8
Student Exploration: Fast Plants® 1 – Growth and Genetics
Note to teachers and students: The Fast Plants® Gizmo was created in collaboration with the
Wisconsin Fast Plants Program of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. These lessons can be
used independently or in conjunction with classroom Fast Plants experiments.
Vocabulary: allele, dominant allele, Fast Plants, gene, genetics, genotype, heterozygous,
homozygous, offspring, phenotype, pollen, pollinate, Punnett square, recessive allele, trait
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)
1. What do plants need to survive? plants need both water and nutrients (food) to survive.
2. How do plants reproduce? Plants reproduce sexually through the fusion of male and female
gametes in the flower.
Gizmo Warm-up
Several common vegetables, including Bok choy, napa
cabbage, and turnips, are varieties of a plant called Brassica
rapa. Fast plants are a rapid-cycling variety of Brassica rapa
that was developed at the University of Wisconsin. These
plants have short growing cycles and are ideal for classroom
use. In the Fast Plants® 1 – Growth and Genetics Gizmo, you
will learn about the life cycle and genetic traits of Fast Plants.
In the Gizmo, drag seed packet A to container 1 and seed
packet B to container 2. Click Play ( ), and then Pause (
) after about 10 simulated days.
1. A plants traits are its characteristics. Drag the magnifying glass over container 1. Describe
the traits of these plants.
2. Drag the magnifier over container 2. How do these plants differ from the container 1 plants?
2019
, Activity A: Get the Gizmo ready:
The Fast Plants ®
• Click Reset ( ). Plant seeds A in container 1.
life cycle • Turn on Show hints.
Introduction: Fast Plants® are grown in wicking systems, typically made of nested plastic
containers. The larger container is the water reservoir. Water from the reservoir travels through
the wick into the soil, where roots draw the water into stems and leaves.
Question: How do Fast Plants grow and reproduce?
1. Grow: With seeds A in container 1, click Play. Click Pause on day 17.
A. Is the container full of water? no If not, drag the water bottle to the
container.
B. Do the plants look like they are too crowded? yes If so, use the tweezers to pull
out a few plants and discard them in the waste hole.
2. Pollinate: The bee stick should be active at the bottom of the Gizmo. A bee stick is a dead
bee glued on a toothpick. Drag the bee stick through the flowers.
A. What happens to the appearance of the bee stick as it is dragged through the
flowers? It turns orange redish
The bee’s hairy thorax (middle section) is covered in pollen. Pollen is produced by
male reproductive organs in the flower. Each grain of pollen contains a sperm cell.
B. What happens to the flowers? The flowers become fertilized
The orange color represents flowers that are pollinated, or fertilized. (In reality,
pollinated flowers do not turn orange. This is done to show pollination in the Gizmo.)
3. Grow: Turn on Auto-watering. This will keep the containers full of water automatically. Click
Play, and then Pause around day 24. Use the magnifier to observe the plants.
A. What do you notice happening at the top of the plants?
Pollinated flowers develop into long, thin seedpods.
B. Click Play, and then Pause at day 38. Is the container filled with water? yes
This is not a mistake. At this time, the auto-watering system turns off so the plants
can dry out and the seeds do not rot.
(Activity A continued on next page)
2019
Student Exploration: Fast Plants® 1 – Growth and Genetics
Note to teachers and students: The Fast Plants® Gizmo was created in collaboration with the
Wisconsin Fast Plants Program of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. These lessons can be
used independently or in conjunction with classroom Fast Plants experiments.
Vocabulary: allele, dominant allele, Fast Plants, gene, genetics, genotype, heterozygous,
homozygous, offspring, phenotype, pollen, pollinate, Punnett square, recessive allele, trait
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)
1. What do plants need to survive? plants need both water and nutrients (food) to survive.
2. How do plants reproduce? Plants reproduce sexually through the fusion of male and female
gametes in the flower.
Gizmo Warm-up
Several common vegetables, including Bok choy, napa
cabbage, and turnips, are varieties of a plant called Brassica
rapa. Fast plants are a rapid-cycling variety of Brassica rapa
that was developed at the University of Wisconsin. These
plants have short growing cycles and are ideal for classroom
use. In the Fast Plants® 1 – Growth and Genetics Gizmo, you
will learn about the life cycle and genetic traits of Fast Plants.
In the Gizmo, drag seed packet A to container 1 and seed
packet B to container 2. Click Play ( ), and then Pause (
) after about 10 simulated days.
1. A plants traits are its characteristics. Drag the magnifying glass over container 1. Describe
the traits of these plants.
2. Drag the magnifier over container 2. How do these plants differ from the container 1 plants?
2019
, Activity A: Get the Gizmo ready:
The Fast Plants ®
• Click Reset ( ). Plant seeds A in container 1.
life cycle • Turn on Show hints.
Introduction: Fast Plants® are grown in wicking systems, typically made of nested plastic
containers. The larger container is the water reservoir. Water from the reservoir travels through
the wick into the soil, where roots draw the water into stems and leaves.
Question: How do Fast Plants grow and reproduce?
1. Grow: With seeds A in container 1, click Play. Click Pause on day 17.
A. Is the container full of water? no If not, drag the water bottle to the
container.
B. Do the plants look like they are too crowded? yes If so, use the tweezers to pull
out a few plants and discard them in the waste hole.
2. Pollinate: The bee stick should be active at the bottom of the Gizmo. A bee stick is a dead
bee glued on a toothpick. Drag the bee stick through the flowers.
A. What happens to the appearance of the bee stick as it is dragged through the
flowers? It turns orange redish
The bee’s hairy thorax (middle section) is covered in pollen. Pollen is produced by
male reproductive organs in the flower. Each grain of pollen contains a sperm cell.
B. What happens to the flowers? The flowers become fertilized
The orange color represents flowers that are pollinated, or fertilized. (In reality,
pollinated flowers do not turn orange. This is done to show pollination in the Gizmo.)
3. Grow: Turn on Auto-watering. This will keep the containers full of water automatically. Click
Play, and then Pause around day 24. Use the magnifier to observe the plants.
A. What do you notice happening at the top of the plants?
Pollinated flowers develop into long, thin seedpods.
B. Click Play, and then Pause at day 38. Is the container filled with water? yes
This is not a mistake. At this time, the auto-watering system turns off so the plants
can dry out and the seeds do not rot.
(Activity A continued on next page)
2019
