Plant Game

This exercise helps students think about how plants grow in a fun and enticing manner. Teams of students “grow a plant” composed of “leaves,” “roots,” and “flowers.” The goal of the game is to produce a maximum number of flowers, which is possible only if the students have a good strategy to keep their “roots” in water and produce enough “leaves” to support adequate photosynthesis. Students “grow their plant” in a graduated cylinder with paper clip roots dangling in water. Measured amounts of water are added to and removed from the system by “rainfall” and “transpiration,” which is determined according to a roll of the dice. The game ends when another roll of the dice indicates a “frost.”

Since the rate of growth of each student’s plant is limited by the “weather” and by the students’ choices in how they allocate their fixed carbon, a few repetitions of the game clearly demonstrate the functions of leaves, roots, and flowers, and some of the environmental stresses on plants.

This activity is available as a kit through CIBT’s Equipment Lending Library.

Downloads

Plant Game Teacher Edition (CIBT)

Plant Game Student Edition (CIBT)

Plant Game Leaves and Flowers

Plant Game Sugar Tokens

Advanced Plant Game Cards, Extra