Science Projects on Seeds
Seeds are the starting point of all plant life. Just like the creation of a baby from a human, the growth of a complex plant from a seed is seemingly magical; especially to students who have little to no previous experience with growing things. Seeds are an inexpensive material from which students can learn a great deal. By utilizing seeds in science projects, you can familiarize your students with the process of growing plants and allow them to experience the thrill of seeing a lush, green plant sprout up from a basic, seemingly dead seed.
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An Eye for Detail
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Good scientific observation requires a strong eye for detail. Allow students to improve their attention to detail by creating a seed match up activity. Purchase a variety of seeds from the local home improvement store and mix the different types together to create a mixed bag of various seeds. Then distribute the mixed seeds into small sandwich baggies, ensuring that each student gets a variety of seeds to inspect. Often seed packets contain pictures of the seeds on the back near the planting instructions. Create an identification guide for students by copying the seed pictures on the back of the seed packets. If no such pictures exist on the seeds you purchased, use a plant identification guide to locate a seed identification manual then copy the pictures of the seeds that you used in your mixture.
Provide each student with a baggie of seeds and a copy of the identification guide that you created. You can also give students tweezers and gloves as these add to the excitement of the experiment and may be helpful to the students as they try to handle the small seeds. Ask students to sort their seeds by type and identify each type that they have in their bag. Then give students a sheet of copy paper, some markers and some clear tape. Ask them to tape their seeds onto the paper and label each seed type present. Allow students to decorate their papers and display them around the room so that students remember the hard work they put into being careful and observant scientists.
Big Seeds, Big Plants?
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Do big seeds make big plants? Test it out to determine the answer. Acquire seeds of a variety of sizes. Ask students to measure and weigh the seeds. Then rank the seeds from smallest to largest based on the size and weight measurements. If one seed measures larger but weighs less than another, you can break the tie by adding the measurement and weight together and labeling the seed with the largest sum of these two numbers as the largest.
Then set up a classroom garden using several pots. Plant the seed and tend to them by watering them and allowing them access to sunlight. Provide each pot with an equal amount of water to ensure that the size of the plant isn't a result of the amount of water that it is being given. After the plants sprout, begin to measure the height of each plant as well as the circumference of each plant around it's widest part. Record the results in a chart. Continue measuring for several months. Once you have reached the end of your measurements, determine which seed produced the largest plant and whether the size of the seed was any indication of the size of the resulting plant.
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Watch Them Spread
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Watching roots proliferate from a seed can be quite a spectacle to behold. Allow your students to see this interesting phenomenon by setting up a classroom growth theater. Use a large fish tank or any other container that has clear glass sides allowing you to view the inside easily. Fill the container with traditional potting soil. Then, using a toothpick, poke several holes along one side of the container. Carefully drop seeds into the holes you created and cover them with dirt. You should be able to see the seed nestled in the dirt through the side of the container. Tend to the seeds by watering and giving the necessary sunlight exposure daily. As the seeds germinate, roots will sprout. Ask students to inspect the roots on a regular basis and watch how the root system develops and spreads throughout the soil.
After students have seen roots in action, you can extend the experiment by performing it again with a variety of seeds. Have students look at the root systems that develop and determine which system is the most complex. This can be a wonderful lead in to the concept of tap and fibrous root systems. The activity also allows students to see first hand the process that is usually so well hidden in the deep, rich soil.
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