Cacti and their Cousins Cactus Leafy Plant
Lesson Plan Cacti Adaptations
Name ________________________ Date _________________________
Cacti and their Cousins
Differences and Similarities of a cactus and a leafy plant
Cactus
Leafy Plant
Cacti, like all living things, have characteristics that help them survive in their environment. They are called adaptations.
#1: Sensational Skin
1. Write down three adjectives that describe the outer surface (skin) of a cactus:
________________, ________________, _________________
2. Let’s use a piece of wax paper to simulate the skin of a cactus. o Hypothesis: What do you think will happen when a drop of water falls on the cactus skin (wax paper)?
_________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _____________________
Lesson Plan Cacti Adaptations
o Observations:
_________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _____________________
o Conclusion – How does this adaptation of waxy skin help the cactus survive in the desert? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________
#2. Spines and Ribs
Hypothesis o Observe the spines on a cactus. What will happen when the sun (a flashlight) shines on the spines?
_________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _____________________
Observations o Shine the flashlight on the spines. Write down your observations:
_________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _____________________ Conclusion – How might the shadows help the cactus?
_________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _____________________
Lesson Plan Cacti Adaptations
In your own words, explain how the spines and ribs work together to form another adaptation of a cactus:
_________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _____________________
* Can you think of another way the spines help a cactus survive in the desert habitat? ________________________________________________________
#3 Dig Down Deep – Cactus Root Systems
o Why would a cactus’s root system be an important adaptation?
_________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________
o Label, draw, and describe 3 different cactus root systems:
Lesson Plan Cacti Adaptations
#4 The Secrets Inside – Anatomy of a Cactus
o A succulent is a type of desert plant. Let’s look at one type of succulent: a jade plant. Write down three adjectives for the leaf of a jade plant: _______________, ________________, _________________ o Hypothesis: What will you see when you cut open the leaf?
_________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _____________________ o Observations: What do you see/notice when you cut open the leaf?
_________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _____________________
o Conclusion: Why are the stems of cacti thick and rounded?
_________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________
Name ________________________ Date _________________________
Cacti and their Cousins
Differences and Similarities of a cactus and a leafy plant
Cactus
Leafy Plant
Cacti, like all living things, have characteristics that help them survive in their environment. They are called adaptations.
#1: Sensational Skin
1. Write down three adjectives that describe the outer surface (skin) of a cactus:
________________, ________________, _________________
2. Let’s use a piece of wax paper to simulate the skin of a cactus. o Hypothesis: What do you think will happen when a drop of water falls on the cactus skin (wax paper)?
_________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _____________________
Lesson Plan Cacti Adaptations
o Observations:
_________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _____________________
o Conclusion – How does this adaptation of waxy skin help the cactus survive in the desert? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________
#2. Spines and Ribs
Hypothesis o Observe the spines on a cactus. What will happen when the sun (a flashlight) shines on the spines?
_________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _____________________
Observations o Shine the flashlight on the spines. Write down your observations:
_________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _____________________ Conclusion – How might the shadows help the cactus?
_________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _____________________
Lesson Plan Cacti Adaptations
In your own words, explain how the spines and ribs work together to form another adaptation of a cactus:
_________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _____________________
* Can you think of another way the spines help a cactus survive in the desert habitat? ________________________________________________________
#3 Dig Down Deep – Cactus Root Systems
o Why would a cactus’s root system be an important adaptation?
_________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________
o Label, draw, and describe 3 different cactus root systems:
Lesson Plan Cacti Adaptations
#4 The Secrets Inside – Anatomy of a Cactus
o A succulent is a type of desert plant. Let’s look at one type of succulent: a jade plant. Write down three adjectives for the leaf of a jade plant: _______________, ________________, _________________ o Hypothesis: What will you see when you cut open the leaf?
_________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _____________________ o Observations: What do you see/notice when you cut open the leaf?
_________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _____________________
o Conclusion: Why are the stems of cacti thick and rounded?
_________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________
