Lauren Cooper

Bio 306

November 14, 2007

I See the Light!!

Introduction:

Students know the main types of nutrients plants need in order to survive. They know that without light and water the plant probably won’t live. What they may not know are the lengths plants will go to in order to get the nutrients they need. This activity would come after doing a lesson on plants and how they grow. Students will then construct a maze box where they will observe plant growth. The box will be dark other than a small hole at the other end of the plant. The plant should grow through the maze and make its way toward the light at the other end.

Materials:

-  Shoe Box with lid

-  Strips of paper

-  Bean plant

-  Black paper

-  Scissors

-  Glue

Procedure:

  1. Before starting activity, students will review what they know about plants and how they grow.
  2. Ask the students what they thought a plant would do if it was in a place with no light. What about only a little patch of light.
  3. Give each student a shoe box, lid and strips of paper and explain to them they are going to make a maze for a plant where the only light they have is at the other end.
  4. Ask the students to write down what they think their plant will do in the maze.
  5. Demonstrate to the students how to use the strips of paper, scissors and glue to make a maze inside their box.
  6. Once the maze is created, have the students put small holes in some spots of the walls (not the outer walls except for the main hole) and then to make a 2x2 inch hole at one end of the box.
  7. Give each student a bean plant (this may be one they grew in a previous activity).
  8. Have them place the seed at the opposite end of the box as the hole.
  9. Have them put the lid on and cover the box with black paper (except for the hole).
  10. Now, have the students check on the plant everyday. It may be good to do this with the lights turned down or off so the results aren’t skewed. Also, give the plants water every other day or so. (If you wanted to add a door that opens to the plant to avoid light entering you can)
  11. Record the plant for one week (students may have a plant journal for recording).
  12. After one week, discuss the results of this activity as a class. Discuss any odd findings as well as what they thought of the experiment.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do think the plant would have made its way through the maze if it did not have water and there was some at the other end of the box? Explain.
  2. What does the light do for the plant that makes it wind its way through a maze in order to get closer to it?

Extension:

  1. Turn the results from this into a lab report. Make a graph that shows findings from each day of observation. Include in this report what you first thought the plant would do and why, the results, and why you think the plant did what it did.

Science Standard:

  1. Life Sciences- Grade one

2b: Students know both plants and animals need water, animals need food and plants need light.

  1. Investigation and Experimentation- Grade four

6e: Construct and interpret graphs from measurements.