The Joshua tree has a unique insect-pollinator, the yucca moth.
The bumblebee pollinates the morning glory in the cool beginnings of a new day.
And a gentle breeze is responsible for spreading the pollen of the spruce tree.
Tracey and I have learned that the moth, bee, and wind all act as pollinators for these plants. They are responsible for getting the pollen from the male part of the flower to the female part so that pollination can occur and a seed will form.
Although there are many different types of pollinators, there are just two main types of pollination—self-pollination and cross-pollination.
And today, we are having Summer come back to share a bit about pollination along with a summer science activity for you to enjoy!
Hi-ya, peeps! Ulysses and I are super excited to be back sharing another summer science activity with you guys!!
But before we share about self-pollination and cross-pollination, we want to share a bit about what happens when a flower is pollinated.
In pollination, the pollen lands on the pistil of a flower. Then, the pollen sprouts a tube down to the ovule, where the pollen and the ovule meet and join.
This eventually leads to the formation of the seed, which can grow into a new plant.
In self-pollination, the pollen from the anther of a flower is transferred to the stigma of the same flower or the stigma of a different flower on the same plant. Then, pollination occurs and a seed is able to form.
This transfer can happen when the pollen grains literally spill onto the stigma, or the transfer can occur with the aid of a pollinator, like an insect, wind, or water.
The flowers of plants that use self-pollination to reproduce are generally much smaller.
In cross-pollination, the pollen from the anther of a flower on one plant is transferred to the stigma of the flower on another plant of the same species. Then, pollination occurs and a seed is able to form.
This transfer happens when the pollen is moved by an insect, by water, or by the wind. This type of pollination requires that there are two plants of the same variety in the area.
The flowers of plants that use cross-pollination are generally larger. The blooms also usually have a stigma that is taller than the stamens, which gives more of a chance for the pollen to spread to other flowers.
(Note – Ulysses and I have adapted the following from this F is for First-grade post.)
You will need the following:
Here is what you need to do:
Here is what should happen:
The students should see that their bees have picked up each type of pollen from the flowers. They should also see that the pollen on their flowers has been spread out and mixed up. The same happens in insect-driven cross-pollination.
Here is what we have learned from Summer:
And here are a few books you can read about pollination:
Now go outside and see some pollination in action!!
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