Botany Studies: Stems

I should have called this blog the Anal Retentive Homeschooler.  I am fully aware of my compulsion to want to so thoroughly study something-study every minute detail-so that I know everything about everything.

So here we are...we have moved on from roots to (drum roll) STEMS.

I know.  Hold on to your biscuits.  The excitement is overwhelming.

We learned that stems are like bundles of straws...

...and in side each 'straw' are cells. Some straws are 'xylem' and some are 'phoelem'...so we painted some pipe cleaners pink for xylem and some purple for phoelem...

 Help me Rhonda...those cute baby knuckles.  Sigh.

We learned that the xylem and phoelem are arranged in bundles, with a layer or 'cambium' separating them.  (Cambium being represented by strips of blue construction paper.)  The bundles are surrounded by cortex...aka, paper towels.
Don't let those cute baby knuckles distract you from her fine work.

So you can't tell from this picture...but you can see the pink and purple and the separation in real life.  If I had thought of this activity beforehand I would have bought some colored pipe cleaners.  We just used what we had on hand.

And the whole thing is wrapped up and covered in epidermis....aka green construction paper.

If it were up to me I would only teach science, history, art and creative writing.  And Latin. 

Next part of our anal retentive studies...LEAVES.  You won't want to miss it.