| Toxic Yet Tasty |
 |
 |
 |
 A Little Bit MoreMilkweeds are familiar to many people; these plants are often abundant along roadsides and in old fields and meadows across much of North America. This plant has been well known for many in the past too; the milky sap of some species was dried and chewed by the Native Americans, and both Native Americans and settlers used the roots and leaves for medicinal purposes.  Milkweeds bloom in the summer and fall and are especially attractive to a host of insects seeking pollen and nectar. Flowers of North American species grow in dense clusters with the same general appearance. Pollen is contained in a pair of small pollen packets connected by a yoke-like stalk that looks a bit like saddle bags. When an insect approaches a flower, its leg may slip under and snag the yoke of the pollen bags. As the insect leaves the flower, it yanks its leg free, tearing the pollen bag from the flower and carries it along to the next plant. When the carrier insect visits another flower, if the pollen bags are properly placed and left behind, pollination can occur. This all sounds like a rather complex way for pollination to occur and may explain why so few seed pods develop on most milkweed plants.  Remember that not all plants with a milky sap are edible; be sure you can identify the plant you intend to eat! All milkweeds can be poisonous under certain conditions and require caution, but almost all parts of a milkweed can be eaten as long as the bitter, toxic chemical is removed by boiling. ActivitiesScience & English – HaikuObjectives: Use information about Milkweed to write a Haiku Materials: Access to the internet You’ve just read about the milkweed plant and the fact that although it’s toxic, it can be eaten by some animals – even humans. Have your students write a Haiku about this plant that incorporates some of the information that has been shared in this unit. Instructions and examples of Haiku are available at two websites we’ve included but there are many, many sources for information on this Japanese tradition to help you and your students get started. Instruction and examples Composing your own Haiku Download this Poster |