Throughout the semester students examined in a step-by-step fashion, the life cycle of a typical flowering plant, the wild mustard Brassica rapa. We followed the development and growth from the planted seed to seed production in eight weeks. Students studied the life cycle of plants, understanding of how plants grow, which organs developed first, and how it reproduced. In addition, students examined simple genetic cross and how phenotypic traits were passed from one generation to the subsequent generation. .
Materials and Methods.
The laboratory experiment began on January 23, 2003. During the lab procedure, a small Styrofoam quad pot was selected along with a diamond shaped wick for water absorption. The wick was placed half way in and half way out of each quad. Each quad was then filled with approximately three-quarters of the way to the top with potting soil. Then an indention was made in the soil to plant the seed; Along with three fertilizer pellets. Afterwards, the plants were watered with a dropper and placed on the water reservoirs and mat until the following laboratory. In between laboratory one and two students came in daily and water the plants. Day 7 the quads were thinned to one plant per cell using forceps. At this point the plant no longer needed to be watered with the dropper as the water mats handled it. Along with some Elmer's glue and a toothpick, students took dead bees and carefully began to dissect the bees. The thorax was then glued to one end of the toothpick and stuck in the soil in the one of the quads. At this point stems of the plants appeared light green and white. Two leafs were present while another was sprouting. Day 14, staking took place. As the plants grew they were in need of support for their elongated stems. Students used a wooden stake and small plastic rings for support. The plastic ring was place above a leaf and around the stake and fitted loosely.
