From Seed to Plant

thingiverse

As students dive into learning what a plant needs to thrive, it's essential for them to have a model to observe and learn from. This engaging activity starts with students germinating their own seeds and then transplanting them into various mediums. This activity kicks off with students sprouting their own seeds and planting them in different mediums. The process begins by having students think about the needs of plants and seeds, asking themselves if they share similar requirements. Lesson Plan and Activity Root Viewer and Sprouting In this hands-on activity, students create a root viewer and observe how roots grow each day for four days. If a weekend falls during this time, students can take their root viewers home as homework to continue the daily observations. To begin, lay a CD case with the hinge at the top, securing it with a piece of masking tape at the top corner with your name and date. Open the case and place a damp paper towel inside. Next, place 5 radish seeds on the paper towel in two rows. Close the case, ensuring the arrow is pointing upwards. In the classroom, stack all the CD cases together in a large ziplock bag or plastic box. As seeds don't require light to sprout and grow roots, ensure the masking tape arrows on the CD cases point in the same direction. Temperature significantly affects root growth speed. In a warm room, the root will be about an inch long by day 3, while a cooler room may require an additional day for the roots to grow. Alternate version of activity If you can't get enough CD cases, consider using a bean in a ziplock bag as a class demonstration. Follow these instructions from the Chicago Botanical Garden. After sprouting, discuss with students what they think their plants need to survive and thrive. A good scientist ensures that if adding a variable, the rest of the experiment remains constant. Using pre-printed flower mounts, add different planting mediums into the pots. Suggested mediums include vermiculite, potting soil, sand, and gel beads. Once potted, assemble the planter and mount it on the wall. After students make predictions about which plants will grow best, they can track their growth for a few weeks before comparing results to their initial predictions.