I have few misconceptions to investigate, the first being what is a plant. Out of the choices tree, flower, mushroom, fern and moss, the one that I didn't indicate as a plant was a mushroom. According to the definition of plant via Dictionary.com,
plant
[plant, plahnt] Show IPA
noun
1.
any member of the kingdom Plantae, comprising multicellular organisms that typically produce their own food from inorganic matter by the process of photosynthesis and that have more or less rigid cell walls containing cellulose, including vascular plants, mosses, liverworts, and hornworts: some classification schemes may include fungi, algae, bacteria, blue-green algae, and certain single-celled eukaryotes that have plantlike qualities, as rigid cell walls or photosynthesis.
2.
an herb or other small vegetable growth, in contrast with a tree or a shrub.
3.
a seedling or a growing slip, especially one ready for transplanting.
4.
the equipment, including the fixtures, machinery, tools, etc., and often the buildings, necessary to carry on any industrial business: a manufacturing plant.
5.
the complete equipment or apparatus for a particular mechanical process or operation: the heating plant for a home.
According to the definition, a mushroom is a plant. I knew that it fell into the fungi category and if I had thought about it a moment longer I would have realized that I knew the answer and was merely second guessing myself, because I know that a fungi IS a plant. It's clearly NOT an animal or a mineral.
I think this is another key as to why science is so difficult. At times, what seems like the logical answer isn't and others, what you perceive to be a "trick question" is very obvious. This is the reason why we have to build safe communities in our classrooms where kids are comfortable sharing their thoughts without judgment in at atmosphere where it's okay to be wrong. I think it was Socrates (pronounced So-crates if you ever watched Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure) that said "I know enough to know that I know nothing".
Stacy, Keep reading about mushrooms and perhaps find a scientific definition of a plant and see if you come to the same conclusion.
ReplyDeleteThis also reminds me of the discussion between "vegetable" and "fruit". Our understanding of "common" words often allows us to retain misconceptions when scientific definitions are introduced.
ReplyDelete