| Explore | We know the basics about plants like the common things they need to survive, which would be good soil, sunlight, water, and nutrients. There are different types of soils, they are distinguished by the ratio of sand, silt, and clay particles that make up the soil. We also know that not all plants are the same, some need more care than others. We know how plants work, such as the photosynthesis they go through. In what stages do plants grow? What is each part of the plant responsible for? How hard is it to grow plants? Penn State. (2019, July 1). 'Planting green' cover-crop strategy may help farmers deal with wet springs. ScienceDaily. Retrieved October 5, 2020 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/07/190701163835.htm Earth Observing System. (2019, December 11). Soil Types: A Main Aspect Of Agricultural Productivity. EOS. https://eos.com/blog/soil-types-as-a-paramount-aspect-of-agricultural-productivity/#:~:text=If%20we%20take%20into%20account,chalk%2C%20peat%2C%20and%20loam. Parikh, S. J. & James, B. R. (2012) Soil: The Foundation of Agriculture. Nature Education Knowledge 3(10):2 https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/soil-the-foundation-of-agriculture-84224268/ |
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| Research Question | How does adding different amounts of sand to soil affect the growth of radish plant stems? We came up with the question by looking at the materials we were given. We know that plants need good soil and enough nutrients to grow, therefore, we are testing to see if mixing in things like kool aid and sand to soil will make the beets grow better. Revised: How does different ratios of sand to potting soil affect the growth of radish plant stems? Tjeerd J. Bouma, & David R. Bryla. (2000). On the assessment of root and soil respiration for soils of different textures: interactions with soil moisture contents and soil CO₂ concentrations. Plant and Soil, 227(1/2), 215–221. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026502414977 |
| Predictions | We think that a higher sand to potting soil ratio will be optimal for the growth of our radishes (stems). We think this is true because sand absorbs water pretty well so we think that having more sand will create a better growing environment for our radishes. Sand also adds alkaline to the soil and provides good drainage. |
| Experimental Design | We plan to make 4 different sand/soil mixtures. The first mixture will be 100% soil (used as the control), the second will be 50% sand, the third will be 75% sand, and the fourth will be 100% sand. We will also have a control of just plotting soil. We will plant radish seeds and measure the growth of the stems two times a week. We will be testing the effectiveness of different soil types. The environment in which the radishes are kept at will all be the same, so will the amount of water we add, etc. Independent Variable: Amount of Sand in soil Dependent Variable: Growth of the Radish stem 100% soil = 1 cup of soil 50% sand = 1/2 cup of sand, 1/2 cup of soil 75% sand = 3/4 cups of sand, 1/4 cups of soil 100% sand = 1 cup of sand Watered every other day, 1/2 a cup of water for each every time Plant around 5 seeds in each little planter. Materials: Measuring cups, Miracle-Gro Seed Starting Potting Mix, radish seeds, water, sand, and potting cups. Procedure: 1) Label the potting cups 1-4 along with the percentage of sand that each pot contains 2) In pot 1 add ½ cup of sand and ½ cup of soil then mix 3) In pot 2 add ¾ cup of sand and ¼ cup of soil then mix 4) In pot 3 add 1 cup of sand 5) In pot 4 add 1 cup of soil 6) In each pot make a hole to place the 7 seeds then cover the seeds 7) Place the pots outside in the sun 8) Every other day add ½ cup of water to each pot 9) Every Monday and Friday measure and record the length of the stem in cm -If multiple grow, measure the tallest stem 10) Measure for 4 weeks (start on 10/26 and end on 11/20) 11) Compare the measurements of the stems to the other pots. |
| Investigation Theme | AFW |
| Grade Level | High School Students (Grades 9,10,11,12) |
| School Name | California Academy of Mathematics and Science |
| Session | Fall 2020 |