Plant sprouting
Activity

What Does a Plant Need?

Jim and Andrew, students at Texas School for the Blind, tested the need for a seed to have soil (space) and air in order to sprout.

Jim and Andrew, students at TSBVI, have been learning about the basic needs of plants.  This was their science project.

Materials

Preparation

The pots were labeled in preparation for this project.

Questions

Hypothesis

Procedure

  1. Set up a “control” seed cup with good air, water, nutrients (soil), sunlight, and space.
  2. Jim chose to test the need for plants to have space.  He filled a small pot with rocks.
  3. Andrew chose to test if plants need air.  He filled a pot with soil.
  4. Labels were made in print and braille for all 3 pots:  “Control, No Space, and No Air”.
  5. Labels were attached to the pots.
  6. “No Space” to the pot with rocks, “Control” to a pot with soil, and “No Air” to another pot with soil
  7. We will water all the plants 2 times per week  – 50mL each time
  8. Andrew’s pot will be kept in a ziplock bag tightly closed. “No Air”
  9. Jim’s pot will be the “No Space” pot with rocks and no soil
  10. Students will observe the plants and record results twice  a week when watering them. 

Results

We discussed why the plants in the bag died and where the gas came from (photosynthesis).

Conclusion

Our hypotheses were right. The seeds in Jim’s trial didn’t sprout without soil and the seeds in Andrew’s trial did sprout without air.  

NGSS Standards:

Many thanks to Jeri Cleveland and Debra Sewell, TSBVI curriculum department, for this project idea from the science curriculum.

By Laura Hospitál

Collage of what does a plant need to survive

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