Plants
Botany is a fundamental subject in the Montessori method.
It is also a point of connection between physics and the living world.
A Child's Physics suggests that each classroom have at least one example of purple and red chlorophyll plants in addition to green. This not just the color of the plant.
Within the subject of Light this is the spectrum itself showing in living creatures.
It is a vital chemical process ongoing in the leaves and it is selective of the frequencies it uses.
Plants provide a practical life experience, care of a living thing.
They are also a marvelous opportunity to chat.
Connect plants directly to other experiences in the classroom.
Work in some basic vocabulary like plant motion and photosynthesis.
Invite the child to point out where the plants fit on an image of the visible spectrum.
There are a number of common, hardy, easy to grow examples.
It is also a point of connection between physics and the living world.
A Child's Physics suggests that each classroom have at least one example of purple and red chlorophyll plants in addition to green. This not just the color of the plant.
Within the subject of Light this is the spectrum itself showing in living creatures.
It is a vital chemical process ongoing in the leaves and it is selective of the frequencies it uses.
Plants provide a practical life experience, care of a living thing.
They are also a marvelous opportunity to chat.
Connect plants directly to other experiences in the classroom.
Work in some basic vocabulary like plant motion and photosynthesis.
Invite the child to point out where the plants fit on an image of the visible spectrum.
There are a number of common, hardy, easy to grow examples.
Red Begonia
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Red and Yellow Coleus
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Wandering Jew
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Persian Shield
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Below is an exquisite catalog of Ultraviolet Flower Photography
It comes over very nicely on a tablet because the images are stacked vertically and so rotating to portrait view puts both images in frame. The title link takes you to the main page with the catalog. Clicking either pair of flowers will take you to the daisy page which you would use to present the comparison image.
Insects in general see higher up the spectrum than we do, more ultraviolet, less red.
So these images indicate what light bees and dragon flies might see.
Reptiles, amphibians and some fresh water fish see further into the infrared than we do.
So here we have a jumping off point into the way that animals perceive energy.
The hammerhead shark, for instance, through the antennae which its head is,
senses electrical pulses from the muscle activity of is prey.
Bats use sonar.
Elephants sense low frequency infra sound passing through the earth through their feet.
A number of creatures have high amounts of iron enabling them to sense the Earth's magnetic field.
Whales sing.
It comes over very nicely on a tablet because the images are stacked vertically and so rotating to portrait view puts both images in frame. The title link takes you to the main page with the catalog. Clicking either pair of flowers will take you to the daisy page which you would use to present the comparison image.
Insects in general see higher up the spectrum than we do, more ultraviolet, less red.
So these images indicate what light bees and dragon flies might see.
Reptiles, amphibians and some fresh water fish see further into the infrared than we do.
So here we have a jumping off point into the way that animals perceive energy.
The hammerhead shark, for instance, through the antennae which its head is,
senses electrical pulses from the muscle activity of is prey.
Bats use sonar.
Elephants sense low frequency infra sound passing through the earth through their feet.
A number of creatures have high amounts of iron enabling them to sense the Earth's magnetic field.
Whales sing.
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A Bing image search for visible ir comparisons flowers returns a nice selection of Visible, UV and IR comparisons.
These can be viewed as image only.
Click the daisies.
These can be viewed as image only.
Click the daisies.
An additional connection between plants and Light is motion. Plants will physically move in order better face the light. As you can see in the video this can be shown with something as simple as tomato seedlings in a bread pan. Just turn the pan periodically and observe the plants over time.
The thing is, you can't see them move. You can only observe that they have moved.
This is another example of a completely appropriate use of a tablet in the classroom.
Time lapse video enhances the child's sensory experience by revealing motion occurring beyond the immediate capacity to perceive.
This arrangement of seedlings can be used as an experiment, which is to grow half of them inside a light filter.
A paper bag.
The thing is, you can't see them move. You can only observe that they have moved.
This is another example of a completely appropriate use of a tablet in the classroom.
Time lapse video enhances the child's sensory experience by revealing motion occurring beyond the immediate capacity to perceive.
This arrangement of seedlings can be used as an experiment, which is to grow half of them inside a light filter.
A paper bag.
