Aquatic Plants Live in Owbows

Naturalist Heidi Anderson discusses the many types of plant life including buttonbush and duckweed surrounding the oxbows of Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt.

• What do plants need to grow?

• How do water and air help plants grow?
• What might happen if air or water were removed from a plant?

Students could:

• Brainstorm what they think plants need to survive before showing the phenomenon.
• Compare and contrast the various plants shown at Chichaqua Bottoms.
• Make observations about the plants around their home and infer what those plants need to survive.
• Conduct an experiment of growing plants while changing the amounts of water and soil.
• Investigate growing plants in a hydroponic garden system.
• Create an argument using evidence to show that plants can grow using mostly water and air.

• Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization | Skunk River and Chichaqua River Bottoms : Interpretive and informal biological reconnaissance report on Skunk River and Chichaqua resource for teachers.
• Minnesota DNR | Aquatic Plants: Information on common Midwestern aquatic plants.
• The Wonder of Science | Plant Requirements - Air and Water: Assessments and instructional resources aligned with standard 5-LS1-1.
• Wartburg College | Ioponics: How to create a hydroponics garden in your classroom.
• Wonderopolis: Can Plants Grow Without Soil?: A kid-friendly article discussing hydroponics and how to start a hydroponic garden.