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Science-In-The-News Article Review

Katelyn McCormick

Science-In-The-News Article Review

Title of the article: “A rainforest plant shows its true color (blue) when in survival mode”
What is the science issue involved? The science issue discussed in the article is the fact that plants we commonly see as green were not always green. Before plants evolved into the beautiful green color we see today, many were purple or blue because they had to absorb a different type of light. And some of those plants retain that purple or blue color. The article states “Begonia pavonina, or the ‘Peacock begonia,’ dwells in the dim rainforest of south-east Asia.” Due to the small amount of light it receives from the sun, the Peacock begonia can’t absorb enough sunlight to effectivity go through photosynthesis. Because the plant is unable to go through proper photosynthesis, the flower appears blue.
Why did you choose this article?I chose this article because the topic seemed interesting. As I read through the article, I realized the title was somewhat misleading. Instead of talking about plants’ survival mode, the article talked about the reasons why some plants are blue. The article suggests that as species evolve, traits are passed down from previous generations. After I read this article, I realized that every species has a trait they can use to protect themselves in tough situations. 
How does this current topic relate to the classroom discourse? The topic we were working on was how to teach botany and topics related to botany, such as plant organelles, plant reproduction, plant classification and plant biomes, to fourth-grade students. This article serves as a good introduction to the topic at hand.
How can you use news articles in teaching science? The best way to use articles in teaching science is during an inquiry lesson. News articles can be a way to help students go through the steps of the scientific method. The articles being used can give students a deeper understanding of the topic being taught. 

Work cited
Post, W. (2016, October 16). A rainforest plant shows its true colors (blue) when in survival mode. Newsela. Retrieved November 6, 2018, from https://newsela.com/read/blue-leaves/id/23326/

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