1. Does the pond contain more flowering or non
flowering plants?

2. A very brief introduction
One of the ways the plant kingdom is divided up is into flowering and non flowering
plants. Weeds such as dandelions are flowering plants, and most grasses and trees are non
flowering.
Is there an easy way to identify them? Which do you think there will be more of by
our wildlife pond?
What you need to do
We are going to go out to the pond and take some random samples of various areas.
You will use a tool called a quadrat. This is a metal square that you throw or place on the
ground. You then count everything inside that square.
You are going to work together as a whole class to get results for this practical. How
many times do you think you need to throw the quadrat to get reliable results?
How to use the quadrat
you simply throw the quadrat randomly and then count what is inside it. You should
measure the contents by percentage. For example this one is 80% grass, 10% path and 10%
purple flower
How are you going to record these results? Use the blank pages for notes.