Student Example: Planting a Garden
By The Connected Kids
800-476-6861 | www.sedl.org/connectingkids
Copyright © 2012 by SEDL. All rights reserved.
Problem
We wanted to plant a garden at school. The
principal gave us an area like this for the project.
(Measures of the sides are in meters.)
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The Problem
With Weeds
One of the first things we
needed to do was to get rid of
all of the weeds before planting.
Photo: © SEDL.
Questions:
What should we use to get rid of the weeds?
How much of this material will we need?
3
Weed Control
Photos: © SEDL.
4
Weed Control
Photos: © SEDL.
5
Weed Control Pros & Cons
Type
Benefits
Drawbacks
Pull Weeds
Cheap
Would take a long time
Chemicals
Kills weeds fast
Not allowed in school
Landscape fabric
Works a long time
Burlap
Works a long time
Newspaper
Cheap
6
Experiment to Find the Best
Type
Benefits
Landscape fabric
Works a long time
Burlap
Works a long time
Newspaper
Cheap
Drawbacks
7
Experiment to Find the Best
Questions:
How much will we need?
• Landscape fabric
• Burlap
• Newspaper
8
Determining Necessary
Information
We must subdivide the
plot into four smaller plots.
Also, to determine the
amount of each material
that is needed, we must
determine the area of
each subdivision.
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Determining Necessary
Information
10
Determining Necessary
Information
11
One Possible Subdivision:
Step 1
12
One Possible Subdivision:
Step 2
13
One Possible Subdivision:
Step 3
14
Experiment to Find the Best
Procedure:
1. Cover three areas each with one
method of weed control.
2. Plant the same vegetables in the
three areas.
3. Leave one area untouched;
this area is our control.
4. Water once a week.
5. Once a week, take pictures
and count weeds.
6. Log the results in the lab log.
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To Be Continued
• Water the garden as needed.
• Once a week:
– Log the observations.
– Take pictures to document the observations.
• After 3 months, report the results and develop a
conclusion from the weed-control experiment.
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