| Explore | Sand improves soil drainage. If water drains too many nutrients out of soil, the plant won't grow healthy or properly. However, while sand is unable to hold water, it is unable to keep/hold in nutrients as well. Sand is made out of quartz (silica) and feldspar, so it's good for plants that have strong root systems and like to grow in dry soil. For plants that have weak roots, and need all sorts of water and specific nutrients, sand wont help them grow as well as other plants. |
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| Research Question | How does the amount of sand in the soil affect the plant's growth? |
| Predictions | If the soil has less sand, it will grow taller. This is because although sand improves soil drainage, it lacks nutrients that corn seeds need. |
| Experimental Design | 1) Use scissors to cut off the tops of plastic bottles 2) Fill each bottle with 1/2 cup of local soil 3) Add 2, 4, and 6 tbsp. of sand to each bottle 4) Plant 4 seeds in each cup and spread out evenly 5) Place bottles under grow lights 6) Water plants with 2 tbsp. of water per day 7) Document / record data of plant height (in cm) daily 8) Repeat two more times for each bottle (9 trials total, 3 trials per amount of sand) |
| Investigation Theme | AFW |
| Teacher Name | Evelyn Gray |
| School Name | DeWitt Middle School |
| Session | Spring 2023 |