Dissection of a Flower | Montessori Science Lesson

Dissection of flower is a botany lesson designed for 6 to 12-year-old children to show them different parts of flower like Azalea.

In our previous video lesson, we have learned different parts of plants and their function in detail. In this video lesson, learn how each part of a flower is involved in helping a plant continue growing for another generation by dissecting a flower using a knife.

Children will discover these flower parts in this lesson – the pistol, petals, corolla, stamen, and calyx.

Objective of Dissection of a Flower Activity

Increase a child’s observational skills of natural objects.
Study different aspects of the life cycle of plants.

Materials Required for Dissection of a Flower

One flower from the garden
1 scalpel or sharp knife
1 magnifying glass

Functions of the Parts of the Flower

Petals help attract pollinators to the flower using its color, scent, heat, and patterns that are visible in visible light and under UV light.
Sepals help to protect and give strength to the flower.

Once the pollinator lands on the flower, it will search for the nectar found inside of the flower.

Pistil is also known as the female reproductive part of a flower. Typically, it comprises a swollen base, the ovary, which contains the potential seeds, or ovules; a stalk, or style, arising from the ovary.
Stamens are also known as the male reproductive organs of flowers. It comprises a long slender stalk, the filament, with a two-lobed anther at the tip.

Key Questions to Ask a Child While Dissecting a Flower

How do petals help attract pollinators?
How many petals did you see?
What did you notice about the male parts?
What is the other name of the female reproductive part of the flower?
Does pollen stick on the male or the female part of the flower?
Could you find the eggs or ovules or future seeds?
How many ovules did you see?
Which part of the flower is responsible for the production of seeds?

How to Introduce the Dissection of a Flower to the Child?

Invite the child at the table and tell them, today we are going to dissect the flower.
Let the child observe the parts of the flower.
Point out the petals, pistil, and stamen of the flower. Allow the child to use a magnifying glass to observe these parts.
Now, hold the knife or scalpel to remove stamen and observe the filament and the anther using a magnifying glass.
Gently wipe some of the pollen onto a slide with a Q-Tip and examine it under a microscope. Finally, cut the stamen and anther in half and use a magnifying glass to take a closer look.
Ask the child to look deeper using a magnifying glass or a microscope the cells that make up the male part of the flower.
Now remove the pistil from the flower. Observe ovary, stigma, and style using a magnifying glass.
Cut the pistil in half and use a magnifying glass to inspect. You may observe the ovules.

This activity helps the child to develop a relationship with nature as they learn about the flower’s basic structure.

Take a flower from your garden and invite the child to dissect a flower, as shown in the video. Help the child learn and practice the names of the various parts of a flower.

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Video Created by: Bronia Birkbeck (Building Futures Education)

Primary | Science | Botany | Flower Dissection (English)

This video has been added and used with the author’s permission. It is also available on the author’s YouTube, here.