Visiting Plant Scientist Explains Pollination

Karla Patricia Garcia Caballo is a plant scientist and biologist who specializes in seed production, nurseries, and works in hydroponics at Soluciones Verdes in Harmosillo, Sonora. She was invited by the PollinizAmigos Program to teach our NCI Eco-Club about how plants reproduce. The students listened to her lecture, took notes, then went into the yard to observe flowers. She explained the role of flowers, plant reproduction, pollination, and seeds in a scientific way which pushed the students to pay attention and listen. They were absorbed in her science talk. After collecting flowers and dissecting their reproductive parts, we looked at pollen under the microscope. To see the spiky balls of pollen and the plant cells of a flower was a new experience. Some stayed late and didn't want to stop looking into the microscopic world. Surprisingly, one of the most distracted students was most interested and engaged in the microscope reminding us that people learn with different methods. Our hope is that by introducing these students to different aspects of science and biology they will continue to study and learn about their environment to protect it. We hope to inspire the students to see themselves as scientists and believe that their ideas are valued. We also planted some seeds!