GROWING SEASON – Two Projects

PROBLEM: How do temperature and gravity affect germination of seeds?

RESEARCH: Read in a science book or encyclopedia about germination of seeds. Draw a diagram of a sprouting seed.

HYPOTHESIS: Do you think seeds will grow better if it is warm or cold? What happens when gravity acts on seeds?

MATERIALS:

12 pinto beans

3 clear plastic drinking glasses          

paper towels

marking pen

masking tape

PROCEDURE:

Part 1 – Gravity

1. Soak beans over night. The beans will grow better, faster, if soaked for 24 hours.

2. Fold one paper towel and line the inside of one glass with it.

3. Wad more paper towels and put them inside the glass and paper towel to hold the towel against the glass. This will hold the beans in place.

4. Moisten the paper in the glass with water, but pour off as much water as you can.

5. Place a strip of tape around the outside of the glass near the top.

6. On four sides of the glass mark the tape with an arrow to show the direction of the hilum: up, down, left, and right.

7. Place one bean below each arrow, between the glass and the paper towel. Make sure the hilum is pointing in the direction of the arrow.

8. Check the paper towel each day to be sure it is moist. Pour off any extra water that may collect at the bottom.

9. Measure and record the length of the root each day. Also, record any other observations.

Part 2 – Temperature

1. Follow steps 1 – 4 as in part 1, but prepare two glasses.

2. Place four seeds in each cup. Be sure to put the seeds so the hilum is in the same direction.

3. Place one glass in the refrigerator and keep the other cup in a dark place, such as a cupboard, where the temperature will stay at normal room temperature.

4. Follow steps 8 and 9 as in part 1.

5. Enrichment: Use the procedures above to create an experiment to test if water is needed by seeds to germinate.

DATA: Be sure to continue your observations for five days. Do not record your observations on this paper. Make a separate table for your data.

Part 1 – Gravity

Gravity          Length of root          Observations

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Part 2 – Temperature

Temperature          Length of root          Observations

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

CONCLUSION: This is not optional. You must explain what you learned by doing this activity. Remember that you must answer the question you asked in your original problem statement.

NOTE: BE SURE TO HAVE YOUR PARENT OR GUARDIAN SIGNS YOUR WORK. PARENTS: YOUR SIGNATURE SHOWS YOUR STUDENT HAS DONE THE WORK.

TEACHER SECTION:

POSSIBLE HYPOTHESIS: Gravity will pull the root down, low temperature will slow the growth of the seeds.

POSSIBLE CONCLUSION: Gravity causes the root to grow down. All the roots grew down, regardless of the position of the seeds. The beans in the refrigerator did not grow as much and grew very slowly, the ones in the room did grow. Seeds must need the correct temperature to grow.

E-Mail

Judy Schneider

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