WEBQUEST: PLANT PHYSIOLOGY


IS FOR APPLE AND AWESOME APPLEQUEST
Katherine Kilbride (Archbishop Chapelle High School)
May 19, 2000
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STUDENT WORKSHEET|TEACHER'S GUIDE

HOW DOES FRUIT RIPEN? DOES RIPENING FRUIT CAUSE THE SURROUNDING FRUIT TO RIPEN AS WELL? WHAT CAUSES FRUIT TO ROT? ARE THE PROCESSES THE SAME FOR VEGETABLES AND FLOWERS?


Hello out there! I’m Adam Apple and I am a Red Delicious apple. Some of my apple friends are Gala, Granny Smith, and Golden Delicious, other varieties of apples. Now, I know what you’re thinking, "How can Adam be a Red Delicious apple when he is obviously VERY green?" Well some apples are green, some are yellow, and others are varying shades of red. We are related; we taste differently and may be used differently by you.

NOW MORE ABOUT ME…Because I am not from the green variety of apple, I will soon become bright red as I mature and ripen. You see, I have something called HORMONES that control my growth and development. The word hormone comes from the Greek word horman, meaning "to set in motion".Like me, your body produces and uses hormones to regulate your growth and many other activities. You see, hormones are a kind of messenger, a chemical messenger that ...........Say, come with me and I will take you on an APPLEQUEST ADVENTURE. Together we will explore and discover some cool stuff about us apples.


STUDENT WORKSHEET
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  •  First, let’s investigate this chemical messenger thing. To get the scoop on plant hormones, we’ll visit http://koning.ecsu.ctstateu.edu/Plants_Human/fruitgrowripe.html Scroll down the page to the section: "Fruit Ripening". Wow! What's all that mean? Let's continue to scroll and read "Fruit Abscission".

    IS FRUIT RIPENING CONTAGIOUS?
    1. Name the hormone that is responsible for making many fruits (like me) and vegetables ripen and mature._____________________________________________.

    2. Explain how bananas can be used to ripen other fruit, such as a green pear.
    _______________________________________________________________________

    _______________________________________________________________________

    _______________________________________________________________________

    Let's visit the Dole Food Company
    http://www.dole5aday.com/encyclopedia/peaches/peachesbagripen.html for a cool presentation on peaches and how they ripen.
    3. Which is better for ripening peaches, brown paper bag or a transparent plastic bag? Explain your answer ________________________________________________

    ______________________________________________________________________

    Let's look into Dole's "Fruit and Vegetable Encyclopedia, How to Select and Store Apples". http://www.dole5aday.com/encyclopedia/apple/appleselect.html

    4. Name 4 other fruits that produce the hormone, ethylene. How might ethylene affect green leafy vegetables? _______________________________________________________________

    Now a brief stop at the University of California, Postharvest Technology Research and Information Center. http://postharvest.ucdavis.edu/Produce/Storage/prop_a.html

    Scroll down until you see a chart....As you scroll down through the chart, pay special attention to the information in the following columns:

    common name-scientific name-ethylene production-ethylene sensitivity.

    *Be sure to scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page for the key to help you understand the letters in the ethylene columns.(Whew! Here the information gets a bit more technical). *Remember, we’re here together and I am going to help you.

    5. Look under the "SCIENTIFIC NAME" column until you see the word "McIntosh".
    Record the code letter for     ethylene production for the McIntosh apple. __________________________

    Let’s research information about my pal, Bobby Banana. We can do this by clicking on the letter "B" below the words "Common Name". Look in the Common Name column for the word "banana".

    6. How does the ethylene production of Bobby Banana compare to the McIntosh apple?
    ____________________________________________________________________

    You see, although apples like to be near other apples, fruits, and vegetables, you must take special care when you take us home from the supermarket and store us under proper conditions.

    In fact, scientists are always studying ways to improve upon the postharvesting development of fruits and veggies…


    INQUIRY INVESTIGATION



    DOES ONE "ROTTEN" APPLE SPOIL THE WHOLE BARREL?

    RESEARCH THE "STEPS OF THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD" USING YOUR TEXTBOOK OR OTHER REFERENCE SOURCE. *YOUR SITE VISITS AND READINGS WILL GIVE YOU THE "BACKGROUND RESEARCH" TO FIND OUT ABOUT YOUR TOPIC.

    STATE YOUR     HYPOTHESIS, an educated guess about your research question.*See title of INQUIRY INVESTIGATION. *It is suggested that the hypothesis be stated as an 'IF...THEN" statement, for example, IF AN APPLE IS PLACED IN A WARMER TEMPERATURE, THEN IT WILL RIPEN FASTER THAN IN COOLER TEMPERATURES. *you may even be specific as to temperature readings

    DESIGN AND CONDUCT AN     EXPERIMENT THAT WILL "TEST" YOUR HYPOTHESIS. During this time you will make observations, record data, organize your data using charts, tables, graphs, etc.

    DRAW A     CONCLUSION FROM YOUR RECORDED DATA.
    *Did your data support your hypothesis? If it did not, what should be your next step?

    PUBLISH AND PRESENT YOUR RESEARCH REPORT.

    OPTIONAL ACTIVITY
    Visit this site     http://www.ripen-it.com/qa.htm to get information about "product design for fruit and vegetable storage."

    RESEARCH IN KITCHEN CATALOGUES AND BRING TO CLASS A PICTURE OF ONE OR MORE FRUIT/VEGGIE STORAGE CONTAINER. DISCUSS ITS DESIGN AND ITS EFFECTIVENESS. *Does anyone have that crazy apparatus that stores bananas by hanging them?

    GET CREATIVE! DESIGN AND CONSTRUCT A STORAGE CONTAINER THAT WILL KEEP FRUIT/VEGETABLES AS THEIR MAXIMUM FRESHNESS!! CHOOSE ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING: APPLES, BANANAS, PEACHES, TOMATOES

    AWESOME APPLE ACTIVITIES
    WANT TO SEE AN APPLE DANCE?
    Let’s peek in on some scientists who are busy with a new research project.     http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/kids/weirdscience/story3/applebatics2.htm#important

     Before we end our AppleQuest Adventure, let’s revisit Dole. My twin brother, Anthony Apple, and my best friend, Bobby Banana are nhaving loads of fun with many of my other friends. http://www.dole5aday.com/menu/kids/stories.htm We’ll have lots of fun at his place!

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  • TEACHER'S GUIDE
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    APPLEQUEST DESCRIPTION
    This webquest is an activity in which Adam Apple introduces the participant to ethylene gas, a plant ripening hormone. Adam Apple will take the learner to various Internet links that will explore ethylene production and fruit ripening, ethylene’s effect upon surrounding fruits and veggies, and an on-going scientific project to prevent postharvesting development and spoilage in fruits and vegetables.

    • The participate will complete a STUDENT WORKSHEET (teacher-directed questioning) as one proceeds through the Applequest. Finally, the participant will form conclusions about the plant hormone, ethylene, by conducting an inquiry activity in which storage variables (temperature, container, time) and fruit ripening is investigated.

    An OPTIONAL ACTIVITY will be for the participant to design a container, holder, or storage method that improves upon postharvest development and spoilage in fresh fruits and vegetables.

    GRADE LEVEL
    Applequest is targeted to students in grades 6-10; however, it may be easily adapted to a younger audience or more advanced students.

    OBJECTIVES
    To familiarize students with the fruit ripening hormone, ethylene, and its effect upon postharvest development.
    To stimulate the student's interest in the developmental processes of flowering plants, especially fruits and vegetables.
    To engage the student in the process of scientific inquiry.

    STANDARDS ALIGNMENT
    Louisiana Content Strands
    Science As Inquiry
    SI -- M -- A1; A2
    SI -- H -- A1; A2; B3
    Life Science
    LS -- M --A2; A3
    Physical Science
    PS -- H --D1

    BACKGROUND
    In flowering plants and animals, chemical messengers, called hormones, are responsible
    for selected effects upon the organism. Under the influence of     ethylene, one of the five
    main plant hormones, green fruit ripens and flowers, fruits, and leaves drop from plants(abscission)
    at prescribed times of the year.

    It was accidently discovered that kerosene produced ethylene gas and caused fruit to ripen
    when farmers had fruit in sheds with kerosene lanterns. Ancient Chinese made fruit ripen
    faster by burning incense. *They were unaware that the smoke contained ethylene.
    To avoid bruising, decay and to prolong freshness in fruits and vegetables, food distributors
    presently use ethylene after harvesting and shipping.

    TIME FRAME
    APPLEQUEST Activity: one 50-55 minute period.
    INQUIRY ACTIVITY: extended time (5-7 days).
    OPTIONAL ACTIVITY: extended time (one or more class periods)

    TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
    Computer with Internet Access
    Monitor
    Printer *If a copy of the STUDENT WORKSHEET is provided to participant(s).
    Computer projector or LCD projector for a one (1) computer classroom

    APPLEQUEST HOW-TO'S
    *It is strongly suggested that the teacher perform a dry run of the entire APPLEQUEST prior to classroom implementation.

    A copy of the STUDENT WORKSHEET should be provided (1-5 printed pages) to each student or groups of students.
    In a one (1) computer classroom, each student may be provided a copy of the STUDENT WORKSHEET which is to be completed as the teacher facilitates the lesson.
    If students engage in the APPLEQUEST INQUIRY ACTIVITY, the following materials
    will be required: brown paper lunch bags, plastic fruit/vegetable bags, thermometers, fresh
    fruits/veggies

    STUDENT WORKSHEET ANSWERS
    1. ethylene gas, a ripening hormone
    2. A banana releases ethylene gas which could be trapped in a loosely folded brown paper bag and causes the ripening of any surrounding fruit, the pear.
    3. This site discusses and explains how a brown paper lunch bag might be a better choice than the plastic bag for retarding postharvesting development and ripeness.
    4. bananas, tomatoes, melons, pears
    Green, leafy vegetables are highly sensitive to ethylene gas and will not hold their freshness as long in the presence of this gas. Therefore, apples should not be stored near these veggies.
    5. VH--Very High for the McIntosh apple.
    The banana in comparison to the McIntosh received a "M" --moderate rating.

    OPTIONAL (EXTENSION) ACTIVITIES
    Commercial site where students may read and design a holder for plants.

    Plan and hold a class competition for the container that keeps fruit the freshest the longest.

    This site could be used to stimulate a class discussion about the following topics: temperature and its effect upon ripening process, importance of product design, aesthetic versus functional, career topics, etc..

    RELATED INTERNET LINKS
    http://www.nmnh.si.edu/garden/
    Smithsonian Instutition site…good interdisciplinary, history of selected foods items, how to plant a garden

    http://www.dole5aday.com/encyclopedia/apple/apple_menu.html#menu2
    (dole site that explains how apples are grown, harvested, transported, and stored)

    http://www.lifesci.ucla.edu/botgard/html/botanytextbooks/economicbotany/Musa/index.html
    info on fruits and economics...*good for activities for kids

    http://www.lifesci.ucla.edu/botgard/html/botanytextbooks/economicbotany/index.html
    list of various fruits --read selected fruits.

    http://www.agday.org/index.html
    Living in space and agriculture info AG Day

    http://garden.cas.psu.edu/vegcrops/index.html
    Department of Horticulture
    Penn State University
    University Park, Pennsylvania USA

    REFERENCES
    Starr, Cecie and Taggart, Ralph. Biology The Unity and Diversity of Life.Belmont:Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1995.

    Johnson, George B. and Raven, Peter H. Biology Principles & Explorations. Orlando: Holt, Rinehart and
    Winston, Inc., 1996.

    Koning, Ross E. "Fruit Growth and Ripening". Plant Physiology Website. 1994.
    http://koning.ecsu.ctstateu.edu/plants_human/fruitgrowripe.html (your visit date). Eastern Connecticut State University

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