Plant responses and hormones

A fun way to demonstrate gravitropism, by making the roots of a seedling grow through a maze.

Thigmotropism is an adaptive growth response shown by plants to mechanical stimuli, such as being touched. This resource gives some ideas of ways that structural responses can be explored, providing opportunities for individual student investigations.

Interviews with scientists - Plant survival strategies: hormones and responses

In this 5-minute video interview,Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, Director of the Sainsbury Laboratory, University of Cambridge, discusses the different survival strategies of plants and animals. This video gets students to develop their understanding of the role of plant hormones in an intriguing context.

Gravitropism at post-16 - the Role of Roots

This post-16 resource looks at root growth, with a focus on gravitropism. Using agar plates and white mustard seeds, students can visualise the development of roots, their root hair cells, observe the zones of elongation and differentiation and illustrates gravitropism very effectively in roots.

Revising A-level Biology: Plants 'R' Mint

'Revising A-level Biology: Plants ‘r’ mint' is an innovative revision resource, designed to encourage synoptic thinking and to develop a broader understanding of biology in A2 students. Each of the four student revision packs brings together a range of topics in animal, human and plant biology, centred on a common theme. The revision packs are intended to stretch and challenge students.

Tackling tropisms: gravitropism and phototropism

This set of demonstrations into the effects of tropisms on seedlings is both simple and extendable. Seeds sown on damp cotton wool in (plastic) Petri dishes are grown either flat, or stuck vertically to a wall. Students enjoy the dramatic effect of sticking Petri dishes to the wall, and you will have well-grown seedlings within a week, showing the different effects of gravitropism and phototropism.

Tropisms - how do plants grow in space?

This short activity uses recently published research into plant behaviour, conducted on the International Space Station, to get your students thinking more about tropisms.

Using tissue culture and 'cloning' for rare plant conservation: Introducing STEM Careers

In this resource, students carry out a 'cauliflower cloning' tissue culture practical to investigate totipotency in plants. The practical is placed in the context of a STEM careers case study, to give students a broader understanding of the underlying science.

Using Mung Beans in the Lab

Mung beans are cheap, reliable and easy to germinate, and offer a useful way to look at topics including plant growth, cells, plant nutrition and hydroponics.

Using Beetroot in the Lab

Beetroot make a useful and easily available resource for the science lab, for topics including cell structure, plasmolysis and membrane permeability.

Using Radishes in the Lab

Great little plants for the lab, radishes can be used for investigations covering plant growth, plant nutrition and phototropism.

Using Daisies in the Lab

Daisies are inobtrusive plants, but together with other playing field plants, they make a useful resource for simple fieldwork investigations.

Using Mimosa pudica in the Lab

One of the SAPS 'Star Plants' for your lab, these plants collapse their leaflets when touched, an intriguing example of a plant response. Follow our care tips to help the plants flourish in your lab.

Using Dandelions in the Lab

Dandelions are a valuable resource for the science lab, for topics including plant responses, gravitropism and, of course, ecology.

Using Pelargoniums (Geraniums) in the Lab

Geraniums are often found in the school lab, but they're rarely used to their full potential as a scientific resource. Follow our guidance and care tips to ensure they flourish in your lab.

Using Potatoes in the Lab

Potatoes make a reliable and easy to obtain resource for key practicals such as investigating osmosis.

Cauliflower Cloning - Tissue Culture and Micropropagation

'Cauliflower cloning' is an enjoyable way for students to see totipotency at work, and is now a key practical for GCSE specifications. This updated protocol, including technical instructions and a student sheet, is a reliable way to demonstrate this in the lab, with much less risk of contamination.

Investigating Gravitropism with Dandelions

This experiment offers a simple, cheap and fun way to look at gravitropism over the course of a double lesson, using the strong gravitropic response of common dandelions.

Student Sheet 8 - Phototropism: the Response of Seedlings to Light

Seedlings growing on a windowsill will often demonstrate phototropism - bending towards the source of light. In this experiment, students investigate the wavelengths of light that influence phototropism.

Student Sheet 7 - Demonstrating Gravitropism in Seedling Stalks

An intriguing way to demonstrate gravitropism in action over the course of a lesson, using the hypocotyls (stalks) of small seedlings. Students may be surprised to see how quickly the seedlings respond to gravity.

Articles tagged as "Plant responses and hormones"