Grow Up Great
Note: Before distributing celery to children, make a fresh cut across the bottom of each celery stalk (flower stem or cabbage end).
Plants need water to live and grow. Typically, when plants are watered, water is poured into the soil because the roots of the plant are in the soil. The roots contain tiny tubes called xylem. The xylem pulls the water up from the roots like a straw. Then the water moves up through these tiny tubes and out to the leaves of the plant. The plant leaves already have water in them. This water evaporates very slowly, causing room for new water to move in. This process is called transpiration.
Since it is hard to see how plants take up water and use the water to grow, we used celery to demonstrate water traveling up the plant. Although the celery’s roots have been cut off, the tiny tubes are clearly visible in the celery stalks. Using colored water makes it easier for the children to see how the water travels up through the plant and out to the leaves.
Plants need water to live and grow. Typically, when plants are watered, water is poured into the soil because the roots of the plant are in the soil. The roots contain tiny tubes called xylem. The xylem pulls the water up from the roots like a straw. Then the water moves up through these tiny tubes and out to the leaves of the plant. The plant leaves already have water in them. This water evaporates very slowly, causing room for new water to move in. This process is called transpiration.
These lessons are aligned with the Common Core State Standards ("CCSS"). The CCSS provide a consistent, clear understanding of the concepts and skills children are expected to learn and guide teachers to provide their students with opportunities to gain these important skills and foundational knowledge.[2]
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There are currently no Common Core Standards for pre-k, but these lessons are aligned as closely as possible to capture the requirements and meet the goals of Common Core Standards. However, these lessons were neither reviewed or approved by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices or the Council of Chief State School Officers, which together are the owners and developers of the Common Core State Standards.
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