This page provides an overview and details about the Wisconsin Fast Plants ProgramĺŐs Digital Library, a portal for browsing, searching, and cataloging resources.

Wisconsin Fast Plants, rapid-cycling brassicas, are part of a large family of plants called crucifers (Latin = Cruciferae). This resource tells the story of Crucifers, which are easilydistinguished by the characteristic shape of their flowersĺŃfour petals in the shape of a cross or crucifix. A section, or genus, of the crucifer family is the genus Brassica.Brassicas have great economic and commercial value, and play a major role in feeding the world population. They range from nutritious vegetables, mustards and oil producing crops, to animal fodders and weeds.

This illustrated document describes the symbiotic relationship between bees and Brassica rapa (Fast Plants).

This experiment takes advantage of the ease of growth and short life cycle (seed to seed in 35 days) in Fast Plants--an organism suitable for many kinds of home and classroom scientific investigations.Fast Plants are particularly interesting because, like humans, they exhibit considerable variation in many observable characteristics. Fast Plantsхи are useful for experiments investigating the effects of environment (light, nutrition, etc.) on variation in growth, development and reproduction.

Instructional materials for experimenting to learn what will happen to your Fast Plant if you subject it to a 10% liquid detergent solution? Experiment to determine the effects of substances in the environment on living organisms.

This is a description sheet (with illustration) for the standard rapid cycling ideotype (RCI) or ideal form for the anthocyaninless, or non-purple stem phenotype. In the anthocyaninless line, a recessive gene blocks the expression of purple, red, or pink pigment, also selected for few or no hairs.Plants lack any purple anthocyanin pigment, anl, however the genetic background of the stock is for high expression of purple anthocyanin, Pan (7), a quantitative trait. None or very few hairs on any plant part, Hir(1), a quantitative trait. Most plants, >80%, are male fertile, MST2/- . A few are male sterile, mst2.

PDF containing seed stock profile information for and illustration of the F1 and F2 Non-Purple Stem, Yellow-Green Leaf variety of Brassica rapa (Fast Plants). This also includes some brief suggestions for their use as a model organism in teaching Mendelian genetics with a monohybrid cross using Wisconsin Fast Plants.

This is a description sheet (with illustration) for the standard rapid cycling ideotype (RCI) or ideal form for the purple stem phenotype. Traits include high expression of purple anthocyanin, Pan(8), throughout plant; particularly noticeable on the hypocotyl, stem, hydathodes and sepals. Anthocyanin expression is strongly enhanced by environmental factors, e.g. high light and nutrient stress. Intermediate and variable expression of hair on leaves and stems, Hir(3-6). Purple anthocyaninand hairiness exhibit quantitative inheritance.

PDF containing seed stock profile information for and illustration of the Rosette-Dwarf variety of Brassica rapa (Fast Plants). This also includes some brief suggestions for their use as a model organism in teaching.

The standard rapid cycling ideotype (RCI) or ideal form for the standard Brassica rapa phenotype. RCI phenotype is selected for uniformity in flowering time and plant form. Traits include: forty days seed to seed, 14 days sowing to flowering. Standard, RCI, is the common genetic background of most Rapid Cycling Brassica mutants.Published info:Williams, P.H. and C. Hill 1986. Rapid-Cycling Populations of Brassicas. Science 232, pp. 1385-89.

This is a description sheet (with illustration) for the standard rapid cycling ideotype (RCI) or ideal form for the yellow-green leaf phenotype. RCI phenotype is selected for uniformity in flowering time and plant form. Forty days seed to seed, 14 days sowing to flowering. Standard, RCI, is the common genetic background of most RBR mutants.Published info:Williams, P.H. and C. Hill 1986. Rapid-Cycling Populations of Brassicas. Science 232, pp. 1385-89.

Illustrated instructions for constructing and planting in the Fast Plants deli-container growing system. This is a stable growing system that is easy to construct for all age learners, and works well for growing Wisconsin Fast Plants. Made from recycled deli-containers, these growing systems can be cleaned and reused for multiple years.

The growing of rapid cycling Brassica rapa, Rbr, through a life cycle from seed to seed can provide the basis for learning many aspects of biology that are relevant to the studentsĺŐ understanding of themselves as individual organisms among themany others inhabiting the Earth.

This pdf includes background information and ideas for lessons involving the processes that occur between fertilization and seed production in Fast Plants. Fertilization is explained and illustrated and an activity for students to observe reproductive development is described.

This activity for middle, high school or post-secondary students is an engaging laboratory investigation, which can be used to explore and gather evidence for the products of photosynthesis (and cellular respiration). Students experiment with rates of photosynthesis and/or cellular respiration by cutting disks from seed leaves (cotyledons) and using a procedure with a syringe to explore the rate at which oxygen is produced. The procedure for this experiment involves simple materials and seed leaves (cotyledons) from 3 or 4 day old Fast Plants.

This Immersion Unit provides a coherent series of lessons designed to guide students in developing deep conceptual understanding that is aligned with the standards, key science concepts, and essential features of classroom inquiry (as defined by the National Science Education Standards). Unit Overarching Concepts-Populations of living organisms change or stay the same over time as a result of the interactions between the genetic variations that are expressed by the individuals in the populations and the environment in which the population lives.-Science knowledge advances through inquiry.Unit Supporting Concepts-Individual organisms with certain variations of traits (adaptations) are more likely than others to survive and reproduce successfully.-When environmental conditions change it can affect the survival of both individual organisms and entire species.-Natural selection determines the differential survival of groups of organisms.-A small advantage in escaping a predator, resisting a drug, etc. can lead to the spread of a trait in a modest number of generations.-Mutations are a source of variation in an individualĺŐs genotype, and it can result in a change in phenotypeĺĐĺĐgood or bad.-Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful investigations, using appropriate tools and technology to perform tests, collect data, analyze relationships, and display data.-No matter how well one scientific explanation fits observations, a new explanation might fit them just as well or better, or might fit a wider range of observations. In science, thetesting, revising, and occasional discarding of explanations, new and old, never ends.This unit was developed through the large Math and Science Partnership project called System-wide Change for All Learners and Educators (SCALE), involving a collaboration among Los Angeles School District educators, California State University science and education faculty, and UW-Madison SCALE staff.

This Immersion Unit provides a coherent series of lessons designed to guide students in developing deep conceptual understanding that is aligned with the standards, key science concepts, and essential features of classroom inquiry (as defined by the National Science Education Standards). The Unit's overarching concepts are:- Naturally occurring variations of traits in a population are influenced by genetic and environmental factors and evolve over generations by selective processes.- Science knowledge advances through inquiry.Unit Supporting Concepts:- The variation of organisms within a species increases the likelihood that at least some members of the species will survive under changed environmental conditions.- Individual organisms with certain traits are more likely than others to survive and have offspring. Changes in environmental conditions can affect the survival of individual organisms and entire species.- Some variation in heritable characteristics exists within every species. One of these characteristics gives individuals an advantage over others in surviving and reproducing, and the advantaged offspring, in turn,are more likely than others to survive and reproduce.- New varieties of cultivated plants and domestic animals have resulted from selective breeding for particular traits.- Scientists differ greatly in whatphenomena they study and how they go about their work. Although there is nofixed set of steps that all scientists follow, scientific investigations usually involve the collection of relevant evidence, the use of logical reasoning, and the application of imagination in devising hypotheses and explanations to make sense of the collected evidence.- Important contributions to the advancement of science, mathematics, and technology have been made by different kinds of people, in different cultures, at different times.In Immersion Units, students learn academic content by working like scientists: making observations, asking questions, doing further investigations to explore and explain natural phenomena, and communicating results based on evidence. Immersion Units are intended to support teachers in building a learning culture in their classrooms to sustain studentsĺŐ enthusiasm for engaging in scientific habits of thinking while learning rigorous science content.The first step of this unit engages students in developing a class criteria for effective record-keeping in science by guiding an inquiry into scientists' notebooks.The unit includes very complete implementation instructions (Teacher's Guide pages), student pages, and formative and summative assessments.Students investigate:- how variation within a population is influenced by environmental factors- how environmental factors influence reproductive success in a populationThis unit was developed through the large Math and Science Partnership project called System-wide Change for All Learners and Educators (SCALE), involving a collaboration among Los Angeles School District educators, California State University science and education faculty, and UW-Madison SCALE staff.

This Farming Fast Plants activity introduces a classroom investigation that is easily adaptable for all grade levels and designed to engageteachers and students as investigators. The activity has the practical outcome of producing an abundant supply of Fast Plants seed for future classroom use and for sharing with other teachers. The central question of the activity is ĺŇHow many seeds can your students produce from each seed planted?ĺÓ

This PDF chart provides an organizational guide for recording student data as observations, measures(estimates), counts and descriptions on the growth, development, and reproduction of up to 5 Fast Plants (Rapid Cycling Brassica Rapa or "RBR"), and statistical summaries of the data. Data from individual student charts can be aggregated into class or group data charts or a spreadsheet for further display and analysis. These student data can then serve as the basis a deeper understanding of the nature of phenotypic variation, providing a basis for investigating the inheritance of a target characteristic and examples of its variation.

Description and links to computer simulations that allow students to perform genetic crosses quickly. Students can use these simulations to test their genetic models developed from experiments done in the classroom with actual Fast Plants. These simulations were developed in 2000-2001 by Tom Whitaker and were tested successfully by hundreds of students at Madison West High School in Madison, Wisconsin as part of a new approach to genetics used by the Biology I team.

Description: This is an investigation describing the procedure for looking at a seed pod from a mature Fast Plant with a dry pod by sandwiching the pod between layers of clear tape, then exploring the sibling seeds. Questions that might be considered:- In how many ways can you describe the pod (the mother)? Are the pods from one plant more like each other than they are like the pods from other plants? What about the siblings from a single pod? - Do all the seeds in a pod have the same father? - How much variation is there within and between families of Fast Plants? - How much does the environment affect the variation in Fast Plants, e.g. the number of seeds per pod, style length, plant height, days to first flowering, etc? - Is there any relationship between the length of the seed pod and its position on the maternal plant?

This pdf includes background information and an activity for engaging students in the processes that occur during pollination, fertilization and seed development in Fast Plants. Pollination is explained and illustrated and an activity for students to pollinate Fast Plants and observe reproductive development is described.In participating in this activity students will:ĺĽ understand flowering as the sexually mature stage of plant development;ĺĽ understand where and how ovules and pollen originate (male and female gamete formation);ĺĽ explore the parts of the flower and the role that each part plays in reproduction;ĺĽ observe the reproductive tissues of plants, including pollen and stigma, under magnification;ĺĽ understand the interdependent coevolutionary relationship of bees and brassicas; andĺĽ begin the process of reproduction in their Fast Plants by performing a pollination using a beestick,ĺĽ setting the stage for future developmental events.

This pdf file gives instructions and dimensions for building a wooden or PVC stand for a fluorescent lightbank (using fluorescent shop lights). A fluorescent lightbank is most appropriate for growing large numbers of plants. The light bank uses only 4.5 X 2.5 feet of space, which will accommodate several large classroom experiments. The lightbank consists of 6 or more 4-foot fluorescent bulbs side by side. The most common bulb used is a 40-watt Cool White DeluxeĺŞ, but other 4-foot bulbs such as a 34-watt or a 40-watt Cool WhiteĺŞ are also acceptable for growing Fast Plants

Instructions for conducting an experiment using a growing system made from plastic soda bottles to find out what effect salt has on Fast Plants.

This fill-in-the-blank timeline is a planning tool for teachers to use when figuring out when to begin the steps associated with conducting a two-generation artificial selection experiment using Fast Plants. Teachers preparing for any selection experiment will find this timeline helpful, including those planning for the AP Biology Lab 1 of Big Idea 1: Evolution, Artificial Selection.

Description: In this activity students become acquainted with the anatomy and biology of seeds. They will use lenses and scales and make drawings to scale. Students will measure and calculate magnifications and they will begin to understand relationships among these. They will organize and summarize their data and, as they do so, they will be developing the understanding and skills needed to undertake more detailed investigations on the biology and reproduction of Fast Plants.Learning ObjectivesThis activity is designed to strengthen students' observational and quantitative skills. In participating in this activity students will:- learn to use magnifying lenses, microscopes and dissecting tools for detailed observation; - measure scales with rulers; - draw to scale, with accuracy and precision to understand scale and magnification; - learn features of the external anatomy of seeds that are associated with certain features of the internal anatomy of seeds; and - estimate the amount of water required to be taken up by seeds in order to initiate germination.

This is an article explaining about variation in a population in general, using height as a specific example. The article is designed to help students and teachers think about the nature of various determinants underlying biological variation.Variation in height is easily observed and measured by learners, and quantifying height observations over time is a rich context for all ages to make key mathematics and science connections."Fast Plants, rapid cycling Brassica rapa are ideally suited for getting a handle on variation."

This article is designed to help students and teachers think about the nature of various determinants underlying biological variation. Teachers facilitating any selection investigation will find this background information helpful, including those planning for the AP Biology Lab 1 of Big Idea 1: Evolution, Artificial Selection. Learners at secondary or tertiary grade levels who are preparing to investigate variation or are working on interpreting variation data can also use this resource.

Instructions from the Father of Fast Plants (written by Dr. Paul Williams) about growing Rapid Brassica rap (RBR) in a Discovery Cup System (DCS) made from plastic portion control cups.This file is one of the mini-booklets from "Paul's Sandbox"--it is made Xerox-ready, containing two sheets that together make four copies of two mini information booklets(each booklet measures 8x12cm).

Instructions from the Father of Fast Plants (written by Dr. Paul Williams) about growing Rapid-cycling Brassica rapa (RBR) sucessfully in a Four Cell System (4CS). This file is one of the mini-booklets from "Paul's Sandbox"--it is made Xerox-ready, containing two sheets that together make four copies of two mini information booklets(each booklet measures 8x12cm).The two pages describe the construction, resourcing of materials, and usage of the 4CS, an alternative growing system to the Film Can System described in the Small Booklet titled "Growing Rapid Cycling Brassica rapa sucessfully, Film Can Growing System (FCS)."

This document provides extensive background information about how Fast Plants grow and develop. The distinction between growth and development is explained. Also discussed is how genetics plus interactions with the environment produce variation during growth and development.

A 32-page booklet, containing complete instructions for activities at each life cycle stage. The booklet also includes important background information about plant physiology and how to grow Fast Plants.A Growth, Development and Reproduction kit is available. You can also conduct all the investigations explained in the booklet using seeds from a packet of Standard Wisconsin Fast Plants seeds (or seeds from Fast Plants you grow yourself) and your own potting mix and growing system.Either way, you'll need to plan for providing adequate light. Learn about all these factors in the How to Grow files on this website.

This Powerpoint presentation contains copies from the Father of Fast Plants, Dr. Paul Williams' research notebook and photos documenting some of his investigations into the inheritance of hairs on the leaves and stems of Fast Plants.

Procedures for germinating seeds using simple materials to investigate the interactions between the environment and germination.

Instructions for constructing and planting Fast Plants in the recycled "Bottle Growing System" that was designed by the Wisconsin Fast Plant Program. This is a low-cost growing system ideal for growing plants in the classroom, made from recycled soda or water bottles. These growing system are easy to build, use, and can be cleaned and reused for multiple years.

This article by Coleman, McConnaughay, and Ackerly discusses how phenotypic variation (variation in observable traits) in plants is influenced by environment, genetics, and developmental stage. The authors stress that understanding the interplay of these factors is important for investigations that involve plant comparisons.

The activities and backgroundinformation in this booklet are designed to support investigations into three primary areas of plant physiology (how plants function): Nutrition, Tropism, and Hormone Response (using gibberellin).

In this activity, students have the opportunity to witness first-hand the dynamic relationship between Brassica Butterflies and Wisconsin Fast Plants. Students are responsible for tending the butterflies and plants throughout the entire life cycles, while they explore and explain the changes that each organism goes through.

This booklet describes how mono- and dihybrid Mendelian inheritance patterns can be investigated with Wisconsin Fast Plants and three heritable traits. Investigations can be done by either growing Fast Plants in soil or germinating seeds in Petri dishes to observe the traits.

These instructions describe how to construct a plant light box from two stackable plastic file crates that are cut, lined with aluminum foil and lit with a 40/42-watt CFL bulb. This 3-page document includes a complete materials list and 12-step assembly instructions with photographs that illustrate each step. This light box works well for growing Fast Plants.

This video resource explains and demonstrates how to plant Fast Plants in a bottle growing system made from recycled soda/water bottles was made by the instructors at UW-Madison who teach Biocore (a foundational undergraduate biology course). In this planting approach, vermiculite is used along with a soil-less potting mix (e.g. Redi-Earth).

A series of experiments explore the effects of increased population growth on a population of Fast Plants. Through these inquiries, students will better understand the many substantial and pertinent issues surrounding human population explosion on Earth.These experiments can be adjusted toward middle, high school or post-secondary levels.

This pdf document explains key planting mix and fertilizer considerations to take into account when preparing to grow Wisconsin Fast Plants. This document was designed to serve as both a source of information and "shopping list."

This document is the step-by-step instructions for planting Fast Plants in a quad growing system like is sold by Carolina Biological Supply Company. The instructions are illustrated by our Fast Plants artist, Amy, to help all learners understand the steps.

This article describes how Fast Plants can be used to help students understand how, through genetic selection associated with phenotypic variation, traits are passed on to future generations. This resource includes information about how to analyze variation in a population and selectively breed to change the frequency of a particular trait in future generations. Advanced Placement teachers who are teaching AP Inquiry Investigation #1, Artificial Selection, will find this article relevant to that inquiry.

This catalog from the Rapid Cycling Brassica Collection (RcBC) is for use by researchers. The RcBC was established in 1982 by Paul Williams as a means for distributing seed and information, about various genetic stocks of 6 different species of rapid cycling brassicas. Initially known as the Crucifer Genetics Cooperative (CrGC) the collection now resides under the Wisconsin Fast Plants Program. The RCBC provides seed stocks of rapid cycling brassicas to researchersthrough an RCBC Catalog.

This glossary was developed for students, teachers and scientist to help with communication about the genetics of Fast Plants through standardized genetic terminology. The Wisconsin Fast Plants Program follows the standardized rules for the designation of phenotypic and genotypic symbols for Brassica species.

A seminal paper, introducing rapid-cycling Brassicas as model organisms for use in plant biology research and education. Written by Williams and Hill, published in Science, 1986.

An article published in "GROW" about Reading Green, the newest Fast Plants Program learning materials for elementary students. Published in February 2012.

This document is a complete science notebook that was designed by teachers working with elementary and middle level students who were learning with Fast Plants. The notebook includes color illustrations by our Fast Plant artist, Amy Kelley. It includes a graphic organizer to support predicting what the answer will be to a question being investigated, pages with prompts for recording observations (drawings and written words), and a graphic organizer with sentence stems for constructing an evidence based claim or explanation. If you print this pdf as double-sided and flipped on the short edge, then you can fold all the pages together in half and staple along the fold to form a booklet.

This Immersion Unit provides a coherent series of lessons designed to guide students in developing deep conceptual understanding that is aligned with the National standards, key science concepts, and essential features of classroom inquiry (as defined by the National Science Education Standards). The goal of this unit is to provide students with an opportunity to explore the interdependency of living and nonliving factors in an ecological system. Students investigate the process of decomposition and examine the role that decomposers and other organisms play in the transfer of energy and matter.The Unit's overarching concepts are:Organisms need matter and energy to live.Science knowledge advances through inquiry.This unit was developed through the large Math and Science Partnership project called System-wide Change for All Learners and Educators (SCALE), involving a collaboration among Los Angeles School District educators, California State University science and education faculty, and UW-Madison SCALE staff.

Science Inquiry Map Poster featuring the web of inquiry processes as described by the Five Essential Features of Inquiry from the National Science Education Standards. The illustrations are by our wonderful Fast Plants artist, Amy Kelly.

A teacher-developed scoring rubric for student's conceptual model for explaining inheritance of Mendelian traits in Wisconsin Fast Plants and presentation.

A 23-page PDF file (644 KB) with a complete set of activities for elementary students (can also work with middle level) to learn about the life cycle of flowering plants. Students predict how many seeds their Fast Plant will produce and engage in planting, growing, observing doing supporting learning activities to understand the life cycle.Carolina Biological sells a kit to accompany this activity for a class of 32 students, containing the seeds and planting materials. Alternatively, the activity can be taught using seeds from a packet of Standard Wisconsin Fast Plants (or seeds from Fast Plants you grow yourself) and your own potting mix and growing system.A 24-hour fluorescent light source is needed for this activity.

This is "The Story of Fast Plants" - a short story of the origins of Brassicas and the work of Dr. Paul Williams, developing Brassica rapa. Reading level ~7th grade.

The first activity in this newsletter was written to engage students in an investigation related to the Fast Plants that traveled into space in May of 1995. Students explore how plants use guidance systems which sense and respond to gravity (gravitropism) ensuring that roots anchor plants and access water and that shoots emerge into the light.This activity includes substantial background discussion about gravitropism in plants.

This article provides rich background information about how the three environmental components: !. Physical, 2. Chemical, 3. Biological interact to influence all life processes and systems.

This pdf document provides background information and examples for collecting, organizing and analyzing data that could be collected through experimentation with Fast Plants.

This investigation spans the entire life cycle of the first-generation offpsring (F1) of plants; an additional nine days allow students to observe the second- generation offspring (F2) and the father generation (P2).WhoĺŐs the Father? is designed to provide students with the opportunity to investigate the inheritance of two genes in Wisconsin Fast PlantsTM. One gene, anthocyaninless (anl), determines whether the stem color of each plant will be purple or non- purple. A second gene, yellow-green (ygr), determines whether the leaf color of each plant will be green or yellow-green.