2013 Science Matters Project
By:
Ashley Smith
Shawn Callahan
Rachel Goodwin
1
Sunlight vs. Artificial Light
Problem: Do lima bean plants grow better in sunlight or artificial light?
Hypothesis: If lima bean plants/seeds are exposed to an artificial light source then
it will not grow as tall, than the lima bean plants/seeds exposed to the natural light
from the sun.
Independent Variable: the light source (an incandescent light bulb and natural
sunlight)
Dependent Variable: growth of Lima bean plant (height/cm)
Control: 6 Lima bean seeds, an incandescent light bulb, water, potting soil, desk
lamp, timer, ruler, 2 medium-sized flower pots, science notebook, and a graduated
cylinder.
Materials:
An incandescent light bulb
Water (5 milliliters each day)
Sunlight
Graduate cylinder (ml)
6 Lima bean seeds
Potting soil
2 medium-sized flower pots
Science notebook
Ruler
Pencil
Desk lamp
Timer
Procedures/Methods:
1. First you will pot the Lima bean seeds. Fill the medium-sized flower pots with
potting soil. Use your finger and make three small holes about 5 cm deep into the
soil of each medium-sized pot. Put a Lima bean seed into each hole and cover it up
with soil.
2. Label each pot (sunlight and light bulb light)
3. Take one pot and put it under a light bulb (using a desk lamp). Make sure to turn
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on the lamp. Set the lamp on a timer so that it can represent the time the sun rises
and sets daily.
4. Take the other pot and put it in a place with lots of bright sunlight (next to a
window might be a good place). Make sure to record cloud cover and what direction
the window is facing.
5. Make sure to keep the experiment in the same location and to water daily. Each
lima bean seed will get 5 milliliters of water each day. In order to water the seeds
the same, make sure to use a graduated cylinder to measure out the amount of
water each day.
6. The Lima beans should germinate in 2-5 days. Then you should start monitoring
their daily growth for two weeks and measure how tall the sprout is for each
sample using a ruler. Keep your results of the growth of each Lima bean in your
science notebook.
7. After two weeks, look over your data and analyze your results by making a bar
graph.
Anticipated Data Set:
After two weeks of measuring and recording the lima bean plants growth, the lima
bean plants/seeds exposed to the natural sunlight will grow taller by 5 cm than the
lima bean plants exposed to the incandescent light bulb. The lima bean plants,
which were exposed to the natural sunlight, will grow taller by 5 cm, because plants
need sunlight in order to grow and survive. The sunlight provides the plant energy
to grow and conduct photosynthesis.
Altering the Experiment:
This experiment can be altered/changed by using a colored light bulb instead of an
incandescent light bulb this will change the effect of the experiment.
Elaborate:
Students will be expected to present their results from the original experiment
using graphs, charts, posters or pictures using the data recorded in their science
notebooks each day. Students must also be able to design an alternate experiment
related to plant growth and present the results to the class as well as compare the
results to the original experiment.
3
How Artificial Light Affects Plant Growth
Problem: How will the exposure of artificial light (colored and clear) affect the
soybean plant growth?
The purpose of this experiment is to show how the different colors (artificial) of
lights affect the development/growth of plants.
Hypothesis: If the soybean plants/seeds are exposed to different colored lights,
then they will grow shorter than the plants exposed to the clear 60 watt light bulb.
Independent Variable: colored light bulbs
Dependent Variable: growth of soybean plants (height/cm)
Control: soybean seeds, water (3 milliliters each day), potting soil, colored light
bulbs, clear 60 watt light bulb, 3 clear plastic shoeboxes, graduated cylinder, desk
lamps, ruler, and power strip
Materials:
12 Plants (soybean) seeds
Colored light bulbs (red, green, and blue) (60 watt)
Potting soil
60 watt clear light bulb
4 desk lamps
Ruler (cm)
3 clear plastic shoeboxes
Pencil
Science notebook
Power strip
Graduated cylinder
Water (3 milliliters for each seed daily)
Procedures/Methods:
1. Using three clear plastic shoeboxes dump in 12 cm of potting soil (make sure to
use a ruler to measure the 12 cm) into each plastic shoebox.
2. Using your finger, make 12 small holes about 5 cm deep into the soil to plant 12
soybean seeds of the same size. Plant three soybean seeds in each plastic shoebox
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container.
3. Put the soybean seed in each hole and cover it up with soil.
4. You will then need four desk lamps. You will screw in the different colored light
bulbs (red, green, blue, and a clear 60 watt). Make sure to plug in the four desk
lamps into the power strip and position them over the soybean seeds planted in the
clear plastic shoebox containers.
5. Make sure to keep the experiment in the same location and to water daily. Each
soybean seed will get 3 milliliters of water each day. In order to water the seeds
the same, make sure to use a graduated cylinder to measure out the amount of
water each day.
6. Measure each plant everyday using a ruler (cm) and record your findings in your
science notebook. Be sure to measure from the bottom of the plastic shoebox
container and not the surface of the potting soil.
7. After two weeks, look over your data and analyze your results by making a bar
graph.
Anticipated Data Set:
After two weeks of measuring and recording the soybean plants growth, the
soybean plants/seeds exposed to the clear 60 watt light bulb will grow taller by 5
cm than the soybean plants exposed to the different colored light bulbs (red,
green, and blue). The soybean plants, which were exposed to the clear 60 watt light
bulb, will grow taller by 5 cm because this light exposure to the plant resembles
that of natural sunlight. Plants need sunlight in order to grow and survive. The
sunlight gives the plant energy to grow and produce photosynthesis.
Altering the Experiment:
This experiment can be altered/changed by using different colored light bulbs
such as purple or yellow.
Elaborate:
Students will be expected to present their results from the original experiment
using graphs, charts, posters or pictures using the data recorded in their science
notebooks each day. Students must also be able to design an alternate experiment
related to plant growth and present the results to the class as well as compare the
results to the original experiment.
5
How does the soil type affect seed growth? (Soil and
sand/soil mixture)
Problem: The purpose of this experiment is to show how different types of soils
could affect the height at which a seed will grow over a two week period.
Hypothesis: If ten radish seeds are planted in potting soil in a Styrofoam cup then
the seeds will grow taller than the ten seeds planted in a sand/soil mixture in a
Styrofoam cup.
Anticipated Set:
After two weeks of measuring and recording the radish seeds in the potting soil
will grow 5 cm taller than the radish seeds grown in a sand/soil mixture. The
radish seeds in the potting soil will grow taller than the seeds in the sand/soil
mixture because the potting soil allows the seeds to take in more nutrients and the
sand/soil mixture will not absorb the water for the seeds to grow.
Materials:
60 radish seed
Science notebook
Potting soil
Ruler (cm)
Sand/soil mixture
Water
6 Styrofoam cup
Graduated cylinder measuring 10 ml
Independent Variable: sand/soil mixture
Dependent Variable: the height of the radish seed growth (cm)
Control: the cups, the amount of water, radish seeds, sunlight
Method/Procedures:
-Fill three Styrofoam cups half full with well moistened potting soil and place ten
radish seeds in each cup about 3 cm down in the soil, then make sure to cover the
radish seeds completely.
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-Fill three more cups half full with a well moistened potting soil and sand mixture
and place ten radish seeds in the cup about 3 cm in the soil and make sure the
radish seeds are completely covered
-Place the six cups in a sunlight area, making sure to keep the cups in the same
location throughout the experiment
- Water the plant daily using 5 milliliters of water using a graduated cylinder
- Every day measure the amount of growth of the radish seeds using a ruler and
recording the data in a Science notebook
Suggestions for altering the experiment:
This experiment can be altered or changed by using a different type of soil
mixture or changing the depth at which the seeds are planted.
Elaborate Phase:
Students will be expected to present their results from the original experiment
using graphs, charts, posters or pictures using the data recorded in their science
notebooks each day. Students must also be able to design an alternate experiment
related to plant growth and present the results to the class as well as compare the
results to the original experiment.
Does the depth a radish seed is planted in affect the
height the plant grows?
Problem: The purpose of this experiment is to determine if the depth of a radish
seed is planted will affect the height the plant will grow over a two week period
Hypothesis: If ten radish seeds are planted in a 12 oz. glass jar in potting soil 2 cm
deep and placed in sunlight then ten radish seeds planted in a 12 oz. glass jar in
potting soil 4 cm will not grow as tall
Anticipated Set:
After two weeks of measuring and recording the height growth of radish seeds in a
glass jar seeds planted at 0 cm will not grow, seeds planted at a depth of 2 cm will
grow 3 cm less than seeds planted at a depth of 4 cm. The seeds planted at a
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depth of 4 cm will grow more because they will receive more nutrients and water
compared to the seeds planted at a depth of 0 cm and 2 cm.
Materials:
(3) 12 oz. glass jars
Ruler in cm
Science notebook
60 radish seeds
Sunlight
Potting soil
Water
Graduated cylinder measuring 10 ml
Independent Variable: Depth of seed
Dependent Variable: the height of the plant growth in cm
Control: 10 ml water, radish seeds, potting soil, sunlight
Method/Procedures:
-Fill one 12 oz. glass jar half way full of potting soil and place 10 radish seeds about
0 cm in the well moistened potting soil.
-Fill one 12 oz. glass jar half way full of potting soil and place 10 radish seeds about
2 cm in the well moistened potting soil and make sure the seeds are completely
covered.
-Fill one 12 oz. glass jars half way full of potting soil and place 10 radish seeds
about 4 cm in the well moistened potting soil and make sure the seeds are
completely covered.
- Place all three jars in a sunlight area making sure to keep the jars in the same
location throughout the experiment
- Water the plants as needed using a 10 ml graduated cylinder making sure to keep
the soil well moistened
- Every day measure the amount of growth of the radish seeds using a ruler and
recording the data in a Science notebook
Suggestions for altering the experiment:
This experiment can be altered by using a different type of soil mixture, di, and
amount of sunlight, amount of water or temperature at where the plants are
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growing.
Elaborate Phase:
Students will be expected to present their results from the original experiment
using graphs, charts, posters or pictures using the data recorded in their science
notebooks each day. Students must also be able to design an alternate experiment
related to plant growth and present the results to the class as well as compare the
results to the original experiment.
The Effect the Amount of Water Has On A Plant.
Problem: How does the amount of water affect the growth of a plant?
Hypothesis: If you add more water to the flower then the plant will continue to
grow up to a certain height because plants need water to live but too much water
will kill the plant.
Materials:
String
Measuring tape in cm
Grown flowering plant
Graduated cylinder in ml
Beakers
Tongue depressor
Spoon
Tap water
Independent Variable: The amount of water given to a plant.
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Dependent Variable: The height of the plant in cm.
Constants: Type of container, amount of light, type of water, temperature, amount
and type of soil.
Method/Procedure:
- Place one cup of potting soil into 9 beakers.
- Place the flowering plants inside the potting soil 3 cm deep using a spoon or a
tongue depressor to spread the dirt. Do not remove dirt from beaker.
- Place roots of plants into the holes and cover roots.
- The plants will be divided into three groups.
- 3 flowers will receive no water each day.
- 3 flowers will receive 10 mL of tap water each day.
- 3 flowers will receive 20 mL of tap water each day.
- 3 flowers will receive 30 mL of tap water each day.
- The flowers will need to be placed in the same place in the room to ensure the
temperature and the amount of light will remain the same.
- Using a marker, place a mark on the beakers. This will be where the measurement
will begin each time.
- Record the height of the flower using a string from the mark on the beaker to
the top of the flower. Students will record data each day for two weeks in their
science notebook.
- Display data using the mean of each group on a line graph to show the increase or
decrease of the plant height.
Anticipated Data Set:
It is predicted that after two weeks the plants that receives the 10 ml of water
each day will grow taller than the other groups. It is also predicted that the group
of plants that receive 20 ml of water each day will begin to grow then slow in
growth due to over watering. The group of plants that do not receive water will
show very little growth in plant height.
I believe this because plants do need water to survive but too much or too little
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water will damage or harm the plants making them weak and unable to survive. The
plants that will receive the 10 ml of water will continue to grow because it is
receiving the near correct amount of water.
Suggestions for altering the experiment:
You could have more groups of plants to decide what water amount would benefit
the plant the most.
You could use different types of flowers to see if the data changes.
Elaborate:
Using the information gathered in the science notebook, students will be expected
to show their findings using graphs, pictures and create posters to demonstrate
their understanding. Students must also design an alternate experiment related to
plant growth using the information from the original experiment and report
findings to the class.
The Effect the Amount of Fertilizer Has On A Plant.
Problem: How does the amount of fertilizer effect the growth of a plant?
Hypothesis: If you add more fertilizer to the flower then the plant will continue to
grow up to a certain amount because plants need food (fertilizer) to live but too
much will damage the plant.
Materials:
String
Tape measure in cm
Grown flowering plant
Fertilizer (use pellets preferably)
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Graduated cylinder
Beakers
Tongue depressor
Spoon
Tap water
Independent Variable: The amount of fertilizer given to a plant.
Dependent Variable: The height of each plant in cm
Constants: Type of container, type of fertilizer, amount of light, type of water,
amount of water, temperature, amount and type of soil.
Method/Procedure:
- Place one cup of potting soil into 12 individual beakers.
- Place the flowering plants inside the potting soil 3 cm deep using a spoon or a
tongue depressor to spread the dirt. Do not remove dirt from beaker.
- Place roots of plants into the holes and cover roots.
- The plants will be divided into four groups.
- 3 flowers will receive no fertilizer pellets and 20 mL of water every three days.
- 3 flowers will receive 5 pellets of fertilizer and 20 mL of tap water every three
days.
- 3 flowers will receive 10 pellets of fertilizer and 20 mL of tap water every three
days.
- 3 flowers will receive 15 pellets of fertilizer and 20 mL of tap water every three
days.
- The flowers will need to be placed in the same place in the room to ensure the
temperature and the amount of light will remain the same.
- Using a marker, place a mark on the beakers. This will be where the measurement
will begin each time.
- Record the height of the flower using a string from the mark on the beaker to
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the top of the flower. Students will record data each day for two weeks in their
science notebook.
- Display data using the mean of each group on a line graph to show the increase or
decrease of the plant height.
Anticipated Data Set:
It is predicted that after two weeks the plants that receives the 5 fertilizer
pellets will grow taller than the other groups. It is also predicted that the group of
plants that receive 10 fertilizer pellets will begin to grow then slow in growth due
to over fertilization. The plants that will receive the 15 pellets of fertilizer will
become stunted and wilt due to over fertilization. The group of plants that do not
receive fertilizer will show very little growth in plant height.
I believe this because plants do need water and fertilizer to survive but too much
or too little fertilizer will damage or harm the plants making them weak and unable
to survive. The plants that will receive the 5 fertilizer pellets will continue to
produce grow because it is receiving the near correct amount of food.
Suggestions for altering the experiment:
You could have more groups of plants to decide what fertilizer amount would
benefit the plant the most.
You could use different types of flowers to see if the data changes.
The placement of the fertilizer pellets could change.
Elaborate:
Using the information gathered in the science notebook, students will be expected
to show their findings using graphs, pictures and create posters to demonstrate
their understanding. Students must also design an alternate experiment related to
plant growth using the information from the original experiment and report
findings to the class.
13
Plant Lab
The experiment you are investigating _________________________________
List the Scientific Process:
1. What is the problem?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
2. Write a testable question.
3. Hypothesis: If _____________________________________________ then
_________________________________ because_______________________.
4. Identify the Variables:
Independent:
Dependent:
Control:
List the Materials:
List the Procedures:
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On the table below, please collect your data for each day. You will need to write
the date on the left hand side of the table and write your measurements in the
box.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
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Thursday
Friday
Formative assessment:
After collecting the data, student will need to create a presentation that will be
given in front of the class. Included in the presentation will be all the data
collected over the two week experiment. The students will need to present the
data using graphs or charts as well as a written report. The students are
responsible for having copies of their presentation to give to the remaining groups.
What was the problem being investigated?
Was your hypothesis supported or not supported? Explain
What materials or conditions were investigated during your experiment?
What could you change in this experiment?
Was your experiment a fair test? What variables could you change to make this
not a fair test?
Please explain your observations from your experiment. Include details about
temperature, the surroundings and general characteristics.
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Summative Assessment
Group Members
Our “Super-Plant’s name is:
Using the information from all of the groups’ presentation, you will be
creating a “Super-Plant”. The data that was presented about how each plant has
survived and grown you will now take that information to try and create the plant
that will bloom and grow most effectively.
As part of this experience, your group will need to set up your own new
experiment using some or all of the ingredients that have been perform in earlier
trials. First, you will need to design a plan for creating your “Super-Plant”. Then
you will begin your trial and start your experiment. You will then collect data for
two weeks about how your plant has grown. Finally, your data will be presentation
to the class.
Creating Your Super-Plant- Step 1
Each response will be worth 2 points. You will receive half of a point for
restating, answering, supporting your answer and conventions.
1) What is the group’s goal for this activity? (Be specific, are you
making the tallest? The greenest? The plant with the most
flowers?)
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R(restate)__A(answer)__S(support)__C(conclusion)__
2) What did you learn from the presentations and how are you
going to use that information for your experiment?
R__A__S__C__
3) What is a testable question that relates to your experiment?
________
R__A__S__C__
4) What is your hypothesis?
R__A__S__C__
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5) Why do you think your hypothesis is supported or not
supported?
____________________
R__A__S__C__
6) What materials will you need for this experiment?
R__A__S__C__
7) What is the procedure for setting up your experiment? What
are you going to do to the plant to have the best results?
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R__A__S__C__
8) Is this a fair test, yes or no? Why?
R__A__S__C__
20
Using this page, on the left side, draw a picture of what your plant
looks like the day it is planted. On the right side, draw an accurate
picture of what you think your plant will look like on the final day of our
experiment. R__A__S__C__
Day 1
Day 14
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Step 2- Collect Data
Use this page to record your data. You will need to show when
and how you are recording your information. R__A__S__C__
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
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Thursday
Friday
Step 3- Analyze the information.
What worked well in your trial?
R__A__S__C__
Was your hypothesis supported or not? Why?
R__A__S__C__
Did your plant grow to your expectations? Why do you think that?
R__A__S__C__
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What did not work well throughout your trial?
R__A__S__C__
If you were to do this again, what would you change?
R__A__S__C__
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