• About us
  • Contact us
logotype
Search:
Text
  • Home
  • Primary
  • Secondary
  • Students
  • Library
  • Associates
secondary
  • Home
  • Primary
  • Secondary
  • Students
  • Library
  • Associates
  • Teaching Resources
  • Key Themes
  • Science Clubs
  • Biology News
  • Specifications
  • CPD
Free resources by e-mail
  • Home>
  • Secondary>
  • Teaching Resources>
  • Investigating how plants use colour to attract pollinators: Introducing STEM Careers

Investigating how plants use colour to attract pollinators: Introducing STEM Careers

Investigating the use of colour by flowers to attract bee pollinators

This resource is part of the SAPS Careers in Science series, a set of resources to support science teachers in integrating STEM careers information with practical activities. This resource is aimed at post 16 students.

In this investigation, students look at the way in which flowering plants use colour to attract pollinators, and particularly bees. They carry out a variety of short practicals and research activities, designed to allow students to gain a deeper understanding of adaptation, evolution and biophysics – understanding how physics is used in living systems.

The investigation is put in a STEM Careers context through a case study of Dr Beverley Glover, a plant scientist whose main research interest is in the evolution and development of features of flowers which encourage pollination.

The colour of flowers is not as simple as it may at first appear. The colour of different flowers have evolved to attract specific pollinators, which do not necessarily have similar colour vision to humans, and may see beyond our visible spectrum. Bees have photoreceptors that are most sensitive to green, blue and ultraviolet, while many birds can see from red to ultraviolet. Although most flowers use pigments to reflect colours by absorbing different wavelengths of light, Beverley and her fellow scientists have only just discovered that some use structural colour by making diffraction gratings in their epidermal cells.

This resource includes full teachers' notes, foundation, higher, extension and plenary activities, a case study, a students' worksheet and technical notes for the practicals.

Resources

  • Starter activity: Career case study and questions
  • Foundation activity: Looking beyond the visible spectrum; flower colour by adding or subtracting
  • Higher activity: Reading a popular science article
  • Extension activity: What features attract pollinators to flowers?
  • Plenary activity: Debate on 'Do bees matter?'

 

 

Aims

Careers education

Pupils should develop interest in and enthusiasm for science, including developing an interest in further study and careers in sciences.


How science works

Pupils should use knowledge and understanding to pose scientific questions, define scientific problems, present scientific arguments and scientific ideas.

 

Biodiversity

Pupils will know that:

  • adaptations of organisms to their environments can be behavioural or physiological as well as anatomical
  • adaptation and selection are major components of evolution and make a significant contribution to the diversity of living organisms.

 

Tags: Post 16, Adaptation, Practical, STEM careers

Download Resources

  • SAPS - STEM Careers - Investigating how plants use colour to attract pollinators

Filter secondary resources by...

Filter results by type:
Category
Text

Related resources

  • Investigating the antibacterial properties of plants: Introducing STEM Careers
  • Investigating the biodiversity of different habitats: Introducing STEM Careers
  • Using tissue culture and 'cloning' for rare plant conservation: Introducing STEM Careers
  • Investigating the difference between organic and non-organic food: Introducing STEM Careers
  • Investigating the anti-cancer properties of plants: Introducing STEM Careers
  • RSS
  • Share
  • Follow Us
Primary
  • Teaching Resources
  • Beyond the Classroom
  • Hints & Tips
Secondary
  • Teaching Resources
  • Science Clubs
  • Key Themes
  • Biology News
  • Specifications
Students
Library
  • Image Library
  • Links
Legal & Other
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Health and Safety
  • Accessibillity
  • Cookie policy

© 2022 Science & Plants for Schools

Free SAPS newsletter by e-mail

notepad Sign up now