This specialized plant structures reading is a fun way to show that FLOWERS help plants reproduce – the perfect addition to NGSS MS-LS1-4! Students learn about some of the weirdest and wackiest flowers in the world and then answer text-dependent questions on a worksheet.
In this activity, students will:
- READ an engaging article, “The Top 10 Weirdest Flowers,” about some of the strangest flowers of the plant kingdom and how they help a plant to reproduce.
- ANSWER text-dependent questions on a worksheet. No prior knowledge is needed!
Some of the weird flowers that keep kids ENGAGED in learning about plant reproduction include:
- Jackal Food flowers smell like poop to attract their pollinator – dung beetles!
- Protea Pinwheel flowers only grow and bloom after a fire.
- The creepy Devil’s Hand flower opens only in the dark of night.
- Plus many more!
This article is the perfect complement to NGSS LS-1-4: Explain how specialized plant structures affect the probability of successful reproduction of plants.
This resource is perfect as a SUB PLAN because:
- The topic is very engaging for kids!
- NO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE is required – all the information kids need is included in the text.
- A clear answer key is included, making it easy for a sub to review.
- The article supports literacy, reading comprehension, and vocabulary acquisition.
- The lesson is NGSS-aligned.
- No copies are needed! Use the included digital Google Slides version, if you’d like!
- Using the paper version? Spend less time at the copier! The article is separate from the student worksheet, so you only need to make one class set of the reading. The reading can be reused class-to-class. Students only write on the worksheet portion.
Teacher Notes:
Related Standards:
- NGSS MS-LS1-4: Use argument based on empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support an explanation for how characteristic animal behaviors and specialized plant structures affect the probability of successful reproduction.
