Flower Dissection Study- Easy Peasy Homeschool Science Activities
- Meagan Shahin
- Jul 13
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 22
Want to make learning about pollination exciting and fun? Try dissecting flowers! It's a simple, budget-friendly, and enjoyable science activity for homeschoolers.
If you're in Central Florida and searching for nearby homeschool activities, check out Busy Bee Homeschool Hive. We offer pollinator-themed field trips that include flower dissection activities. Come join us for some fresh air and a good time!
Homeschool Activities Nearby:
Unit Guide:
I have included flower dissection and many other activities in The World of Pollinators: An Explorer's Guide. It is available in PDF file to print at home, or bound book that is delivered to you.
Flower Dissection Directions
In this activity, students will take a closer look at important flower parts like petals, sepals, carpels, and stamens. They'll also dive into the cool link between flowers and pollination.
Materials:
Each learner will need the following materials:
Flowers
Tweezers (or use your fingers)
Scotch tape
Pencils or pens
Magnifying Glass
Printed student directions and lab worksheet (available in The World of Pollinators: An Explorer's Guide)
Durable Magnifying Glass for Kids - We use this one, and recommend it. Click image to be directed to Amazon affiliate link.
Tips for Success:
Have flower and plant anatomy diagrams on hand so your students can reference them as they dissect their flowers.
You can find drawn diagrams and photographed flower & plant anatomy images in my flowers unit (linked above)
Use a large flower so that students can easily see all the parts.
For example, lilies, hibiscuses, and tulips. (The flowers used in these images are Peruvian Lilies, alstromeria. I found 30 blooms for $5 at my local grocery store).
01.
Observe the flower prior to dissecting.
The green structure that connects the flower to the stem is known as the calyx.
The calyx consists of many sepals.
Flower Calyx
02.
Using tweezers or your fingers-
Remove the sepals.
Carefully remove the petals off of the flower.
Place them on the chart and tape them down.
Discuss how flowering plants use brightly colored petals to attract pollinators.
Lines or patterns on petals, like the ones seen on the image below, are known as nectar guides.
Nectar guides, often in the form of lines, spots, or contrasting colors, are particularly important for bee-pollinated flowers. Bees can see ultraviolet light, and nectar guides often appear as ultraviolet patterns that are invisible to humans. These patterns help bees quickly locate the flower's center where nectar and pollen are located, enhancing pollination efficiency.
03.
Observe the stamens and pistil(s) using a microscope or magnifying glass.
Remove the stamens, noting the filament and anther.
Tape one stamen on your paper. Label the stamen, anther, filament, and pollen.
Anther
Pollen
Filament
After labeling and observing the parts of your flower, explore the following:
01.
How many sepals can you find on the flower you are dissecting?
Are they green or do they have a different color?
02.
How many petals does your flower possess?
What color are the petals?
Do the petals and sepals have an equal number?
Is the flower perfect or imperfect?
(A perfect flower contains both male and female reproductive structures—stamens and pistils—within the same flower, while an imperfect flower has either male (stamens) or female (pistils) parts, but not both.)
Is it complete or incomplete?
(A complete flower includes all four essential parts: sepals, petals, stamens, and pistils, whereas an incomplete flower lacks one or more of these parts.)
Why?
03.
How many stamens does the flower have? Is there pollen?
If your flower has matured, you will see orange or yellow
pollen residue on your paper.
How many pistils does it have?
04.
What does the plant use to attract pollinators?
Which part of the flower produces pollen?
Which part(s) of the flower receives the pollen?
Explore our other unit studies and events at BusyBeeHomeschoolHive.com
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