Starter Activity:

NutrientsNutrientsFor GrowthFor Growth

1. Collect three study cards.

2. Use your notes to come up with three questions related to the nitrogen cycle.

3. Write a question AND an answer on each card.

Fertilisers

Learning Intention: To understand how we can change the

environment to help plants grow.

Success Criteria: • Explain the importance of fertilisers to the

growth of crops• Give examples of natural fertilisers• Give examples of artificial fertilisers• Describe the good points and bad points

about the different types of fertilisers

What is a fertiliser?

Watch this short video clip:

Twig Video Clip: What Plants Need to Grow

Think:Think: Can you describe what a fertiliser is?Pair:Pair: Agree on a description with your partnerShare:Share: Write your ideas on a Show Me Board

What is a fertiliser?

• A fertiliser is a substance that helps plants grow.

• It provides the nutrients needed for healthy growth.

• It replaces nutrients that are lost from the environment when plants are removed during harvest.

Think Pair Share

1.What are nutrients and why are they important?

2.What does harvest mean?

3.What happens to the recycling of nutrients when crops are harvested?

Why are fertilisers important?

• When crops are harvested the nitrogen taken out of the cycle needs to be replaced.

• Nitrogen can be added to the soil in the form of nitrate fertilisers.

Nitrogen

A lack of nitrogen means the plants have small yellow leaves

Phosphorus

A lack of phosphorus causes small roots, which makes the plant smaller

Potassium

A lack of potassium causes poor flowers (or fruit) to develop

Applying Fertilisers

• Fertilisers can be:– powder– liquid– granules

Experiment

• You are going to use this equipment to plan an experiment to see how different levels of minerals effect overall plant growth.

Types of FertilisersThere are two main types of fertilisers:

1. Artificial – Man made chemicals2. Natural - Found in the environment and made by

living things

Your task… Natural Fertilisers V’s Artificial Fertilisers

Use the fertilisers information sheet to produce a fact sheet to compare the two different types of fertilisers.

Artificial Fertilisers

Natural Fertilisers

Manure Bone Meal

Compost

Fertilisers FactsheetFertilisers Factsheet

Skill AreaSkill Area EvidenceEvidencePlanning A clear statement of what your factsheet is about

A sentence about the importance fertilisers

Researching Select the appropriate information from the worksheetTry to find out some more information by yourself

Presenting information

Your factsheet must include at least one of the following:A graph, a table of information, a diagram or a flow chart

Explaining impact

A description of what fertilisers are and why they are usefulDescription of how fertilisers can be harmful to the environment

Communication

Produce an A4 factsheet that you can talk about

Fertilisers

Learning Intention: To understand the effects fertilisers can have

on the environment

Success Criteria: • Explain how fertilisers can pass into the

environment• Explain the effects of fertilisers in aquatic

environments• Give examples areas affected by fertiliser

pollution

• Fertilisers can have negative effects on our environment.

Effects of Fertilisers

Leaching

Fertilisers can leach from the soil into nearby water. This can happen when heavy rain washes excess fertiliser off the soil.

This means that the water is now rich in nitrates which algae love to feed on.

• Nitrogen in fresh water increases algal growth, blocking out the light. This causes death of organisms, decrease of oxygen and means less life can be supported.

Algal Bloom

Algal Bloom in China

Effects of fertilisers

Water Pollution

• The Blue Flag is a voluntary eco-label awarded to more than 4000 beaches and marinas in 49 countries across Europe, South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, New Zealand, Brazil, Canada and the Caribbean.

Blue Flag Beaches

• Toronto's Blue Flag Beaches• Ireland's Blue Flag Beaches

Examples