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Why do plants grow flowers?

Pollination & Plant Reproduction
4.8 (28667 reviews)
Lesson narration:
English Spanish
Scroll for prep
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DISCUSS:

Why are bees important? What do you know about “pollination”?

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DISCUSS (1 of 4):

Can you find the pollen dusters and the stigma on this flower?

Poppy

DISCUSS (2 of 4):

Can you find the pollen dusters and the stigma on this flower?

Daffodil

DISCUSS (3 of 4):

Where are the pollen dusters and the stigma on this flower?

Cinquefoil

DISCUSS (4 of 4):

Now that you know the stigma needs pollen on it, in order for the seed pod to grow, what can you do in your greenhouse?

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DISCUSS:

So now what would you do, in order to get your vanilla plants to form seed pods?

Reveal answer…

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DISCUSS:

What other animals drink nectar from flowers? (Hint... Think of other animals you’ve noticed hanging around flowers.)

Here are some examples we thought of…

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Slide Image
Slide Image

offspring


1 of 10

babies
Slide Image

reproduction


2 of 10

a stage in the life cycle of living things when they have offspring
Slide Image

seed


3 of 10

a part of a plant that can grow into a baby plant
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flower


4 of 10

the reproductive part of some plants that can make seeds
Slide Image

nectar


5 of 10

a sugary liquid that plants make
Slide Image

pollen


6 of 10

a powder plants make that is involved in plant reproduction
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stamen


7 of 10

the part of a flower that has pollen
Slide Image

stigma


8 of 10

the sticky part of a flower that pollen can stick to
Slide Image

pollination


9 of 10

the process of moving pollen from one part of a flower (the stamen) to another part of a flower (the stigma)
Slide Image

model


10 of 10

a pretend version of something that scientists use when the real thing is too big, small, or complicated to work with

Image & Video Credits

Mystery Science respects the intellectual property rights of the owners of visual assets. We make every effort to use images and videos under appropriate licenses from the owner or by reaching out to the owner to get explicit permission. If you are the owner of a visual and believe we are using it without permission, please contact us—we will reply promptly and make things right.

Exploration
lemonade stand by Joshua Ommen , used under CC BY-SA
ice cream by Davgood Kirshot
grocery store aisle by Bidgee , used under CC BY-SA
chocolate syrup by Daniel Oines , used under CC BY-SA
ice cream by stu_spivack , used under CC BY-SA
Vanilla Beans by Alphaomega1010 , used under CC BY-SA
vanilla seed pods by B.navez , used under CC BY-SA
trowel by walkersalmanac
plant with dying flowers by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Kletr
greenhouse by Pastorius , used under CC BY-SA
Vanilla pompona by H. Zell , used under CC BY-SA
person on laptop by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Andrey Popov
bees/flowers by MrWallybutler
bee/flower by Bernie Kohl
lavender seeds by Hans Braxmeier
babies by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Gelpi JM
sprout by lanailic
spring flower w/bee by Dirk Fuhlert
bee with pollen by gailhampshire , used under CC BY-SA
George Washington Carver by Alabama Department of Archives and History , used under Public Domain
plant pollen by Madecasse
clock in grass by Alexas_Fotos
Vanilla bahiana by Orchi , used under CC BY-SA
kid with headache by espies
bee/rose by motoronna
lily flower by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: AN NGUYEN
animated grad cap by ClkerFreeVectorImages
animated mag glass by OpenClipartVectors
bee inside flower by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: ileana_bt
bee flower pollen by Vita Serendipity
bee tongue by pam newcombe
animated juicebox by OpenClipartVectors
maple syrup by Miguel Andrade
tree by Bruce Marlin , used under CC BY-SA
sugar by 422737
sugar cane by parhessiastes , used under CC BY-SA
Activity
white lily by alex grichenko
two bees by Waugsberg , used under CC BY-SA
Credits
Why do plants grow flowers?
Pollination & Plant Reproduction
4.8 (28667 reviews)

Featured Reviews

“The best part was activity and videos that replayed steps over and over again so I could monitor around the room and help out kids without having to be in one spot! The students loved being the 'bees' and pollinating their flowers. Plus when we went on a field trip that week, the students observed butterflies and bees pollinating on a flower plant. They were completely absorbed. They couldn't believe they were seeing it in REAL life! :) Awesome connection and experience with the lesson and in-class experiment.”
· Sadie · Teacher
“My students loved this activity and are still buzzing about it! I love the step by step directions and the questions that get the students thinking about the topic. I can't wait to try more mysteries!”
· Suzi · Teacher
“My students loved creating their own bees and flowers. They all truly understand the bees purpose in the reproduction of flowers. It was also great for a display for our open house. The students loved telling their parents what they did and what the purpose was of their experiment. ”
· Elizabeth · Teacher
“The students loved it! I even had a child who said he wanted to go home and research more about pollination! I love that their is an interesting video with questions and then an interactive activity at the end. It definitely helps to keep the students interested and deepens their learning!”
· Rosemary · Teacher
“The videos were so engaging and thought provoking. I loved the discussion questions, and the activity was the perfect way to cement the concepts for my kinestetic learners!”
· Jamie · Teacher
“The story context engaged the students and they loved the activity. I thought it was brilliant how the activity slideshow was laid out step by step, with each how-to video on a loop. Students really need to see more than once how to do each step!”
· Kia · Teacher
“My daughter is fascinated by bees and pollination and all the explanations were so clear and easy to remember. Terrific!”
· Laura · Homeschooler
“Very simple for students to do and they really understood the content, too! ”
· Allison · Teacher
“Learning about connections, easy to see pollination with two types of pollin (e.g., cinnamon and cornmeal).”
· Kristine · Teacher
“Students interacted and loved the activity/questions after the videos!”
· Alexis · Admin
“Very engaging and I loved how it taught the lesson step by step!”
· Becky · Teacher
“The kids loved the bee tongue! But seriously the turn and talk sections were very good for this lesson”
· Amy · Teacher
“The activity was well executed i appreciate the step by step video it was flawless. I also love you videos they are spoken is such a kid friendly way!”
· Briana · Homeschooler
“Kids were engaged and really excited to learn about pollination. I saw kids thinking through how they would get their seeds to grow and it was amazing to hear their thinking out loud.”
· Sandra · Teacher
“The fact my kids got to make their own flowers and were able to fly their bees was the best. I love the hands-on approach!”
· Janet · Teacher
“Roughly 50 2nd grade students viewed the whole video in my room. It laid a perfect foundtion for regular and ELL students. Offered opportunities for students to speak and listen to one another. We can't wait to make pollinators to solidfy the connection between bees and pollination.”
· Lintz · Teacher
“My kids were talking about pollination all day long. Great lesson”
· Stephanie · Teacher
“I love how they can explain it with the videos. I think that it really helps then understand so much better than looking in a book.”
· Katie · Teacher
“Everything was laid out in such a logical way, with each new piece of information like a small block to build on what was already talked about. It was great!”
· Loni · Homeschooler
“The best part was that students could explain why bees are important to plants and the process of pollination. They really understood!”
· Kristina · Teacher
“wow this was so well done. and funny! my daughter loved it ”
· Rebecca · Homeschooler
“The kids LOVED it! They were super engaged and they still talk about what they learned from it a few weeks later. It has helped them remember all the parts of a plant in our unit too.”
· Deborah · Teacher
“The activity was great, kids loved it. I really love the step by step video and the fact that it continues to replay until you are ready to move on!”
· Patricia · Teacher
“I am very impressed with the pace of the videos and the attention to essential details. The videos are interesting, age appropriate and I am confident that they will keep my students engaged! The activities are well-developed and I believe that real learning can take place with or without the presence of a natural flower. I am absolutely thrilled that I found Mystery Science this summer while browsing the web, and I cannot wait to share it with my students and colleagues!!”
· Alicia · Teacher
“The students were actually paying attention. They knew the answer and loved to share with their classmates. The only thing we have completed so far is the video, but we are working on activity tomorrow. They can't wait!”
· Amber · Teacher
“Running outside to look at flowers on our land and watch the bees, overflies and beetles go from flower to flower. My children loved being able to find the "pollen dusters" and "sticky stigmas".”
· Nav · Homeschooler
“making the little bees for the flowers”
· Carol · Teacher
“Step by step, good videos, everything was right there, I didn't have to search and put it together myself.”
· Pam · Teacher
“Love the model and the step by step directions. Also the questioning within the exploration is higher order!”
· Suzanne · Teacher
“videos and meaningful activity and follow up questions. Well targeted to 2nd graders. We loved it!!!”
· Sharon · Teacher
“I've shown them/discussed the process of pollination many times, but this lesson brought it home to them more than any way I've explained in the past.The fact that Doug presents it in a light hearted, fun way makes all the difference for my children - they love him! MS is their favourite part of home ed. Only critiscism is that the mystery download (which is a great feature) didn't work this time (got stuck at 79%).”
· Debbie · Homeschooler
“The kids LOVED making their bees and pollinating the flowers! Great hands on activity!”
· Barbara · Teacher
“the students really caught on to the concept of pollination with this activity. I love the hands on work!”
· Erica · Teacher
“The students loved making the bees and "pollinating" the flowers.”
· April · Teacher
“Delightful, informative, and fun!”
· Stacy · Teacher
“super engaging, well scaffolded and the students could really grasp the core idea”
· Jennifer · Teacher
“When the students completed the lesson they truly understood pollination and why plants grow flowers.”
· · Teacher
“My students loved the activity. It really brought the lesson to life. The discussion these lessons lend to is amazing!”
· Debbie · Teacher
“The kids really understood how pollen gets from one plant to the next! They cheered when they saw we were doing another Mystery Science lesson!”
· · Teacher
“The students were engaged and took the lesson out to recess, teaching other students what they learned. Great leasson!”
· Lisa · Teacher
“First time teaching it, and my students and I LOVED all of it! Thanks for putting this together! Can't wait to try out more Mysteries, and to see what new ones are added, too! ”
· Meghan · Teacher
“This lesson was so much fun, best yet!”
· Debbie · Teacher
“It was excellent! The videos of the bees were fantastic because they showed all of the pollen. Very close up pictures. Loved the video showing the steps in making the flower. Loved that is constantly repeated the steps over and over for students to use as a guide.”
· Christine · Teacher
“We had a blast trying to solve the mystery of why the vanilla plant didn't make seeds by itself! We also loved the pollination activity!”
· Christina · Homeschooler
“The videos were spot on! The step-by-step directions with looping video for the activity were perfect for my third graders.”
· · Teacher
“It was very interesting to ear their answers to why bees are important for pollination. They actually had no idea, most thought it was just to make honey. The activity to make model flowers and how the flower needs pollen from another plant helped the children understand very well. After the lesson I took the class out to see the cherry blossoms and a variety of flowers. They were so excited to see the pollen inside of the flowers and tried themselves to pollinate the flowers!”
· Joanne · Teacher
“The best part was when we went to the Mother's Day Plant sale and the children were trying to locate the "sticky stigma" and "pollen" in their real plants. This showed me that they really "got" the lesson. Fantastic!”
· Linda · Teacher
“This was such a fun lesson! A support teacher kept raving about how wonderful this lesson was as I was teaching it - she couldn't believe how hands on and entertaining it was! The best part is now my students are interested in finding out more about how monkeys are pollinators!”
· Stephanie · Teacher
“Phenomenal! Our students loved the activity and were so excited. It is always great when the teacher learns something too.”
· Cindy · Teacher
“The directions were easy to follow and it really illustrated pollination concretely to the kids. The students can really follow along with the narrative to solve how flowers make seeds.”
· Dawn · Admin
“What a great way to help students understand how and why bees pollinate! The activity was very effective. Students are really listening and learning during the videos.”
· Marianne · Teacher
“The lesson is really engaging and requires very little prep time. The kids loved it. Making the flower models was also awesome-the step by step video instructions are mega-being able to put the visual on a loop while the teacher circulates to help kids complete it is very effective. The kids loved making their insects and cross pollinating their flowers. The students really made a connection to the lesson and want to inspect every flower they see now for the pollen dusters and sticky stigma.”
· Britt · Teacher
“I love the graphics. They make it so clear to my students what is happening. I also appreciate the anticipation of questions students might ask. The information is there for them to see and hear. ”
· Maryam · Teacher
“How clearly it made the point that pollen needs to come from another flower.”
· Kierin · Teacher
“We did a collaboration with a kindergarten class and tied in their standards of flower parts. They had a blast! ”
· Anastasia · Teacher
“Creating the flower and bee, it allowed students to actually witness what was taking place.I loved this lesson.”
· Amanda · Teacher
“My students were fascinated by the video of the bee drinking nectar from the flower. They were very excited to make and pollinate their own flower. Thank you for the great lesson!”
· Maria · Teacher
“The students were so engaged during this lesson. They had such a great time trying to figure out how to make the flowers grow.”
· Alysia · Teacher
“the students loved "being the bees" and it really helped them understand the ordering of a plant's life cycle”
· Ali · Teacher
“I loved the step by step activity instructions, the students were able to follow along easily and it was actually excellent practice with following directions which my students really struggle with. Loved it!”
· Becky · Teacher
“Students truly understood how the pollination process worked to create a seed.”
· Chandrae · Teacher
“The vocabulary and explanations were really appropriate for 2nd and 3rd grade students. Video and activity explained the concept much better than I ever could.”
· Lauren · Teacher
“My kids loved creating the flower and having their "bee" transfer the pollen.. They are always asking for Mystery Science!!”
· Shauna · Teacher
“They loved making the "bees" as well as buzzing into each other's pollen filled flowers. ”
· Sue · Teacher
“The pollination activity really helped the kids understand the process.”
· Debbie · Teacher
“I have a bulletin board of lovely (smelly/spicy) flowers! The students were amazed.”
· Renae · Teacher
“My kids now understand what pollination means. This was such a wonderfully organized lesson. Thank you for the idea!”
· Michelle · Teacher
“Loved it all! Questions were high rigor and kids loved how the instructional video for the activity kept looping (and so did I!). Can't wait to use more of your lessons.”
· Rita · Teacher
“The step by step instructions were fantastic!”
· Susan · Teacher
“The lesson was expertly done it provided an excellent lesson with discussion time.”
· Margaret · Teacher
“My kids really understood pollination.”
· Angela · Teacher
“Loved the engagement! Great questions to promote group discussions and getting students to think aloud.”
· Ibrahim · Teacher
“I haven't finished yet, but they were struggling with plant reproduction before the lesson and now have it all straightened out!”
· Joanne · Teacher
“The kids absolutely LOVED the activity, and our discussions were excellent. It really got them thinking critically about nature. EXCELLENT lesson.”
· Brandon · Teacher
“The pollination activity had my students engaged in the pollination process. They were eager to pollinate their partner's flower and carefully made sure they were rubbing pollen onto the stigma. The students even made buzzing noises as they pollinated the flowers. ”
· Jessica · Teacher
“The lesson was very informative. I love that every lesson starts with a question to get the students intrigued then goes above and beyond to answer it. The activity was great. The students loved it and got a much better understanding of pollination. ”
· Maggie · Teacher
“The real world application of it and higher order questioning was GREAT!”
· Molly · Teacher
“My students LOVED this lesson! They had a misconception about bees with pollination so this lesson really helped out! ”
· Laney · Teacher
“Loved it! The kids understand the concepts so much better than using a foss kit. The NGSS standards and practices are wonderfully packaged. Thank you”
· Gail · Teacher
“One of the best lessons of the year.”
· Philip · Teacher
“The kids liked pretending with their bees. ”
· Kelsey · Teacher
“We loved making the flowers and insects to really cement the process of pollination. ”
· Melissa · Homeschooler
“They loved watching how bees pollinate and drink nectar.”
· Gail · Teacher
“The kids loved acting out the pollination. I loved how the lesson set them up to solve the mystery.”
· Rachel · Teacher
Lesson narration:
English Spanish

Activity Prep

Print Prep
In this lesson, students learn how and why flowers are pollinated. In the activity, Make a Flower, students make flower models out of paper and bee models out of pipe cleaners. Students fly their bees from flower to flower and observe what happens to the flower’s pollen during this process.
Preview activity

Vocabulary

Vocabulary

Student slideshow: English | Spanish

Teacher printout: English & Spanish

I have a Mystery Pack

Make a Flower printout 1 per student
Glue Sticks
1 glue stick per student
Markers
Three different colors for each student and one of them should be green. Crayons or colored pencils also work.
Details
3 markers per student
Scissors
1 pair per student
Dixie Cups (3 oz)
2 cups per group
File Folder Labels (Stickers)
We prefer stickers because they are easier to distribute in a classroom. Tape also works.
Details
1 label per student
Pipe Cleaners
3 pipe cleaners per student
Pollen Variety 1 (Ex. Cinnamon)
Cornmeal will also work.
Details
1 ounces per group
Pollen Variety 2 (Ex. Ground Coffee)
Ground sage or ground dill will also work.
Details
1 ounces per group
Prep Instructions

We suggest students work in pairs. Homeschool students can work on their own, but will need to make two flower models and may need a partner to help with a few steps of the activity.

Prepare “Pollen” Cups

So they can observe that pollen is transferred from one flower to another, you will need to provide students with two different kinds of pollen. In half the cups, spoon about a tablespoon of one of the “pollen” types (e.g. cinnamon). In the other half of the cups, spoon about a tablespoon of the other “pollen” type (e.g. ground coffee). Groups of four students will be sharing two cups of “pollen."

Classroom Management Tip

To avoid distractions, we suggest waiting to distribute the “pollen” cups to students until Step 9 of the activity.

Standards

Jump to

Exploration

31 mins

Hands-On Activity

30 mins

Extend this lesson

Unit Readings

Unit Readings

Mystery Science Fruit Salad

In this reading, students learn how some mischievous people at Mystery Science made a "fruit salad" while thinking like plant scientists.


Wild Sunflowers, Wonderful New Traits

In this reading, students learn about two scientists who study wild sunflowers.

Mini-lessons

Mini-lessons

You can elaborate student learning and engagement with Mystery Science mini-lessons.

If you are in an NGSS state, this mini-lesson supports the DCI LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms

Activity Extension

Activity Extension

More Paper Flowers

If you liked making paper flowers for this lesson, here are some ways to take that activity further.

  • Experiment with where you put the sticky stigma. Can you make a flower where the bee ALWAYS gets pollen on the stigma when he enters the flower?
  • Make a garden of flowers of different colors using construction paper or coloring the flower template.
  • Make flowers of different shapes. You can make a narrower cone using the flower template. Just cut off the gray triangle and overlap two or three petals.

Activities

Activities

Garden Observation

Spend a sunny afternoon watching what pollinators visit the flowers in a garden. Have each student choose a flower that's in the sunlight and watch it for 5 minutes. Have them write down what pollinators visit their flower and how long they remain in or on the flower. Students can describe or draw the flower, noting what might attract insects to the flower.
Back in the classroom, discuss what students noticed. Did certain insects visit one type of flower more than others?

For more ideas on observation in the garden, check out the Pollinators in the Garden and other activities from the Denver Urban Garden.

A Bouquet of Flower Parts

You can extend the Flower Dissection activity by bringing in a mixed bouquet of flowers. Let students examine a variety of flowers and look for the parts that they found in the dissection. Finding the pistil, stamens, and ovary will be easy in some flowers — irises, tulips, amaryllis, daffodils, and gladiolus flowers all have parts similar to the lily.
Finding these parts in daisies, dandelions, and sunflowers can be much more challenging. These blossoms are actually made of many tiny flowers packed together, with parts too small to see without magnification.

Lily Dissection

Lily flowers are easy to take apart. Children can find the stigma and pollen rods easily and can often find eggs in the flower’s ovary. Each child needs:

  • a flower to dissect. Day lilies are larger and easy to dissect, but they’re expensive. Peruvian Lilies (also called Alstroemeria) are less expensive and also work well.
  • a worksheet with directions for the flower you chose: Peruvian Lily or Day Lily .
  • an Operating Table sheet
  • a butter knife or plastic knife
  • a magnifying glass (optional)

Transcripts

Credits
 
Circle Of Life Lesson 3: Why do plants grow flowers?

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