Roots as food storage

Roots as food storage

Pencil and paper
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Working with Students
This task is about identifying methods of food storage in different plants.

Tuber
Bulb
Corm
Tap root
 
a)		  
These diagrams show four ways plants store food to help them survive during the winter. Next to each plant write in the type of underground storage organ it uses. The first one has been done for you.
 

Plant

Storage organ

Dahlia

Tuber

Potato

  

Carrot

  

Daffodil

  

Tulip

  

Taro

  

Radish

  

Gladioli

 
 
b)
 
Name another tuber commonly grown in New Zealand. ____________________
 
c)
Name another vegetable that stores food in its tap root. ____________________
 
d) Name another flowering plant which stores food in a bulb. ____________________
Task administration: 
This task can be completed with pencil and paper.
Level:
4
Curriculum info: 
Science, Knowledge, Living World
Keywords: 
Life processes, plants, storage organs, bulbs, roots
Description of task: 
Four diagrams showing different ways plants store food (tuber, bulb, corm, and a tap root) are provided. Students are asked to identify which method of food storage different plants use. Three short answer questions are also included.
Curriculum Links: 
Science capabilities
The capabilities focus is brought about by the conversations you have and the questions you ask.
 
Capabilitiy: Use evidence
This resource provides opportunities to discuss using developing science understandings and evidence (labelled diagrams and texts) to make inferences.
 
Science capabilities: 
Use evidence
Making Better Sense: 
Flower Parts
Answers/responses: 
 

Y8 (05/00)
a) Potato – tuber
Carrot – tap root
Daffodil – bulb
Tulip – bulb
Taro – tuber
Radish – tap root
Gladioli – corm		 very easy
very easy
very easy
easy
moderate
moderate
difficult
b) Kumara moderate
c) For any 1 of: 

  • parsnip
  • beetroot
  • turnip
  • any other plausible answer, e.g., swede
 difficult
d) For any 1 of: 

  • lily
  • jonquil
  • hyacinth
  • any other plausible answer
 very difficult
Diagnostic and formative information: 
  Common error
a)
Taro:
21% classified it as a corm.
14% classified it as a tap root.
Radish: 38% classified it as a corm.
Gladioli: 43% classified it as a bulb.
15% classified it as a tap root.