Teacher Guidelines

Topic 8: Responding to
the environment (Plants)
(1 week, Paper 1: 13 marks)
This topic can be divided in the following subsections:
1. Plant hormones
2. Plant defense mechanism

2021 Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh - Mrs A Laas 1 20212

1 2

1.
Plant hormones
•Molecules that are produced naturally within plants that
regulate processes
•Chemical that in small amounts
Promote and influence growth
Development and differentiation of cells and tissue
Formation of flowers, stems, leaves
Shedding of leaves
Development and ripening of fruit

2021 Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh - Mrs A Laas 3

2021 Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh - Mrs A Laas 2021 Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh - Mrs A Laas

Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh – A Laas

1
 Teacher Guidelines

Topic 8: Responding to the environment (Plants)

3 4

5 6

5 6

Gibberellins - major functions

•Stimulate
• Cell division
• Cell and shoot elongation
• Seed germination
• Bolting and flowering in biennial
•Regulates production of hydrolytic
enzymes in grains
•Controls development of male flowers in
monoecious plants
2021 Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh - Mrs A Laas2021 Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh - Mrs A Laas 8

2021 Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh - Mrs A Laas 2021 Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh - Mrs A Laas

Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh – A Laas

2
 Teacher Guidelines

Topic 8: Responding to the environment (Plants)

7 8

•Weed control with plant hormones

Some synthetic herbicides (weed killers) contain high
concentrations of auxins
Accelerates the metabolism of broad-leaved dicotyledonous
weeds and therefore growth
Weeds grow faster making water absorption and food production
insufficient
Plants weaken and die
Can effectively kill broad-leaved dicotyledonous plants in
between narrow-leaved monocotyledonous plants

2021 Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh - Mrs A Laas 9

9 10

Complete Self-Activity 1 on page 3 and 4 of the •Auxins

Grade 12 Life Sciences Workbook. o Most important group of chemicals for plant growth
o Produced in meristematic region (tissue containing
undifferentiated cells, found where growth can take
place) of the growth tip of a shoot or root.
o In correct concentration it stimulates cell division and
cell elongation that results in plant growth
Stems high concentrations stimulate growth
Roots low concentration stimulate growth
o Low concentration inhibits cell division and cell
elongation that results in no plant growth
12

11

11 12

2021 Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh - Mrs A Laas 2021 Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh - Mrs A Laas

Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh – A Laas

3
 Teacher Guidelines

Topic 8: Responding to the environment (Plants)

PhototropismPhototropism o Growth response of
plant o Normal
to a light sourceconditions o Normal conditions
Produced at tip of stem/shoot
Auxins move downward evenly
Equal growth on all sides of stem
Stem grows upward

2021 Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh - Mrs A Laas 13

202114

13 14

2021 Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh - Mrs A Laas 2021 Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh - Mrs A Laas

Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh – A Laas

4
 Teacher Guidelines

Topic 8: Responding to the environment (Plants)

15 16

18

17 18

2021 Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh - Mrs A Laas 2021 Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh - Mrs A Laas

Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh – A Laas

5
 Teacher Guidelines
Topic 8: Responding to
the environment (Plants)
Geotropism o Growth
response of plant
towards gravity
o Normal conditions
Produced at tip of root
Auxins move upward evenly
Equal growth on all sides of root
Root grows downward

2021 Copyright
Hoërskool Birchleigh - Mrs A Laas
19
2021 Copyright
Hoërskool Birchleigh - Mrs A Laas 20

19 20

2021 Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh - Mrs A Laas 21 2021

22

2021 Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh - Mrs A Laas 2021 Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh - Mrs A Laas

Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh – A Laas

6
 Teacher Guidelines
Topic 8: Responding to
the environment (Plants)
21 22

23 24

2. Plant defense mechanism

•Adaptations evolved in plants which improve
survival and reproduction of plants
•Chemical defense- protects plants in several ways
Affects metabolism and nerve impulses of animal
Complete Self-Activity 2 on page 6 and 7 of the Animals attracted to smell of plant, chemical in plants
Grade 12 Life Sciences Workbook. react with chemicals in animal, chemical becomes
poisonous
Plants have odours that attract predators that will eat
herbivores
Some secretions by plants are toxic or distasteful
2021 Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh - Mrs A Laas 26

2021 Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh - Mrs A Laas 25

2021 Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh - Mrs A Laas 2021 Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh - Mrs A Laas

Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh – A Laas

7
 Teacher Guidelines
Topic 8: Responding to the environment (Plants)
25 26

27 28

Complete Self-Activity 3 on page 8 and 9 of the Complete Self-Activity 4 on page ?? of the Grade
Grade 12 Life Sciences Workbook. 12 Life Sciences Workbook.

29 30

29 30
END OF TOPIC 8

2021 Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh - Mrs A Laas 31

31

Copyright Hoërskool Birchleigh – A Laas

8