How To Soar in PSLE - BTPS Way!!

Interact with complex questions / graphs / pictures to pick up valuable clues (don't highlight - just use your pen to underline words or scribble notes)

Start with Booklet A and do it meticulously with full focus - explore all 4 distractors before making final choice.

MANAGE your TIME - to score well, you need to try to finish ALL questions.

Specific answers = answers that are relevant to question.

When confused, choose any of the following strategies:

1. Ask, "What Science idea is being used in question?"
2. Pose other questions to clarify your thoughts
3. COMPARE to another set-up
4. COMPARE to a reverse situation
5. Connect to your knowledge in life (yes, you do have lots of prior / other knowledge)
6. Break down your answer in steps before crafting final answer.


Common problems with wrong answers:
*Answers are generic/vague and do not connect to that specific question
*Answers are not scientific and do not explain using Science ideas
*Answers do not make use of data provided when asked
*Answers did not make comparisons - use words like more/most etc..when asked


BTPS supports all P6 in achieving their PSLE GOALS!!

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Sea Bean Marvel

What is in a seed? How do you think it is dispersed?  
Although the Sea Bean is in a pod, it drops off one seed in one section at a time.  
How different is it from other legumes? Why has it developed this adaptation?

9 comments:

Science Inspires Us said...

it would drop off (in the water) and it would grow in the water.the pods would drop off one at a time or else there would be overcrowding.even more WORSE than overcrowding.the seeds/pods would grow barely an inch side by side.the plants grown would be like conjoined twins.some of the seeds/pods would be floated away by the current

somebody 6f

Science Inspires Us said...

A typical seed contains 3 parts, i think... they are the embryo, the supply of nutrients for the embryo and a seed coat. The embryo then grows into a plant... I think that the sea bean is dispersed by water because it has a hard outer covering of the hard beans that traps air pocket. Hence, sea beans are able to float because they have an internal air pocket within the seed. Sea bean grows in tropical shores or rainforest. When they fall from their parent plant, they will land in the water and will travel with the ocean currents. If they are lucky enough, they will be wash ashore, perhaps thousands of miles away from their origin! These seeds are really hard and buoyant, which helps them survive their long distance voyage. I believe that it drops off one seed in one section at a time because it wants to ensure continuety of its own kind as it depends on luck whether they will grow or not, if seed A followed the ocean currents on monday, and did not survive, at least seed B might survive when it is dispersed on tuesday as the ocean currents might go another way. It is different because of the way it dispearsed the seed one at a time whilst other legumes disperse all in a shot. It has done so to probably prevent ovecrowding, maybe...
zOEn 6g

Science Inspires Us said...

In the seed, i suppose it is the fruit as it is a type of vege. The pod drops the seeds one at a time as the seed is dispersed by the sea and there is a high and low tide. so when it releases the first seed, if it comes a cross a high tide, it mkay not make it through the sea and not go on land and a peroid of time , the tide becomes low and the second seed will be able to go past and go on land .it is different as the other legumes drops the whole pod (i think). when it drops the whole legumes, and the pod floats on water as the pod is light, and therefore helped to disperse the seed.

lydia nd 6 grace

Science Inspires Us said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Science Inspires Us said...

I think that the fruit is dispersed by both explosive action and then by water, due to the pod-like structure it has. I think it disperses in this manner to avoid overcrowding. It is also to prevent one species of the plant to bo only located in one area and insteadcolonise the spread of this plant.

S.L.Keerthanna 6Charity

Science Inspires Us said...

Sea-beans (also known as drift seeds) are seeds and fruits that are carried to the ocean, often by freshwater streams and rivers, then drift with the ocean currents and (hopefully!) wash ashore.
They travel with ocean currents until they wash up on a beach somewhere, perhaps thousands of miles from their origin. Sea-beans are quite hard and buoyant, which helps them survive their long-distance voyage.
Sea-beans often float because they have an internal air pocket within the seed. This air pocket is often trapped by the hard outer covering of the hard beans
MARCUS 6G

Science Inspires Us said...

A typical seed includes three basic parts: (1) an embryo, (2) a supply of nutrients for the embryo, and (3) a seed coat.

A sea bean has an internal air pocket within the seed for them to float. Judging by the pod of the sea bean, it is most probably first dispersed by explosive action before being dispersed by water.

Other legumes drops off their seeds all at once. On the other hand, sea beans drops off its seeds one at a time.

It is for the seeds to be dispersed far and wide. This is to ensure that overcrowding would not take placeand that its off spring would be growing healthily.

~Nicholas King(6C)

6grace said...

At the look of the sea beans, they really look like they are dispersed by splitting action, but, I looked at its name and I hesitated for a while... I think that they are dispersed by both splitting action and are able to float on water. To be able to float, it will mean that Sea Beans trap air in them, enabling them to float, or so...

Zoen said that it is hard. I think it is hard so that when it is being washed on shore, it will split open, releasing the seed in it. Or maybe it is to trap the air in it and not let the air escape. As mentioned, the seed is the size of our palm, so maybe, the hard 'shell' keeps the fish away, preventing the fishes from eating it. However, a shark would be able to eat it...

Why does it drop off section by section??

Well, I think that it is most probably to ensure the continuity of its own kind. For example, please imagine with me... The first seed drops off and then ends up being eaten by something or something bad happened to it, at least, there are still two left,(assuming that there are three sections)unlike the others, like the African Tulip. The African Tulip releases all at once. This way, if an animal eat one, it will see the others and leave none behind. If this continues, the African Tulip may become extinct one day.

Even though the Sea beans release one by one, there are still chances of it getting extinct... Like if all of them were eaten by some animal in the sea... But I hope it will not happen...

Yilin 6Grace

Science Inspires Us said...

in a seed can have many different things but the common item is the seed leaves if all seeds are released overcrowding can happen easily and if one at a time the seeds some may be moved by animals

Science Around Me (SAM)

SAM is a Science journal that allows pupils to express themselves in their favourite ways about Science.

SAM is another great opportunity for pupils to THINK and TALK Science in a medium that is customised to their learning styles.

SAM allows teachers to informally assess understanding of the child and clarify misconceptions in their learning.

Factors Affecting the Environment by Gog Ru Yan - 6G

Factors Affecting the Environment by Gog Ru Yan - 6G

When Ice Changes into Water by Goh Chee Yan - 5G

Do you wonder whether the mass of ice changes when it melts into water. Try this out:

1. Put a few ice cubes into a plastic bag
2. Tie the mouth of the bag tightly
3. Weigh the bag of ice cubes (if there is condensation outside the bag, wipe it dry before weighing)
4. Place the bag in the sun
5. When ice has melted, wipe the outside of the bag dry (refer to step 3)
6. Weigh the bag

You will discover that the mass of the bag remains the same!
There is no change in mass when ice melts!!

Simple Steps to fight Dengue by Elizabeth Wu 4C

Simple Steps to fight Dengue by Elizabeth Wu 4C