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Crazy Coconuts :)

Project by group nebuzzellspring2017

Explore We know that plants need certain things to survive ( water, sunlight etc.). We also know that different plants have different time-frames on how long it takes to grow. In class, we learned what agronomy is and we learned the correct pH level for plants. We also learned that if the weather is warm and cold in short periods of time it will affect plant growth because it will confuse the plant. What interests us is how different climates affect plant growth.
Research Question We want to study the affect of different soil temperatures on plant growth. We came up with this question because we were wondering how different plants grow in different soil temperatures. The soil temperatures will represent different climates and how the temperature in those climates affect plant growth. We know that the plants are accustomed to different climates around the world.
Predictions A possible outcome is that the cooler weather will slow down plant growth because the plant doesn't thrive in temperatures other than what it is used to. We think the warm weather will dry the plant out because the warm temperature will take the moisture out of the plant.
Experimental Design Supplies: -12 plastic cups - 24 radish seeds 2 in each cup - 3 thermometers - soil filled to the first line in the plastic cup - 25 ml of water every other day per cup - 1 light bulb First, we set up one light bulb underneath the container.( see updates page to see how we set up the light) Then, we will take the seed and plant them evenly among small cups, with one seed in each. Next, we will take four ice packs and tape them to the inner part of the cap and sides of one of the containers, that will cool that container down. Then, we will put four cups of soil and seeds in each of the three containers. Next, we place a cap on one of the normal containers, this will act as a green house for the plants, we will also place the cap on the container with the cold packs. The third container will be the normal one that will have no cap on it. We will now water the plants daily and see how the different temperatures will speed up or slow down plan growth. We will be recording the data in a journal.
Conclusion The warm bin pants grew heather and taller than the cold and controlled bins. One explanation is that the moister from the cap being on the warm bin ( acting like a greenhouse) made the plants more damp helping them grow at a faster rate and making them stronger. An explanation for the cold bin is that the soil was to cold and it slowed down plant growth because the soil needs to be at a certain temperature for certain plants to grow. In the end, this experiment all has to lead back to agronomy. This experiment would help farmers to understand that radishes would grow better in different climates. If the farmer lived in a warm place the plants would probably grow healthier than someone who lives in a colder place. Our hypothesis was right and wrong, we thought that the plants wouldn't survive very well in cold weather which they didn't and we thought the warm weather would dry out the plants but it actually made them grow better. Overall our experiment was successful and we learned a lot.
Investigation Theme AFW
Grade Level Middle School Students (grades 6,7,8)
School Name Nottingham Elementary
Session Spring 2017

Team

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NSF_Logo.jpg This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant #2010556 and #1502892. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

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