Listening - A plant scientist talks about water/Suggested Questions

From OER in Education

Questions - Discussion prompts

With water shortages and hosepipe bans in the news, Nicola Terry asked plant scientist Helen Holmes about the importance of water and how plants respond to a lack of it. Helen is based at the University of Cambridge Department of Plant Science and works on projects with Rothamstead Research in Hertfordshire

  • For what reasons do plants need water?
  • Why does water improve a floppy piece of celery?
  • How are plants adapted to living where there’s little water around?
  • What’s unusual about the way that mosses take in water?
  • What can you say about the value of watering the leaves of a plant?
  • What is the role of mulch? (What is mulch?)
  • How is a terracotta pot used to help supply water to plants?
  • Explain why deep and shallow soil vary in their water content.
  • How do different kinds of soil differ in their retention of water?
  • How can you improve sandy soil?
  • What is a plant’s first reaction to a shortage of water?
  • What do they mean when they talk about a plant bolting to seed?
  • How do the two mentioned ‘types’ of plant react to water drought?