IV.A.1 Part Two-Constructing a Palmetto Time Line

This activity will be easier for your students if they have an example of a completed Palmetto Time Line to look at.

Materials needed:

Each team of students needs:

  • Completed student data sheet from Part One-Collecting Palmetto Data
  • Palmetto Time Line Worksheet
  • History book, encyclopedias, or almanacs
  • Pieces of posterboard (approximately 5" x 28") that can be taped together as needed (one posterboard (22"x28") can be divided into 4 pieces lengthwise). Each team may need up to 6 pieces. (Adding machine tape or rolls of paper used for bulletin board backgrounds also works well.)
  • Tape
  • Marker

Teacher needs:

  • Calculator
Instructions for the teacher:
  1. Brainstorm with your class and make a list of important historical dates. These dates can include locally significant ones as well as those relating to Florida and American history and world events. Some examples are listed below:
    2. 1497-1512 Florida first explored by Spanish
    1763 Florida changed from Spanish rule to English rule.
    1821 Florida becomes part of the U.S.
    1845 Florida becomes a state
    1861 Civil War begins
    1917 U.S. enters World War I
    1941 U.S. enters World War II
    1950 First rocket launched from Cape Canaveral
    1966 Kennedy Space Center opened
    1971 Disney World opened

    You might also include the year your school was built or when your town was established.

    Encourage students to also consider important dates in their own lives such as when they were born, when they moved to Florida, when a brother or sister was born, when they learned to ride a bike, etc.

  2. Have students get together with their teams. Each team will need their data sheet, a Palmetto Time Line Worksheet, a piece of posterboard or adding machine tape, some adhesive tape, and a marker.

  3. Teams should complete Part One of the Palmetto Time Line Worksheet.

  4. Guide your students through the following steps:

    1. Stretch your string out as straight as you can from the top to the bottom of a piece of posterboard and tape it down. You may need to tape several pieces of posterboard together if you have a very long string.

    2. Make a mark on the posterboard beside the top of your string. Beside the mark, write the current year. The top of your string represents the growing tip of the palmetto.

    3. The other end of the string represents the year the palmetto started to grow. Make a mark on the posterboard beside the end of the string. Beside the mark, write the year the palmetto started to grow. (Refer to Part One of your Timeline Worksheet.)

    4. Next, figure out where the ten events listed on your Timeline Worksheet belong on your string. This requires several steps:

      • First, subtract the year the event happened from the current year. For example, the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. When you subtract 1776 from 2000, the answer is 224 years.
      • Now multiply the answer (224) by 1.2 and round off the number. (We multiply by 1.2 because, on average, palmettos grow 1.2 cm. per year.) 224 years x 1.2 cm = 268.8 or 269 cm.

        Other examples:

        1971-Disney World opened.

        2000-1971 = 29 years
        29 x 1.2 = 34.8 rounded off to 35 cm.

        1845-Florida becomes a state.

        2000-1845 = 155 years
        155 x 1.2 = 186 cm.


    5. From the top of your string, measure down the same number of cm. as your answer above (269 cm.) and make a mark. Beside the mark, write the year (1776) and the event that happened that year (The signing of the Declaration of Independence).

    6. Repeat this process for every event listed on your Timeline Worksheet.


  5. Find a spot in the classroom where the time lines can be displayed. Have fun!

Results

After completing this activity, students should:

  • Be able to give examples of plant-animal interactions.
  • Be able to give examples of plant adaptations.
  • Understand the concept of mutualism and give an example.
  • Be able to observe carefully.


Further Questions and Activities for Motivated Students
When palmettos bloom, many insects visit the flowers in search of nectar and pollen. Watch a flower stalk for 15 minutes. How many insects come to the flowers? How many different kinds of insects can you see? Check the same palmetto flowers at different times of the day. When do you see the most insect activity around the flower? When do you see the least?
IV.A.1-Part 1    Part 2
student data sheet #1    sheet #1-part 2    sheet #1part3-4    time line
IV. PLANT-ANIMAL INTERACTIONS
A. Palmettos:    IV.A.1
B. Oak Trees:    IV.B.1
C. Glossary    D. Questions for Student Evaluation