PlantingScience Investigation Themes
Agronomy Feeds the World
![](https://plantingscience.org/app/site/media/SiteAssets/investigationthemes/agronomy_crop%20small.jpg)
Where does food come from? This module is designed to encourage students to think about food production around the world.
Grades 6-12
Celery Challenge
![](https://plantingscience.org/app/site/media/SiteAssets/investigationthemes/celery_2_crop%20small.jpg)
Osmosis, Diffusion, and Transpiration Investigation: Students are challenged to cause and then explain the most extreme bending in celery petioles (stalks).
Grades 6-12
C-Fern in the Open
![](https://plantingscience.org/app/site/media/SiteAssets/investigationthemes/cfern_crop.jpg)
Sexual Reproduction, Alternation of Generations Investigation: This module is designed to expose students to the plant life cycle and the alternation of generations.
Grades 9-12
Foundation of Genetics
![](https://plantingscience.org/app/site/media/SiteAssets/investigationthemes/brassica.jpg)
Traits, Variation, and Environment in Rapid Cycling Brassica: Students explore studies in genetics by growing a selected strain of Brassica rapa from seed to seed and examining plant traits during the life cycle.
Grades 9-12
Plants Get Sick, Too!
![](https://plantingscience.org/app/site/media/SiteAssets/investigationthemes/pgst%20image%20module.jpg)
Plant-microbe interactions and disease triangle investigations: Students learn about host-pathogen-environment interactions and disease development in plants.
Grades 9-12
Pollen Investigations
![](https://plantingscience.org/app/site/media/SiteAssets/investigationthemes/pollen_crop%20small.jpg)
Pollen and Pollination: Explore pollen and pollination through one or more projects in this module.
Note: Some activities are season-dependent
Grades 6-12
The Power of Sunlight
![](https://plantingscience.org/app/site/media/SiteAssets/investigationthemes/Photosynth_Crop%20small.jpg)
Photosynthesis and Respiration Investigation: Students learn critical concepts of photosynthesis through leaf disc assays.
Grades 9-12
The Wonder of Seeds
![](https://plantingscience.org/app/site/media/SiteAssets/investigationthemes/seeds_crop.jpg)
Germination and Seedling Growth Investigation: Students explore scientific inquiry through germination experiments designed by the students themselves.
Grades 6-12
Tree-mendous Benefits of Trees
![](https://plantingscience.org/app/site/media/SiteAssets/investigationthemes/Image_for_website_black.jpg)
Trees are a critical component of our ecosystem: They can produce the food we eat, oxygen that we breathe, shade from the sun, and so much more.
Note: Some activities are season-dependent
Grades 6-12
Add-on Investigations
The following investigations make good add-ons to some of our major themes above.
Corn Competition
![](https://plantingscience.org/app/site/media/SiteAssets/investigationthemes/corn_crop%20small.jpg)
Grow the Largest Corn Plants: This add-on helps students build skills in experimental design and empirically-based justification.
Recommended for: The Wonder of Seeds, Agronomy Feeds the World
Grades 6-12
Questions? Email PlantingScience staff: psteam@plantingscience.org