| Explore | I know that plants are living things that need to be taken care of and that plants are very into water and other things. For example, many plants need oxygen and sunlight to grow but what about the plants that live in the Tropical Forests? These plants need to learn how to get sunlight using extensive measures because in these kinds of biomes, shade is very common since there are tall grasses or trees that cover the plants. So, in order for the plants to grow, some plants grow on tall trees sticking on to their tree branches and their nutrients are covered with air and water; not soil. Another method for a plant that grows in this kind of biome is the Lianas. The Lianas have an extensive root system that reaches the trees to reach the sunlight. Another method is the Drip Tip which is where a plant has an extensive tip that lets water run of the leaves of the plant quickly so the water does not break the leaf. These are the adaptations that plants have created for themselves in order to survive in the Tropical Forest Biomes. |
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| Research Question | How much of an impact can clay/sand have when the plant that is within the clay/sand does not get watered frequently? |
| Predictions | Our hypothesis is that the mixture of sand and clay soil allows roots to absorb more water which means without these things it would impact a plant on its growth and wouldn't get that much water in order for a plant to grow. |
| Experimental Design | The experiment could be like this: Clay and sand are mixed to plant on top of it, and we do this again for another plant to be planted, right next to the first one. We water both on the same day they are planted and the next day we only water one plant. The next day we water both plants. If we keep doing this on a weekly basis, then we’ll see, when the plants grow, if both plants are growing the same, or if one plant is doing better than the other. This is to see if both plants can adjust with their clay/sand mix soil even if only one plant gets water everyday the other only every other day. |
| Conclusion | Sand grains are found in sand and their specialty is sucking in water that is dropped on top of them. This allows for more water to be stored in the sand and can be very helpful to seeds that are within the sand. If for a long time the sand is not watered, then the amount of water that was already dropped in it, would have already let the seeds inside sprout and be made into a little plant. The root system would be already ongoing and growing underneath where you planted them. This would allow the root system to maybe reach other places to grab and suck in some water from another spot in the garden or wherever you planted them. Clay in the other hand has the same properties as sand; it holds water in very well and tends to be nutrient-rich. In a clay environment, the plant will grow very well if the clay is worked well. This means adding compost and materials onto the clay that compost quickly so that the clay can be compacted easily. If you add compost or materials that don't compost quickly, the clay may |
| Investigation Theme | AFW |
| Grade Level | High School Students (Grades 9,10,11,12) |
| Teacher Name | Jessica Sweet |
| School Name | Watsonville High School |
| Session | Spring 2021 |