THE INVESTIGATIVE METHOD: A WAY TO REKINDLE STUDENT INTEREST IN PLANT REPRODUCTION

Abstract

Humans are naturally curious, that is why using investigative methods with students is so important. These activities keep them questioning and help them develop solid critical thinking skills. Botany isn’t a subject which usually grabs students’ interest. To change that, some investigative activities on plant reproduction were introduced in a senior year of high school class. The focus was on demonstrating the importance of pollination in angiosperms while also sparking curiosity and encouraging independent scientific thinking. In first class, students carried out a case study containing a sequence of images about the reproduction of the desert rose and were motivated, through guiding questions, to raise their hypotheses. In second class, students produced and presented posters with the researched themes: sexual reproduction/pollination, cuttings and grafting. During the third class, experimental practices were carried out on the researched topics. Teaching botany can be more exciting, engaging, and fun when you use creative methods. By using this approach, we can see that investigative activities help students develop their argumentative skills and become more active participants in the learning process.