In Search of Pollen

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In this activity (on pages 9-14), learners dissect a real flower -- the kind of work botanists do. Learners discover where to find pollen, and learn about other flower parts including petals, pistil, and stamen. In the "What We Know" section at the beginning, learners are introduced to exactly what pollen is and why flowers need it. This could be a great activity for allergy season!

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
5 to 10 minutes
Learning Time:
45 to 60 minutes
Estimated Materials Cost:
$1 - $5 per group of students
Age Range:
Ages 8 - 14
Resource Types:
Activity, Experiment/Lab Activity
Language:
English

Materials List (per group of students)

  • 1 dissecting needle
  • 1 magnifying lens
  • 1 fresh flower (lily flowers work best; florists sometimes will donate day-old flowers)
  • 1 roll of clear tape
  • 1 piece of cardboard or thick paper

Keywords

Subjects

  • Life Sciences
    • Diversity of Life
      • Plants
  • The Nature of Science
    • The Scientific Process
      • Conducting Investigations

Informal Categories

  • Gardening
  • Nature and Environment

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • touch

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves teamwork and communication skills
  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Designed specifically for

  • Rural dweller

Culture, ethnicity, and gender

  • Girls

    • Explicity developed for this group

Other

Foreign language versions of this resource:

Components that are part of this resource:

Includes alignment to state and/or national standards:

This resource is part of:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

Source Collection

  • Science After School Consumer's Guide

Rights:

  • All rights reserved, University of Nebraska State Museum and Nebraska 4-H, 2001

Funding Sources:

  • NSF Informal Science Education Program, 9909496
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute