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Hi team!
Coming up with a new research question and experiment is my favorite part of being a scientist because it's a chance to be really creative. I like to start by observing organisms in nature and then brainstorming what I don't know (possible research questions) about those organisms. You can follow up with some online research online to see what other people know about those questions. To help get your started...
(1) Make some observations about plants in your neighborhood or city -- What types of plants are common? Where do they live? Do all plants live in the same type of habitat? If not, in what ways are these habitats different?
(2) Write down what you know about plants -- What do plants need in order to survive and grow? Why do plants make seeds? Are all seeds the same? If not, in what ways do seeds from different plant species vary?
(3) Brainstorm why plants are important (to the environment, to humans) -- Can we solve an important problem by learning more about how plants grow?
Good luck and keep me posted on your progress!
Katie
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Katie did an amazing job asking clear but probing questions to get the students thinking beyond classroom questions. Her response to the students is very approachable but challenging.
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Preparing for the
24-25 School Year?
Teachers! If you're thinking of bringing PlantingScience mentoring into your classroom during the 24-25 school year, applications are now open for BOTH sessions!
To apply, log in to your PlantingScience account and locate the application link under 'Resources'. For more information, check out 'Join as a Teacher' above!
Scientists, this is a great time to update your availability and consider adding Investigation Themes to your preferences. If you are new to PlantingScience, check out 'Join as a Mentor'.
We're looking forward to working with you! Please contact us if you have any questions.
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Scientist Mentors Needed!
As we grow and continue to pursue our F2 research, we are sending out this appeal to our Scientist community: please spread the word and invite your students, colleagues, and friends to sign up and mentor with us! Mentors range from late undergraduate students to emeritus scientists. Feel free to download our mentor flyer and post it in your institution to encourage others to join us, too!
Testimonials
“I liked that we didn’t know what was going to happen before we did the experiment. Instead of being taught something and then just doing an experiment to prove it, we made an attempt to find out what would happen ourselves.”
- PlantingScience Student
“At every opportunity, all involved kept reminding my students of the process that real science requires. This helped me to convince my students that they are really doing science - not just play acting until some future date.”
- PlantingScience Teacher
“It is a lot of fun interacting with students from an age group I don’t have the chance to spend a lot of time with. It is a good reminder of where public knowledge of plant science stands, and a great opportunity for me to practice explaining key concepts in a simple and straightforward way.”
- PlantingScience Mentor