Activity template: Tongue of cow I
Getting to know the “tongue of cow"
Objective: Getting to know a plant that is common in Cape Verde.
Learning outcomes: Learners are able to observe and describe the plant on the photo in detail and learn to build up a connection to their previous knowledge.
Previous knowledge: None
Duration: 20 minutes
Materials / Conditions: Pictures provided, (internet access)
Methods / Techniques: Observation, description, creative thinking
Learning subject: Biodiversity / Module I: Introduction to biodiversity / Level: First contact
Introduction:
In the next few minutes you are going to try to find out some informations about one plant in your environment.
Instruction:
Take a look at the pictures.
1. Write down if you have already seen this plant in your environment.
2. Describe the plant and then draw it.
3. People call this plant “lingua de vaca” (eng. “tongue of cow”) – think about the reasons why.
(4. Now enter the internet and open this site: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?id=113454 Find out the plant's scientific name)
Resources:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Fogo-Echium_vulcanorum_%282%29.JPG ; http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Fogo-Echium_vulcanorum_%283%29.JPG
Licences:CC BY-SA 3.0
Possible results / Results:
1. Yes/no
2. It is tall a green shrub with many branches. The stems are covered with many hairs. The leaves are pointed at both ends up to 10 cm long and 1.5 cm wide. The flowers are white and have blue stripes on it.
3. Here, learners are asked to be creative.
(4. Echium vulcanorum)
Related activities:
* Could you draw some of them? (Module 1 / Activity 2)
* Where do they grow? (Module 2 / Activity 1)
* Are they endemic or not endemic plants? (Module 2 / Activity 1)
* What are the names of the plants? (Module 1 / Activity 2)
* Are they endangered or not? (Module 3 / Activity 1)
* What they are used for? (Module 2 / Activity 1)