Student's Pages
Activity 17
"Creating Models and Concept Maps to
Show How Plants Get Their Food"
Activity 17 - Teachers Page
Scientists often create models to show others about their ideas
and theories. You already know about models. You probably have played with toys that are models of
things in the real world. For example, you may have played with a doll which is a model of a baby, or you
may have played with model cars. Maybe you have even built models of rockets or airplanes or houses.
Sometimes our models are 3-dimensional but models can also be pictures, drawings, or maps. Have you ever
drawn a picture or map of your house or your bedroom? This was a kind of a model of your house or your
bedroom. You could show the picture to someone who had never seen your room and they would have some
idea what your room was like. Of course, they would not understand exactly what your room was like
because a model can never be exactly
like the real thing.
With your group members you are going to create two kinds of
models to show what you have learned about food for plants.
I. A Skit Model. Using simple props and materials that your
teacher shows you, work with your group members to act out how a bean embryo grows and gets its food.
In what ways was your skit an accurate model of how a bean grows
and gets its food?
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In what ways was your skit NOT an accurate model?
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II. A Concept Map (or Word Picture) .
Using the words provided to you by your teacher and/or
classmates, work with your group members to construct a word picture that explains how plants get their food.
You can use arrows and simple drawings, but your map should focus on the concept words.