Evapotranspiration
Starting on May 1, 2019, the video goes through the different stages of soybean growth through harvest 2019.
Driving Question
How does a plant use water and the sun to grow?
Probing Questions
- How does the sun’s energy move water from the ground back to the atmosphere?
- How do weather conditions impact plant growth and the movement of water?
- How can you use a plant’s life cycle to model the movement of water?
- How does energy transfer from the sun to the plant impact the motion of water?
Classroom Suggestions
Students could:
- Graph the sun conditions and relative humidity with dates and compare to the dates of corn growth stages.
- Observe the stomata of plants and discuss their role in the water cycle in different weather conditions.
Resources
- KWWL | Why we Prefer Dew Points vs. Relative Humidity: This news article explains why dew points are referenced instead of relative humidity.
- US Geological Service (USGS) | Evapotranspiration and the Water Cycle: This site provides a definition of evapotranspiration and its role in the water cycle.
- PBS LearningMedia | The Cycling of Water: This interactive diagram of the global water cycle shows where water is stored on Earth and the major processes that move water between the atmosphere, land, and ocean.
- Iowa State Extension | How a Soybean Plant Develops: Written for farmers and agronomists, this PDF article includes images and descriptions of each stage of soybean growth.
- Integrated Pest Management | Corn Growth and Development: Written for students, farmers and agronomists, this PDF slideshow with details of the corn growth process.
Iowa Core Alignment
MS-ESS2-4:Develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth’s systems driven by energy from the sun and the force of gravity
Credit Info
Submitted by Josie Libby.
Funding for Iowa Science Phenomena provided by:
