Sci Fri: Flower Fertilization
The garden is still blooming, so we set out for some simple science in the form of fertilization. First, we collected a handful of squash flowers, only to find out the big blooms were males. Because we intended to dissect them to note the differences, we headed back to the garden to seek out female flowers. The ones that were wilting and starting to bear fruit, were female. Once dissected, this was plain to note!
Then we learned about the importance of pollinators, not just bees and butterflies but also our nocturnal pollinators such as moths and bats. Cornell University titled their show 'Trading Food for Fertilization' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiczM-w3V-U
jLastly, the kids used the lovely Natures Anatomy by Julia Rothman to draw and label the parts of the flower that deem them male or female.
