BASIC EDUCATION ASSISTANCE FOR MINDANAO

LEARNING GUIDE

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Written, edited and produced by Basic Education Assistance for Mindanao, April 2009

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Competencies
Science, Grade 5: Differences in Plant Groups
Recognize the different groups of plants
Describe characteristics of different kinds of plants
Classify plants into flowering plants, cone-bearing plants, ferns
and mosses
Identify economically important and endangered kinds
Suggest activities they can do at their level to help conserve
plants

Objectives

At the end of the topic, students should be able to:

describe characteristics of different kinds of plants;
describe the characteristics of plant groups;
describe the similarities and differences between plant groups;
identify causes of plant endangerment;
suggest ways to conserve plants.

Essential Concepts
Plants are classified into moss, fern, cone-bearing and flowering
plants.
Moss Plants are the tiny, low-lying plants which thrive on damp and
shady areas. They have no true leaves and roots. Instead, they have
tiny, root-like structure called rhizoids which anchor them on soil,
rocks, decayed woods and fractures of floors. They are flowerless and
don't produce seeds. They reproduce through spores.The spores are
dust-like structure produced in spore capsules held in thin stalks that
grow from the moss plant.
Fern Plants are the leafy, non flowering plants which grow in moist/
wet areas under the shade of forest. They vary in sizes. Some grow as
high as 24 meters, others are just very small. They have true roots,
leaves and stems which allow the flow of water and nutrients to all its
parts. They reproduce by spores. These spores are held in tiny sacs
called sporangia. The sporangia clump together into what are called
sori and appear like small clumps of spots or patches on the underside
of the fertile frond (leaves).
Cone-bearing Plants are the plants which produce seeds arranged in a
cone. They are also called Gymnosperms because their seeds are not

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enclosed by a fruit. Gymnosperms means naked seed. They are woody

and nonflowering. Their leaves are green and look like needles/scales
which are adapted to dry environment. Some lives on very cold places
while others on warm places. They have true roots, leaves and stems.
This group of plant includes pine tree, pitogo, fir, spruce.
Flowering Plants are the plants which bear flowers where some are
showy/or noticeable, some are microscopic and some do not look like
flower at all. They produce seeds which are enclosed in a fruit. Thus,
they are also called Angiosperms. They have true roots, leaves and
stems. Among the plant groups, it is the most diverse and widespread.
They live on every habitat except on extreme environment like
deepest part of the ocean, highest mountaintops and polar regions.It
includes the grasses, fruit trees, squash, roses, orchids, etc.
Philippines is one of the world's "biodiversity hotspots". Only few are
left on native plants found in the Philippines, some are facing high
degree of threat. Some of the economically important and endangered
plants are Almaciga, Rattan, Waling-waling, Philippine Date Palm and
Tree Fern.
The leading cause of plant endangerment is habitat loss/alteration due
to logging, mining and conversion of land to industrial, agricultural and
rural development. Others include unregulated collection/cutting/
overexploitation, pesticides/pollution, competition with other species
and disease.
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is the
government agency responsible for the inventory and conservation of
plants.

Organizational Strategies
Set your classroom for group activities
Secure permit from school head for adopt/plant a tree activity
Coordinate with the head of the community/incharge for adopt/plant
a tree activity
look for places within the school that is appropriate for gardening
(vegetable, flower,medicinal plant, garlic and onion)
Set safety/precautionary measures in handling breakable and pointed/
sharp objects.

Specific Vocabulary
Angiosperm is a group of plant which produce seeds enclosed in a
fruit. Examples are squash, beans, durian, grasses, etc.
Boreal forest is a forest consisting mainly of coniferous trees like pine
trees, spruce, fir, etc.

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Classify means to organize things into groups according to their

common characteristics.
Coniferous tree is any tree which bear seeds arranged in cone.
Conservation is a careful preservation and protection of something; a
planned management of natural resource to prevent exploitation,
destruction or neglect.
Conserve is to avoid wasteful or destructive use of natural resources.
Economically important plants are plants which have actual or
potential value in trade or utilization for commercial purposes.
Endangered species means a population of an organism which is at
risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers or
threatened by environmental or predation parameters.
Endemic means unique or exclusively native to a certain place.
Habitat is a place where one naturally lives and grows.
Leaf sheath is the lower part of the leaf which surrounds the stem
more or less completely.
Nonvascular plants are the plants which lack channels that carry the
water and nutrients to its parts.
Spores are dust-like reproductive elements of plants.
Vascular plants are plants whic possess well developed system of
conducting tissues to transport water and nutrients to their parts.
Whip is a long, slender structure. Rattan's leaf sheath and leaves have
whips which aids it in creeping.

Key Assessment Strategies

Assessment Checklist for Small Group Discussion
Group Report Rubric
Creative Presentation Rubric

Activities
1. Thinking About Plants
Thinking Skill

Multiple Intelligence

Observation and recall of information

Verbal/Linguistic
Intrapersonal

2. Same Kind, Same Place

Thinking Skill

Multiple Intelligence

Predict, draw conclusions

Naturalist

Order, group, infer causes

Body/Kinaesthetic

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3. Getting To Know Plants

Thinking Skill

Multiple Intelligence

Generalize from given facts

Naturalist

Use information

Visual/Spatial

4. Reading Between The Lines

Thinking Skill

Multiple Intelligence

Generalize from given facts

Verbal/Linguistic

Grasp meaning

Logical/Mathematical

5. Vanishing Species
Thinking Skill

Multiple Intelligence

Generalize from given facts

Verbal/Linguistic

Grasp meaning

Interpersonal

6. Revisiting the Mind Map

Thinking Skill

Multiple Intelligence

Use information

Verbal/Linguistic

Relate knowledge from several areas

Logical/Mathematical

7. The Plant Inventory

Thinking Skill

Multiple Intelligence

Predict, draw conclusions

Naturalist

Verify the value of evidence

Interpersonal

Translate knowledge into new context

Body/Kinaesthetic

8. Classified!
Thinking Skill

Multiple Intelligence

Translate knowledge into new context

Visual/Spatial

Solve problems using required skills or knowledge

Logical/Mathematical

9. What's the Difference?

Thinking Skill

Multiple Intelligence

Mastery of subject matter

Visual/Spatial

Organization of parts

Logical/Mathematical

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10. Green Thumbs At Work

Thinking Skill

Multiple Intelligence

Use methods, concepts, theories in new situations

Naturalist

Use old ideas to create new ones

Interpersonal
Body/Kinaesthetic

11. Adopt/Plant A Tree

Thinking Skill

Multiple Intelligence

Solve problems using required skills or knowledge

Interpersonal

Use methods, concepts, theories in new situations

Intrapersonal

12. The Plant And Me

Thinking Skill

Multiple Intelligence

Use methods, concepts, theories in new situations

Interpersonal

Use old ideas to create new ones

13. Plant Talk

Thinking Skill

Multiple Intelligence

Knowledge of major ideas

Interpersonal

Verify the value of evidence

Body/Kinaesthetic
Intrapersonal

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