Transpiration and Water in the Cloud Forest

Grade Level: 6-8

Introduction: Students will learn about the process of transpiration and the environmental factors that can change transpiration rates in plants. Students will examine data sets gathered from the tropical montane cloud forest of Monteverde, Costa Rica and media from Canopy In The Clouds to deepen their understanding of how water in an ecosystem can affect transpiration.

Objectives: Students will be able to 1) define transpiration 2) analyze data from the cloud forest that may affect transpiration.

National Science Standards: Structure and function in living systems, Science as inquiry

Time: 50 minutes (5 minutes for opening activity, 10 minutes for transpiration introduction, 30 minutes for station directions and rotation, 5 minutes for closing)

Related Plans:

1. Water Cycle
2. Understanding Seasonality
3. Organism Adaptation to Water Availability
4. Plant Transpiration
5. Independent Study of Water in the Environment