Joshua Tree Pollination!

Here we see the key actor and visual processes of Joshua Tree flower pollination.

Part 1- Flower Anatomy:

Considering the labeled flower diagram above, name each part of the flower described below.

  1. Female and sticky or feathery to trap pollen:

___________________________________________

  1. Female and responsible for producing eggs:

___________________________________________

  1. Pollen is produced here:

___________________________________________

Part 2- Yucca moth pollination!

Materials:

Directions: *Teacher can make one moth mask ahead of time, or opt for the entire class to make the masks.

To Make the Mask:

  1. To make the mask, secure the pipe cleaners on the sun glasses by wrapping bottom half-inch of each pipe cleaner around the nose of glasses to create 4 tentacles to hold the pollen ball (two 8 inches long and two 5 inches long hanging down for the tentacles, and two 8 inches long and pointing up for the antenna).

Moth Pollination Role Play:

  1. Have one student pretend to be the flower stigma. A few other students pretend to be the Joshua Tree stamen by holding all the pollen (yellow cotton balls), and one student pretend to be the moth by wearing the moth mask.
  2. The teacher guides the “play” (details of moth pollination described in lesson plan).
  3. Student with the moth mask will “fly over” to collect the pollen from the Joshua tree stamen. Upon collecting the pollen, the moth with roll up the pollen into the tentacles (like above picture) and fly over to pack it into the flower stigma. See video and pictures for details.

*Answers to flower anatomy questions from previous worksheet:

  1. Stigma
  2. Ovary
  3. Stamen with pollen