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Plant STEM Activities for Kids: Making Models of Adaptations

February 16 By Linda Kamp Leave a Comment

Plants and animal that live in water have special adaptations that help them survive and grow. In this post, I’ll share plant STEM activities for students to design, make, and test simple models of water plant adaptations. Read on to learn easy ways for students to make simple models, with everyday craft supplies, while learning how plants adapt to living in water.

Plants STEM Activities

Plants STEM Activities for Kids

In second grade science, one way students are introduced to engineering and design practices is through designing and constructing simple models. these serve as helpful tools for representing ideas and explanations. Models can be diagrams, drawings, dioramas, computer simulations, or physical replicas.

Scientists use models for trying to predict things, testing to see if an idea works, and to collect data. When making plant models, students are asked to draw and label diagrams, consider materials they will use, and test their models to see if they work as intended. After testing their models, students analyze their designs to refine them and determine whether changes or improvements can be made.

Water Plant Adaptations

As our second graders learn about land and water habitats and ecosystems, they are introduced to ways plants have adapted to living in water. Plants like mangrove and cypress trees, kelp, and water lilies are plants that have adapted to water habitats. Their adaptations are ones students can feature in their models.

Water plant adaptations

Mangroves grow in shallow ocean waters. Their adaptations include long roots to hold them in place in the soil under water. Their stems grow high above the water so the leaves can get sunlight.

Water lily plant adaptations

Some water plants have flat leaves that float on the water’s surface. The lea veins are filled with air, which helps the leaves to float on water. Their roots are anchored in the soil below. Water lilies have floating leaves with waxy coatings. This prevents them from absorbing water and reflects heat from the sun away from their leaves.

Kelp water plant adaptations

Ocean plants have adaptations that allow them to adjust to moving salt water. The kelp plant has a flexible stem so it can easily move with the water’s current. Seaweed plants have developed thick waxy coating on their leaves to prevent salt water from being absorbed.

Making Models of Plant Adaptations

Provide a variety of materials for student to use. The following are what we used:

  • craft foam sheets
  • yarn or string
  • pipe cleaners
  • aluminum foil
  • wax paper
  • paperclips
  • stapler
  • bin or container of water to test models
  • gravel or sand

Directions:

To begin, students choose a plant and draw a design for their model. They also label the plant parts and the adaptations they will show. Next, students choose the materials they will use.

Plant STEM Activity water plant model student lab sheet

Student lab sheet: Habitats Science Unit

After settling on a design, students used craft foam sheets to cut out leaves, pipe cleaners for stems, and yarn for roots. They stapled or tied the parts together.

water plant adaptations model

Testing the Models

To test our models to determine if they worked as intended, we filled a small bin with water. We poured about 2 inches of aquarium gravel in the bottom to represent the soil at the bottom of a lake, stream, ocean, or pond.

Water plant adaptations model

Students placed their plant models in the bin covering the roots with the gravel to secure them so they would stand up.  Students then poured a few inches of water in their bin.

water plant adaptations model

Some of the models had floating leaves and long strings for stems.

model of water plant adaptations

After placing them in the water, we watched to see if the leaves floated and the waxy foam repelled water. Our models are very simple, but students can get as detailed as they wish.

CLICK HERE for a complete 2nd Grade Habitats & Ecosystems science unit with teaching PowerPoint, science labs, stations, and more.

Habitats activities & science unit for second grade

 Habitats Science Unit

Constructing models is a tool scientists and engineers use to represent ideas and explanations. we can easily teach our students to make them too. I hope you can use these plant STEM activities and model making ideas in your own classroom as your students learn about habitats and ecosystems. Be sure to pin this post for later so you have it when you plan.

Plant STEM Activities for kids making models 2nd grade science

Click on the pictures for more high engagement science activities:

Habitats activities for second grade

Properties of matter activities and experiments for 2nd grade. Learn creative teaching ideas and fun, hands-on science activities for kids learning about solids, liquids, and gas in second grade.

Plant life cycle activities for kids-Hands on science activities perfect for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade students to learn about plant needs, adaptations, photosynthesis, pollination and more.

end of year life cycle garden hallway display

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    Filed Under: Science Tagged With: 2nd grade science, adaptations, habitats activities, Plants, science experiments

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