Hornwort

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/hornwort

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Ceratophyllum demersum
2. What is the diet?Autotrophic, relying on photosynthesis for energy production
3. What is hornwort and why does it look like it has tiny horns?Hornwort is a rootless aquatic plant with fine, forked leaves that look like tiny horns. Its leaves are called coontail because they look like little tails.
4. How does hornwort help keep ponds clean?Hornwort absorbs excess nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus from the water. This natural biofilter stops harmful algae from growing.

Macrophyte: Aquatic plants that grow in or around wetlands and are visible to the naked eye.
Turions: Dormant, overwintering buds produced by aquatic plants that can survive unfavorable conditions.