Objective

By the end of this lesson, the student will be able to dissect a sunflower and identify its different parts.

Materials and Prep

• A fresh sunflower
• Scissors
• Tweezers
• A magnifying glass
• A dissection tray or a plate
• A pen or marker
• A piece of paper or a notebook

Before starting the lesson, make sure the student is familiar with the basic parts of a flower, such as petals, sepals, stamen, and pistil.

Activities

1. Start by examining the sunflower as a whole. Observe its color, size, and overall structure.
2. Use the scissors to carefully cut the stem of the sunflower, about 2-3 inches from the base.
3. Place the sunflower in the dissection tray or on a plate.
4. Using the tweezers, gently remove the petals one by one and place them aside.
5. Observe the center of the sunflower and locate the disk florets. Use the magnifying glass if needed.
6. With the pen or marker, label the different parts of the sunflower, such as the disk florets, stamen, and pistil.
7. Take notes or draw a diagram of the sunflower's dissected parts in the notebook or on a piece of paper.

Seventh Grade Talking Points

• "The sunflower is a flowering plant that belongs to the daisy family."
• "The petals of a sunflower are usually yellow, but they can also be orange or red."
• "The center of the sunflower is composed of many small flowers called disk florets."
• "The disk florets are surrounded by a ring of long, thin structures called stamen."
• "The stamen is the male reproductive part of the flower."
• "Inside the center of the sunflower, you can find the pistil, which is the female reproductive part."
• "The pistil consists of the stigma, style, and ovary."
• "The stigma is the sticky part that captures pollen."
• "The style connects the stigma to the ovary."
• "The ovary contains the ovules, which develop into seeds after fertilization."