Mississippi Science L.1.1.3
The Standard
- L.1.1
- Students will demonstrate an understanding of the basic needs and structures of plants.
Design and conduct an experiment that shows the absorption of water and how it is transported through the plant. Report observations using drawings, sketches, or models.
2026 Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Science · Hierarchical Organization
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students place a leafy celery stalk in colored water and watch for changes in the stem and leaves. They draw what they see and show where the water traveled.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student can point to the cut end as the place water entered the celery. They can mark colored lines in a drawing and use arrows to trace the water upward.
Common Misconceptions
- Some students think the color reached the leaves because dye touched them. Others expect the whole stalk to turn blue instead of noticing thin colored lines.
How to Assess It
- Show a photo of celery with blue lines in its leaves after sitting in blue water overnight. Ask students to draw arrows from the cut end to the leaves and explain how the color got there.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Place leafy celery stalks in equal cups of plain and blue water overnight, then cut the stalks and sketch the colored lines.
Ask, 'Why are these leaf veins blue when only the cut end touched blue water?' Have partners explain using their sketches.
Give pairs picture cards showing blue water, a cut stalk, colored stem lines, and colored leaves; have them order the cards.
Put a white carnation in blue water and check its petals tomorrow, then discuss why florists keep cut flowers in water.
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Printable L.1.1.3 Worksheet
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