TYPICAL LESSON PLANS 135 



Habits o) Growth. What is the relation of the leaves 

 to the ground ? Where are the longest leaves; at the outer 

 or inner part of the rosette? Where are the youngest 

 leaves ? Is the center of the rosette level with the surface 

 of the ground or below it? Are there any advantages to 

 the plant in growing as it does ? The children will readily 

 see that the plants are better protected from wind and cold 

 because of this habit of growth. Dig up a number of plants, 

 wash off the soil and bring into the schoolroom. Examine 

 the root. Note how long and thick it is and its direction 

 of growth. Compare with bluegrass roots. This kind of 

 root is called a fleshy tap root. Has this root any special 

 advantages ? Let the children think about this. Do not 

 try to answer it fully now. Come back to it when the beet 

 is studied. Have the children pull the rosettes apart, care- 

 fully noting what is stored away in the center of each. 

 They will be interested to find numbers of tiny flower buds, 

 some larger than a pea, some as small as a pin head. Get 

 the average number of buds in the specimens. 



Flower and Fruit. Note the time of the first dandelion 

 flowers, position of flower on the plant, length of flower 

 stem. Note that as the stem lengthens it does not grow 

 straight upward, but first bends outward. Have children 

 watch to see that the flowers close up at night and during 

 rainy, cloudy days. Bring a number of flowers into the 

 schoolroom. Have the children decide whether what we 

 call the flower is a single flower or a cluster of many 

 flowers. Separate the cluster of flowers and look at one 

 small flower. What do you see ? A small seedlike body 

 at the lower part, a cluster of soft hairs above this ; and the 



yellow part, the petal, with the two "pollen-catchers" 

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