You propose an experiment where root hairs of a particular plant species are continuously treated with an antibiotic while nutrient levels in the plant tissue are monitored. Based on your knowledge of root hairs, you hypothesize the plant will experience a deficiency in what nutrient?

Question

A.  potassium
B.  nitrogen
C.  calcium
D.  phosphorus
E.  carbon

Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
· What type of thinking is required?

Gather Content
· What do you already know about the funtion of symbiotic bacteria in plants? How does it relate to the question?

Consider Possibilities
· What other information is related to the question? Which information is most useful?

Choose Answer
· Given what you now know, what information and/or problem solving approach is most likely to produce the correct answer?

Reflect on Process
· Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did  

Answer 1

B.  nitrogen

Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
        o The question addresses the effects of the removal of symbiotic bacteria from a plant.
· What type of thinking is required?
        o Apply, because you must take what you know about the effects of antibiotics and apply that to symbiotic relationships that occur between plants and microorganisms.
What key words does the question contain and what do they mean?
        o Root hairs, which is an extension from a root that absorbs minerals and water.
        o Antibiotic, which is a chemical that kills bacteria.
        o Nutrient, which is an element of food that helps a living thing to survive.

Gather Content
· What do you already know about the funtion of symbiotic bacteria in plants? How does it relate to the question?
        o Certain antibiotics kill certain bacteria.
        o Plants have symbiotic bacteria that fix nitrogen from the atmosphere.
        o Root hairs provide a pathway for symbiotic bacteria into the plant.

Consider Possibilities
· What other information is related to the question? Which information is most useful?
        o Bacteria aid in the absorption and storage of nitrogen, particularly for some groups of plants (the legume family Fabaceae), acting as symbionts which form nodules on the roots.
        o Other nutrients do not require bacterial intervention.

Choose Answer
· Given what you now know, what information and/or problem solving approach is most likely to produce the correct answer?
        o The indicator that the question was focused on nitrogen is the use of the antibiotic.
        o Since antibiotics kill certain bacteria, the use of the antibiotic would remove the nitrogen-fixing symbionts from the plant.
        o Without the nitrogen-fixing bacteria, the plant would be deficient in nitrogen.

Reflect on Process
· Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?
· Apply level:
        o This question asked you to understand the relationship between bacteria and plants.  Answering this question correctly depended on your ability to use the role of bacteria in a new situation.  If you got the correct answer, great job! If you got an incorrect answer, where did the process break down? Did you remember that bacteria fix nitrogen into a usable form for some plants, or that antibiotics kill bacteria? Did you have trouble extending the roleof bacteria to determine the correct answer?