
Quiz Questions & Answers
  1. Bottomland hardwoods are helpful to humans because they…
    Answer: D. can hold extra water, preventing flooding of towns or houses further down a stream or river.
  2. Which type of prairie is found on the east side of the Rocky Mountains?
    Answer: A. shortgrass prairie
  3. If you live in the Metroplex and want to plant something that will bloom with bright colored flowers and a pleasant smell between April and October, you might plant…
    Answer: A. Purple Horse Mint.
  4. What is the name of an area that has standing water and is home to holly shrubs, magnolias, and Texas Trillium?
    Answer: B. Baygall
  5. What are roots that grow above the ground on a bald cypress tree are commonly known as?
    Answer: A. knees
  6. The Texas Bluebonnet…
    Answer: D. both A and C.
  7. Where are you most likely to find a carnivorous plant in Texas?
    Answer: C. Piney Woods
  8. What structure on a cactus reflects the light of the sun?
    Answer: B. white hairs
  9. Livestock on the Edwards Plateau can become ill if they eat…
    Answer: C. acorns from the Live Oak trees.
  10. The long roots of prairie grasses are an adaptation that helps these plants survive…
    Answer: D. grazing by herds of cattle.
  11. The Texas Trumpet has the ability to…
    Answer: D. trap and digest small insects.
  12. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center…
    Answer: D. all of the above.
  13. Which of the following plants have adaptations that allow it to live in a desert?
    Answer: A. sotol
  14. Native tallgrass prairie plants are threatened because…
    Answer: D. all of the above
  15. Which plant is considered a relic species in Big Bend National Park?
    Answer: D. Oak Tree
  16. Which adaptation helps a cactus keep its stored water from being eaten by animals?
    Answer: A. thorns
  17. A circular shape arranged in rings and contains growth information about a tree is called…
    Answer: A. a tree cookie.
  18. Which part of a tree does not help with growth?
    Answer: B. heartwood
  19. Which trio of plants are you most likely to find on the South Texas Plains?
    Answer: B. Texas Bluebonnet, Little bluestem and Side-Oats Grama
  20. Which foods are not grown in Texas?
    Answer: D. none of the above
  21. Eelgrass and turtle grass can be found in which Texas Region?
    Answer: C. Gulf Coast
  22. If you are planning to build a new building and want to preserve native plants, you might consult scientists that work at the…
    Answer: C. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
  23. What is the name for an open, grassy area with many different kinds of plants growing in standing water?
    Answer: B. bog
  24. The Texas 1015 Sweet Onion gets its name from…
    Answer: B. the date that you should plant it.
  25. On a trip from Grand Prairie to McKinney, you pass many fields of neat rows of tall green plants that look exactly alike. Choose the statement that best describes these fields.
    Answer: C. the fields are a type of planted crop
  26. Which type of business benefits from large, healthy populations of sea grass in wetlands on the coast?
    Answer: D. seafood restaurant
Project
Now that you know how to find some interesting Texas plants, you can write an itinerary for the Sunflower Travel Agency Plant Journey Contest. Give your tour an interesting name. You may write the description of your tour in outline or paragraph form. The itinerary should include the total number of days and the estimated time to travel between each place. List at least two plants that will be viewed in each destination.
Rubric
Excellent (30 – 20)
An excellent student response meets all the project requirements and demonstrates that the student absorbed key lesson concepts and gave them thoughtful consideration. The response shows original thinking, creativity, and a strong sense of purpose. Ideas are organized and clearly articulated according to the proper conventions of writing (at this grade level).
Satisfactory (20 – 10)
A satisfactory student response meets most of the project requirements but overlooks one or more important elements. It reflects a general understanding of the key lesson concepts but shows little depth. The response shows little creativity or originality. Ideas are somewhat disorganized and difficult to follow, and there are numerous grammatical and mechanical errors.
Needs Improvement (10 – 0)
The student response is perfunctory, showing little or no effort. It is unclear if the student thought about or even read any of the lesson content. Ideas are scattered or off-topic. If possible, ask the student to revisit the lesson with a peer or mentor and then rewrite his or her response.