ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • NOVEMBER 15 - 21, 2018 A17

MAP CORNER

This special Newspaper In Education initiative is made possible through The St. Louis American Foundation and its NIE Corporate Partners:

You can use a garden area to review several math concepts.

Number and Operations. Plant lettuce seeds and carefully keep track of the number planted. As the seeds begin to grow, count the number of seedlings. Use these two numbers to calculate the germination rate (number of seedlings divided by number of seeds planted, multiplied by 100).

Algebra. Use algebraic formulas to compute ratios, such as the amount of fertilizer to add per quart or liter of water. (You will need a fertilizer package with directions so you can convert the information.)

Attributes. Collect various dry bean seeds or plant leaves, and sort them

by size, shape, color, and number.

Geometry. Complete a scavenger hunt in a garden. Look for objects

representing different geometric shapes such as circles, squares,

cones, cylinders, and triangles.

Learning Standards: I can add, subtract,

multiply, and divide to solve a problem. I can sort

items by similar attributes.

Create your own museum with a collection of seeds from different types of fruits and vegetables.

Materials Needed:

• Paper Towels • Large Glass Jars • 2 or More Packets of Different Fast-Sprouting Seeds (such as lima beans, zucchini, radish, sunflower, zinnia, radish, lettuce, marigold, chives or basil) • Labels • Pencil or Marker • Aluminum Foil

What To Do: q Label the jars to identify the different

types of seeds used.

w Moisten the paper towels with just enough water to make them damp and place them inside the jars.

e Carefully place each type of seed between the damp paper towel and the side of the glass jar. You should be able to observe the seeds through the glass.

SCIENCE INVESTIGATION

Use the newspaper to complete these activities to sharpen your skills for the MAP test.

Activity One — Describe It: Clip ten adjectives from the advertising section of the

newspaper. Paste these

onto your paper and beside each write one synonym and one

antonym. (Alternate — instead of cutting/pasting, you can

list each word and page number on a sheet of

paper to do this exercise.)

Activity Two — Types of Sentences:

Find two examples of each of the four kinds of sentences: interrogative, declarative,

exclamatory, and imperative.

Learning Standards: I can use the newspaper to locate information. I

can identify adjectives, synonyms, and antonyms. I can identify the four types of sentences.

“Plant” a solid foundation of math skills

Make a Seed Museum!

AFRICAN-AMERICAN AGRONOMIST & PROFESSOR:

Gebisa EjetaDr. Gebisa Ejeta was born and raised in a small, rural area located in west central Ethiopia. In 1973, he earned his bachelor’s degree in plant sciences from Alemaya College. Ejeta then moved to the US to attend graduate school at Purdue University, earning a degree in plant breeding and genetics. Six years later, he went to Sudan to research sorghum, which is a major source of grain that is also used to make a sweetener. Many African regions depend on this crop to feed

their people and their livestock.

In 1984, he returned to Purdue as an assistant professor in the agronomy department. Agronomy is the science of soil management and crop production. From there, he moved on to the agriculture faculty, focusing on African agricultural research and development, particularly sorghum. He developed different types of sorghum that could tolerate drought (lack of water), cold temperatures, weeds, and various diseases that can harm plants.

Ejeta has served on many research and review panels and committees, such as the International Agricultural Research Center, Rockefeller Foundation, Food and Agricultural Organization, and United Nations. He has also received several awards, including the 2009 World Food Prize and the National Medal of Honor from the president of Ethiopia.

Learning Standards: I can read a biography of a person who has made contributions to the fields of science, math, and technology.

SCIENCE STARS

Teachers, if you are using the St. Louis American’s NIE program and would like to nominate your class for a Classroom Spotlight, please email: nie@stlamerican.com.

In Mrs. Kristy Roesch’s 4th grade class, Avant Elementary students Nelson Orozco, Jordin Jackson and Chelsea Taylor perform a science investigation found in the newspaper’s STEM page. Avant Elementary is in the East St. Louis School District. Photo: Wiley Price / St. Louis American

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The tiniest tree in the world is the Dwarf Willow, found in Greenland. Its size is about two inches.

r Cover the outside of the jar with aluminum foil and keep the jar in a warm, dry place.

t Every day, remove the foil and observe the seeds. Keep the paper towels moist, and replace the foil after you finish your observations.

y Compare the ways in which the different types of seeds sprout.

Variation: You can repeat this procedure using the same type of seed in 5 different

jars. One jar can be kept in the light, one in the dark. You can add different

levels of water, etc. With this method, you can evaluate how the

variables affect the seed growth.

Learning Standards: I can follow sequential directions to complete a procedure. I can

make observations and analyze results.

CLASSROOM SPOTLIGHT

SCIENCE CORNERPhotosynthesis comes from the combination of two Greek words “photo,” which means light, and “synthesis,” which means to put things together. Photosynthesis is the process that plants use to create their food. Plants put together light, water, and carbon dioxide to produce oxygen and other organic compounds. It is an example of how people and plants help each other. People breathe in the oxygen produced by the plants and exhale carbon dioxide, which the plants need in order to survive.

The process of photosynthesis begins

with the absorption of water into the roots of the plants. Xylem carries this water to the leaves. Carbon dioxide in the air enters the plant cells that contain chlorophyll. Chlorophyll allows plants to use the energy in light to convert carbon dioxide to their food. Oxygen is released into the air during photosynthesis.

Learning Standards: I can read nonfiction text for main idea and supporting details.

MATH CONNECTION

DID YOU KNOW?

The world’s fastest-growing plant is the giant water lily, which grows almost a foot a day.

The Saguaro cactus of the Arizona Desert grows less than one inch in its first 10 years.

Ejeta receiving the World Food Prize in 2009.

The world’s largest flower is the Rafflesia arnoldi. It can grow to the size of an umbrella.

Some plants, such as the Venus flytrap, are carnivores.

What Is Photosynthesis!

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