WonderofSeeds StudentPacket Final

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Last Updated 7/2013 Last Updated 7/2013

ln Lhls module, you wlll [oln a Leam Lo Lhlnk abouL !"#$%&'(%)& and +,'&( !#)-(. by
carrylng ouL an experlmenL Lo help answer a research quesLlon. ?ou'll creaLe a blog
where you'll posL your ldeas and share your daLa wlLh a planL blologlsL. ?our Leam
wlll dlscuss whaL you learned wlLh your classmaLes. Pere's whaL's ln sLore:
Get re-acqua|nted w|th p|ants: ?ou wlll have opporLunlLles Lo generaLe ldeas
abouL how planLs germlnaLe and grow, learn abouL seeds, documenL Lhe
early parL of Lhe planL llfe cycle, and dlscover how Lo care for seedllngs. ?ou
mlghL compare seed morphology, dlspersal, and growLh across specles.
Laboratory |nvest|gat|on: ?ou wlll work ln Leams, uslng sclenLlflc lnqulry ln
developlng a plan Lo LesL a research quesLlon. uurlng Lhe experlmenL, you
wlll collecL and graph daLa, uslng observaLlon and measuremenL skllls. ?ou can blog Lo geL
feedback abouL your experlmenL from a sclenLlsL. ln shorL, you wlll be dolng 8LAL sclence!
1h|nk ||ke a sc|ent|st: Cnce you flnlsh Lhe lnvesLlgaLlon, your Leam wlll reason carefully abouL
Lhe ouLcome Lo develop a sLoryboard communlcaLlng your flndlngs. As you look aL daLa from all
Leams, Lhe class wlll work LogeLher Lo make sense of lL all. ?ou can commenL on Lhe work of
oLhers, helplng achleve Lhe class goal of explalnlng how dlfferenL envlronmenLal and planL
characLerlsLlcs affecL germlnaLlon and growLh.
1he Wonder of Seeds:
Invest|gat|ons |n Germ|nat|on & |ant Growth
Students Guide

/#%$"01),2%&! 1""34
5." 6,7" +,'%3 6,'&8"( -'4 (." )&,9 -%(&"44 () (." :#%$"; AfLer four days of searchlng, pollce
found Lhe suspecL's car. ln Lhe Lrunk was a blankeL, damp and covered ln crushed leaves and oLher
planL maLerlal. ueLecLlve WrlghL arresLed Lhe suspecL and lmmedlaLely called a forenslc boLanlsL
Lo examlne Lhe evldence. lnLeresLlng," sald ur. Creen, lL ls unusual Lo see beard grass, dog
fennel, and beak rush growlng LogeLher." olnLlng Lo seeds embedded ln Lhe blankeL flbers, she
sald, Look, a few are sLarLlng Lo germlnaLe." She Look Lhe blankeL Lo Lhe lab for furLher analysls,
laLer collecLlng planL samples from Lhe crlme scene and around Lown. AL Lhe Lrlal, Lhe suspecL
clalmed he had never been near Lhe crlme scene, saylng Lhe blankeL goL dlrLy durlng a plcnlc aL Lhe
clLy park Lhe day before hls arresL. Called Lo Lhe wlLness sLand Lo provlde experL LesLlmony, ur.
Creen confldenLly noLed LhaL Lhe seeds on Lhe blankeL were specles LhaL never grow aL Lhe park!
As you can see from ur. Creen's work, humans use seeds ln ways LhaL are someLlmes surprlslng!
Seeds are lmporLanL Lo us as food and Lo grow crops, buL Lhey also represenL a crlLlcal parL of Lhe
planL llfe cycle. 1helr presence can provlde lnformaLlon abouL Lhe envlronmenL ln whlch Lhey are
found. ln Lhls lnvesLlgaLlon, you wlll look aL how planLs begln Lhelr llves as seeds and grow over
Llme. ?ou'll also be asklng quesLlons abouL how Lhe envlronmenL mlghL affecL germlnaLlon and
growLh - why some planLs can succeed ln hablLaLs where oLhers cannoL.

PlantingScience CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 | www.plantingscience.org | Wonder of SeedsStudent Guide Page 2 of 13

<.'( %4 ' 4""3=
A seed ls a rlpened ovole of a ferLlllzed flower. All seeds conLaln a dlplold embtyo and a food supply.
MosL have a proLecLlve ouLer seeJ coot LhaL encloses Lhe embryonlc rooL or toJlcle, Lhe bypocotyl or
embryonlc sLem, and one or more seed leaves called cotyleJoos. 1he number of coLyledons dlffers
based on Lhe planL specles. ln qymoospetms such as plnes or glnkgoes, Lhe number of coLyledons ls
varlable. Aoqlospetms, or flowerlng planLs, may conLaln one coLyledon, as found ln mooocots llke oaLs,
Lullps, and onlons, or Lwo coLyledons. lanLs of Lhe laLLer Lype are lnformally called Jlcots, buL Lhls
group acLually conslsLs of eoJlcots (Lrue dlcoLs") such as beans and sunflowers, as well as bosol
ooqlospetms llke magnollas and waLer lllles. ulcoL seeds sLore Lhelr energy reserves ln Lhelr coLyledons.
MonocoLs sLore Lhelr energy reserves, whlch are usually hlgh ln sLarch, ln a separaLe eoJospetm.
CerLaln monocoLs, llke corn or wheaL, have Lhelr seed coaLs fused Lo parL of Lhe ovary wall Lo form
sLrucLures called qtolos or ceteols.

Seed varlaLlon can be dramaLlc. 1he smallesL seeds, from planLs ln Lhe orchld famlly, are as small as dusL
parLlcles, whlle Lhe world's largesL, Lhe double coconuL ln Lhe palm famlly, welghs up Lo 40 pounds.
Seeds also vary ln Lhelr mode of Jlspetsol, LhaL ls, how Lhey are spread from a parenL planL lnLo Lhe
envlronmenL. Maple seeds have a wlng-llke shape and can be carrled by wlnds. Many seeds are found
on Lhe surface of or burled deep lnslde frulLs llke sLrawberrles or blueberrles. Anlmals LhaL eaL Lhese
frulLs dlsperse Lhe seeds ln Lhelr feces, conLrlbuLlng nuLrlenLs Lo Lhe seed's new envlronmenL.
Cockleburs have hooks Lo hlLch a rlde" on fur or cloLhlng, evenLually geLLlng pulled off elsewhere.

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AfLer dlspersal, seeds remaln lnacLlve, or Jotmoot, unLll envlronmenLal
condlLlons are favorable for germlnaLlon and growLh. SomeLlmes Lhls
phase can conLlnue for qulLe a long Llme. Seeds mlghL geL eaLen or
lnfesLed wlLh harmful mlcrobes, evenLually kllllng Lhem, buL even old seeds
mlghL germlnaLe when Lhe condlLlons are rlghL. Would you be surprlsed lf
a seed germlnaLed afLer 200 years of dormancy? WhaL abouL afLer 2,000
years? 32,000? SclenLlsLs have germlnaLed seeds of all Lhree ages!

1he flrsL sLep ln germlnaLlon, lmblbltloo, occurs when a dry seed absorbs waLer and beglns Lo swell.
WaLer sofLens Lhe seed coaL, allowlng molsLure Lo seep lnLo Lhe seed more deeply. WaLer Lhen
acLlvaLes enzymes ln Lhe embryo, and lL becomes meLabollcally acLlve, uslng lLs sLored food supply Lo
fuel early growLh. 1he rooL sprouLs flrsL, pushlng ouL of Lhe sofLened seed coaL and growlng downward
as lL responds Lo gravlLy. 1he sLem and coLyledons Lhen sprouL, growlng Loward Lhe sun and sheddlng
Lhe seed coaL. As cells ln Lhe rooL and shooL Llps, or oplcol metlstems, dlvlde and dlfferenLlaLe, Lhe sLem
elongaLes and Lhe rooLs grow deeper ln a process called ptlmoty qtowtb.

A |ant|ngSc|ence kesource
Background: Seed Germination
and Plant Growth


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As a seedllng's shooL reaches sunllghL, lL beglns Lo phoLosynLheslze, allowlng lL Lo conLlnue growlng once
Lhe seedllng's sLored food ls used up. lf noL enough sunllghL ls avallable for a seedllng Lo produce lLs
own food, lL may dle once lLs reserves are used up.

ulfferenL planL specles are adapLed Lo dlfferenL bobltots. 1hlnk of Lhe greaL varleLy of envlronmenLs
where planLs are found: mounLalns, deserLs, woodlands, lakes, and raln foresLs. A planL's geneLlc
makeup lnfluences when lL reproduces, germlnaLes, and grows, and how lL responds Lo exLernal facLors
llke LemperaLure, molsLure, and llghL. 1he envlronmenLal condlLlons
favorable for one planL specles are noL necessarlly favorable for oLhers.
Slmllarly, dlfferenL klnds of seeds respond ln dlfferenL ways Lo a glven
envlronmenLal facLor and can remaln dormanL for dlfferenL perlods.

Cardeners ofLen modlfy Lhe envlronmenL for Lhe seeds and planLs Lhey
are growlng Lo provlde Lhem wlLh Lhe besL posslble envlronmenL for
LhaL specles. lor example, Lhe phoLo aL lefL shows planLs growlng ln a
cold frame. LlghL can enLer Lhe box Lhrough Lhe clear, glass walls, buL
when sprlng, fall, or (ln souLhern cllmaLes) wlnLer LemperaLures are cold
enough Lo harm Lhe planLs, Lhe lld can be closed Lo help Lrap heaL from
Lhe sunllghL. When Lhe LemperaLures are warm agaln, a gardener can
leave Lhe lld open or remove Lhe planLs from Lhe box and place Lhem
ouLslde.


ln Lhls lnvesLlgaLlon, you wlll examlne how a seed's germlnaLlon and subsequenL growLh are
lnfluenced by envlronmenLal varlables uslng sclenLlflc lnqulry. SclenLlflc lnqulry ls a speclal case
of lnqulry LhaL relles on undersLandlng baslc concepLs Lo ask a LesLable research quesLlon.
1esLlng a quesLlon ln an experlmenL provldes daLa Lo help sclenLlsLs undersLand wheLher Lhelr
ldeas based on Lhelr background knowledge abouL a blologlcal process are accuraLe. ln an ldeal
slLuaLlon, Lhe resulL of an experlmenL generaLes new knowledge and new quesLlons, regardless
of wheLher or noL a sclenLlsL's lnlLlal ldeas were accuraLe. SclenLlflc lnqulry ls a cycle LhaL never
ends - one good quesLlon leads Lo many more!

A4 $9 %&B7%#9 !7%3"3 )# )+"&=
ln a gu|ded lnqulry, your Leacher wlll asslgn a research quesLlon Lo Lhe enLlre class. Lach Leam wlll come
up wlLh a way Lo LesL LhaL quesLlon by deslgnlng an experlmenL. ln an open lnqulry, your class wlll
dlscuss some broad quesLlons, buL your Leam wlll bralnsLorm and choose lLs own research quesLlon
before deslgnlng Lhe experlmenL. lor Lhe open lnqulry, begln wlLh 5tep 1A. 8oLh lnqulry Lypes are Lhe
same for 5tep 18 and beyond.

5tep 1A. (CDEF) 8tolostotm o keseotcb Ooestloo.
lnqulry beglns by looklng carefully around you and wonderlng abouL whaL you see. Cnce you see
someLhlng lnLeresLlng, you naLurally wanL Lo flnd ouL more abouL lL. AL Lhls polnL ln Lhe lnqulry cycle, all
quesLlons are good quesLlons! WhaL do you wanL Lo lnvesLlgaLe -- Lhe beauLy and blology of varlaLlon,
Lhe fun of physlology, Lhe effecL of envlronmenL?

use Lhe Student koadmap through an Invest|gat|on's 8esearch CuesLlon" Lo help you and your Leam
come up wlLh your own research quesLlon. 1he maln requlremenLs are LhaL your quesLlon musL be (a)
LesLable uslng one or more lnvesLlgaLlons and (b) relaLed Lo germ|nat|on or seed||ng growth. ?our
Leacher mlghL ask you Lo focus ooly on one of Lhe blologlcal processes. 1he 8ra|nstorm|ng age
worksheeL ls a handy way Lo geL your ldeas down on paper. 1o flnallze a quesLlon you selecL for sLudy,
Lalk your ldeas over wlLh your menLor, and perhaps share your About Cur kesearch uest|on
worksheeL.

SelecLlng a quesLlon LhaL can be answered Lhrough lnvesLlgaLlon geLs easler wlLh experlence. wby
quesLlons are really dlfflculL Lo answer, buL bow, wbot, wbeo, and wbete klnds of quesLlons are more
LesLable. Some LesLable quesLlons pasL |ant|ngSc|ence Leams have asked abouL germ|nat|on and p|ant
growth are:
How Might a Seed s Environment
Influence its Germination and
Growth?


What |s the effect of f|re on seed
germ|nat|on?
Does the co|or of c|over seed affect the
seeds' germ|nat|on success?
now does so|| sa||n|ty |mpact seed
germ|nat|on?
W||| seed||ngs grow better under
sun||ght or under a |amp?
now does grav|ty affect p|ant growth?
now does p|ant growth med|um (e.g.,
so||, hydropon|cs, sand) affect seed||ng
growth?

5tep 18. uoJetstooJ tbe teseotcb poestloo ooJ wbot lt meoos to test lt.
Spend a few mlnuLes conslderlng whaL your research quesLlon means. lor example, suppose your class
wlll be sLudylng Lhe quesLlon: Do monocots and eud|cots germ|nate at d|fferent rates?

llrsL, lL may help Lo focus on Lhe ttlcky ot voqoe parLs of Lhe quesLlon. ln Lhls case, whaL
ls meanL by germlnaLe"? WhaL happens durlng germlnaLlon? uoes lL look dlfferenL for
monocoLs and eudlcoLs? Second, whaL does raLe" mean - ls lL Lhe percenLage of seeds
LhaL germlnaLe or Lhe amounL of Llme each seed needs Lo germlnaLe? Answerlng such
quesLlons wlll help laLer, ln 5tep 2.

nexL, your Leam can also descrlbe lLs bockqtoooJ koowleJqe. uo you know many
examples of monocoLs and eudlcoLs? lf so, where dld LhaL knowledge come from? lf
noL, you should spend some Llme learnlng whlch planLs flL lnLo each caLegory. WhaL
LrusLworLhy sources of lnformaLlon can help?

llnally, come up wlLh ldeas abouL wbot ls boppeoloq ln Lhe blologlcal process. Why do you Lhlnk Lhe Lwo
Lypes of seeds may germlnaLe aL dlfferenL raLes, or aL Lhe same raLe? ?ou may wlsh Lo develop a
wotkloq moJel of Lhe blologlcal process ln Lhe quesLlon. CompleLlng Lhe About Cur kesearch uest|on
worksheeL can help you clarlfy your Lhlnklng.

5tep 2. ueslqo yoot expetlmeot.
1he goal here ls Lo declde on Lhe besL approach for LesLlng your research quesLlon. use Lhe Student
koadmap through an Invest|gat|on's lannlng your SLudy" for guldellnes, and flll ouL Lhe Lxper|menta|
Des|gn worksheeL Lo keep Lrack of your Leam's expetlmeotol Jeslqo. Along wlLh Lhe worksheeL(s) from
5tep 1, Lhls wlll be parL of your teseotcb ploo. ?our Leam should ask lLself:
Whlch loJepeoJeot votloble(s) wlll we change, and whlch condlLlons wlll we keep consLanL?
WhaL are we golng Lo observe, measure, or counL - whaL wlll Lhe JepeoJeot votloble(s) be?
o Wlll we record poolltotlve daLa, such as seed color or LexLure?
o Wlll we record poootltotlve daLa, such as rooL lengLh or percenLage of seeds LhaL
germlnaLe?
o WhaL klnds of Lables or graphs do we wanL Lo creaLe aL Lhe end of Lhe experlmenL?
Are Lhere conslderaLlons speclflc Lo Lhe blologlcal process we plan Lo LesL?
o lor example, whaL are posslble benchmarks for germlnaLlon? Whlch one ls Lhe besL for
our goals?


o 1o draw meanlngful concluslons, lL ls lmporLanL Lo record lnformaLlon on mulLlple
lndlvlduals.
! lf you wlll calculaLe averages or sLaLlsLlcs, lnclude aL leasL flve seeds per
LreaLmenL.
! lf you wlll calculaLe percenL germlnaLlon, lnclude aL leasL Len seeds Lo yleld one
calculaLlon.
! 1o calculaLe ovetoqe percenL germlnaLlon, aL leasL Lhree repllcaLes are needed
per LreaLmenL.
! lew planL specles have 100 germlnaLlon success, even under ldeal condlLlons.
?ou may wlsh Lo planL exLra seeds for any measuremenLs where germlnaLlon
musL occur before you can collecL daLa.
MosL lmporLanLly, does our exper|ment address our research quest|on?
o Ask Lhls several Llmes as you go, and change your experlmenL lf you geL off Lrack.

CreaLlvlLy ls valued among sclenLlsLs. 8reakLhroughs ofLen come when a researcher looks aL a problem
ln a new way or Lrles a novel meLhod Lo answer a quesLlon. llgurlng ouL your own way of provldlng a
llghL LreaLmenL Lo seedllngs, for example, could leL you LesL a quesLlon LhaL ls oLherwlse unanswerable.
Lqually lmporLanL ls careful and sysLemaLlc Lhlnklng, plannlng, and measurlng. lf you wlll LesL Lhe effecL
of llghL lnLenslLy on planL growLh, for example, keeplng condlLlons llke LemperaLure and molsLure Lhe
same for all planLs ls crlLlcal.

5tep J. lteJlct wbot wlll boppeo lo yoot expetlmeot.
1he Student koadmap through an Invest|gat|on's 8esearch CuesLlon" descrlbes whaL a teseotcb
pteJlctloo ls and how Lo develop one. 8ecord your Lhlnklng ln Lhe Lxper|menta| Des|gn worksheeL. As
a baslc gulde, ask yourselves:
WhaL do we predlcL wlll happen lf we conducL Lhe LesL and our ldeas are correcL?
WhaL do we Lhlnk ls happenlng blologlcally LhaL makes our answers credlble?

5tep 4. 8loq yoot lJeos.
Sclence does noL occur ln a vacuum. SclenLlsLs ofLen work ln Leams and collaboraLe wlLh oLher research
labs Lo answer Lhe same quesLlon, or Lo connecL Lhelr experlmenLs wlLh oLhers Lo help answer blgger
quesLlons.
1alk wlLh your sclenLlsL abouL your ldeas on how a seed's envlronmenL mlghL affecL germlnaLlon
and growLh.
CeL feedback on your research plan, and lf needed, make changes Lo lL before sLarLlng Lhe
experlmenL(s).

5tep 5. ltoctlce ooJ ploo obeoJ!
As a Leam, carefully run Lhrough your experlmenLal deslgn, lncludlng Lhe meLhods descrlbed on pp. 10-
13. lcLurlng each sLep ln your mlnds, ask yourselves:


WhaL maLerlals do we need for Lhls sLep? Are Lhey ln Lhe MaLerlals llsL? (lf noL, leL your Leacher
know.)
Are we all comforLable dolng Lhls sLep? (lf noL, everyone should pracLlce lL at |east once before
Lhe experlmenL.)
MusL Lhls sLep happen qulckly or ln a cerLaln Llme perlod? Pow wlll we ensure lL occurs as
needed?

nexL, prepare daLa collecLlon maLerlals:
AL whlch sLeps wlll you record daLa? Pow ofLen, and ln whaL formaL? Who wlll record lL?
WhaL are Lhe unlLs for each Lype of daLa?
ls a wrlLLen [ournal enough? Wlll you need a compuLer spreadsheeL for Lhe daLa durlng or afLer
Lhe experlmenL?
WhaL sorL of formaL wlll allow you Lo record Lhe daLa mosL easlly?
o A sample daLa collecLlon sheeL ls shown here, buL lL ls noL sulLed for all experlmenLs:
Data Iorm for 1eam: _________________________ Member of 1eam _____________________
Seed spec|es ________________________________ Number of seeds _________________
Seed descr|pt|on:
Lxper|menta| cond|t|ons:
Date Length
(cm)
W|dth
(cm)
Seed(||ng)
number
Seed swe||s, seed coat cracks,
roots, shoots, |eaves v|s|b|e?
Cther
Cbservat|ons

llnally, conslder Lhe experlmenL as a whole:
ln general, whlch sLeps wlll be happenlng each day?
Are Lhere ways Lo sLreamllne Lhe procedures?
Who wlll do each parL of Lhe work Lo ensure LhaL all daLa ls collecLed and seed(llng)s are cared
for?

5tep 6. cotty oot yoot expetlmeot(s).
8esldes carrylng ouL Lhe meLhods you have looked over and pracLlced ln 5tep 5, each member of your
Leam wlll need Lo keep a research [ournal. 1hls ls a place Lo record daLa and [oL down new LhoughLs or
ldeas, creaLlng a long-Lerm record of your work. As you carry ouL Lhe experlmenL, record everyLhlng
someone would need Lo know Lo recreaLe lL Lhemselves. 8ecord, phoLograph, lllusLraLe, or graph your
daLa as needed. Lven lf lL wasn'L puL lnLo Lhe experlmenLal deslgn, Lake speclal care Lo record anyLhlng
you observe LhaL you Lhlnk mlghL lnfluence any parL of your daLa, and noLe any human errors. lor
furLher Llps, see Lhe keeplng a 8esearch !ournal page on Lhe |ant|ngSc|ence webslLe.

1he class wlll have abouL Lwo weeks Lo work on experlmenLs, so explore and perfecL your proLocols lf
needed. ?our sclenLlsL menLor may be able Lo provlde feedback lf you have Lrouble or new ldeas. lor
example, you mlghL noLlce someLhlng early on LhaL could be lmporLanL ln flgurlng ouL whaL your daLa


mean, such as seed slze or whlch seeds germlnaLe fasLesL. ?ou may be able Lo add Lhls new observaLlon
even afLer you sLarL, make regular measuremenLs of lL, and lnclude lL ln your resulLs. 1hls klnd of careful
observaLlon can be a greaL source of new experlmenLs and dlscoverles! lf you flnd lnLeresLlng resulLs
leadlng Lo a new quesLlon and you have Llme, you can even do a follow-up experlmenL.

5tep 7. vlsoollze ooJ ooolyze yoot Joto.
?our daLa ls Lhe evldence" you wlll lnLerpreL and use as a basls for drawlng
concluslons. 1he numbers and noLes ln your [ournal are called tow Joto. 1hls needs
Lo be puL lnLo a formaL LhaL oLhers can easlly read and compare. Whlch observaLlons
and daLa do you need Lo analyze, and how can you besL dlsplay Lhem Lo oLhers?
Summarlzlng Lhe daLa ln Lables, graphs, or charLs wlll help you see Lrends and
paLLerns ln your observaLlons and help you make sense of lL. lnformaLlon on Lhe
|ant|ngSc|ence webslLe can help you learn abouL Maklng Meanlngful Craphs and, lf
you wanL Lo use sofLware, uslng a SpreadsheeL. See Lhe Student koadmap through
an Invest|gat|on's vlsuallzlng and Analyzlng uaLa" for oLher Llps abouL analyzlng your daLa.

lL ls noL always posslble Lo see dlfferences ln Lhe dependenL varlables beLween Lhe LreaLmenLs a
research group selecLs, buL sLaLlng LhaL you found no dlfference ls okay! A good analysls can open up
more quesLlons LhaL mlghL lead Lo new experlmenLs, and a resulL of no dlfference may provlde clear
avenues Lowards a new experlmenL.

5tep 8. Moke seose of wbot boppeoeJ.
WlLh your LeammaLes, reflecL on every parL of Lhe lnvesLlgaLlon, conslderlng Lhe resulLs carefully. See
Lhe Student koadmap through an Invest|gat|on's Maklng Sense of llndlngs" for Llps on developlng
explanaLlons abouL whaL you observed. Some key quesLlons Lo ask lnclude:
uld Lhe experlmenL work, or dld someLhlng prevenL us from Laklng rellable daLa?
WhaL ls Lhe besL evldence we collecLed LhaL helps answer Lhe research quesLlon?
uoes our daLa supporL or conLradlcL our predlcLlon?
8ased on our evldence, whaL ls Lhe besL explanaLlon of whaL ls happenlng?
Pow dld we arrlve aL Lhls explanaLlon? Are oLher explanaLlons posslble?
Are Lhere remalnlng or new quesLlons LhaL arose? lf so, whaL experlmenL could we do nexL?

lllllng ouL Lhe Mak|ng Sense of the Data worksheeL can
help wlLh Lhe process of developlng a well-reasoned,
convlnclng argumenL Lo explaln how you know wheLher Lhe
experlmenL worked and whaL Lhe overall resulLs mean.
?ou wlll have Lo share your flndlngs ln a SLoryboard
ulscusslon, so be able Lo explaln whaL you wrlLe. ?ou may
also have Lo prepare a flnal posLer, presenLaLlon, or reporL. ?ou can
share your Leam's ldeas wlLh your sclenLlsL menLor Lo pracLlce!

BLOGGING
OPPORTUNITY!


?our Leacher wlll lead Lhe SLoryboard ulscusslon, durlng whlch your Leam wlll explaln lLs flndlngs Lo your
classmaLes. 8e sure Lo ask for feedback and Lo provlde feedback on your peers' work. SclenLlsLs do Lhls
regularly by glvlng presenLaLlons aL meeLlngs and submlLLlng arLlcles for peer-revlew before publlshlng
Lhem. lf your ldeas change afLer you recelve feedback and see oLhers' flndlngs, lL's perfecLly flne Lo
revlse your Lhlnklng. 1haL's how sclence keeps movlng forward. Lvery sclenLlsL has been wrong many,
many Llmes ln Lhelr career. 1he challenge ls flndlng ouL how Lhlngs really work!

! >'++9 4+#)7( G'#$%&!H "

Last Updated 7/2013

/CF15IJ/5AF@ K @IC<5> />KLMEI 5C LCFA5CI
1EE? @EILAFK5ACF CI DNKF5 @IC<5>

urpose: CreaLe a sulLable envlronmenL for seed germlnaLlon and
planL growLh.

now the Method Works: lanL seeds are ln a dormanL sLaLe and
musL be provlded wlLh a favorable envlronmenL before Lhey wlll germlnaLe. Such envlronmenLs
are usually also sulLable for planL growLh. 1hls meLhod lnvolves planLlng seeds so LhaL Lhey can
be observed as Lhey germlnaLe and grow. As an alLernaLlve Lo placlng seeds ln soll, Lhls
approach allows monlLorlng of Lhe earllesL sLages of germlnaLlon, when Lhe rooL and coLyledons
flrsL break Lhe seed coaL.

1echn|ca| Sk|||: Slmple.

1|me kequ|red: AbouL 20 mlnuLes per day for Lwo days for chamber consLrucLlon and seed
preparaLlon, and 3 mlnuLes per day LhereafLer for seedllng care (excludlng any measuremenLs).

Mater|a|s:
lanL seeds for aL leasL Lwo LreaLmenL
groups
ConLalner for soaklng seeds, aL leasL 4
cm deep
WaLer
eLrl dlshes, sealable plasLlc bags, or
empLy soda boLLles
aper Lowels
Sclssors
ermanenL marker
(MetboJ c) Washed sand
(MetboJ u) 8ubber band and neLLlng or
cheesecloLh
LlghL source (40W or hlgher)
8uler
SLrlng
(Optloool) Magnlfylng lens
(Optloool) ulglLal camera
Means Lo monlLor or conLrol
envlronmenLal condlLlons, such as:
o 1hermomeLer and heaLer/cooler
o Colored llghLs or llghL fllLers
o LlghL Llmers
o 1able salL
o lerLlllzer
o Acld or base soluLlon and pP meLer
or measurlng sLrlps

Safety Notes:
Wear gloves, goggles, and a lab coaL when handllng chemlcals. LlghLs can be hoL, and uv lamps can
damage eyeslghL. Seeds may be LreaLed wlLh lrrlLaLlng chemlcals llke funglcldes or cause allerglc
reacLlons. uo noL eaL or drlnk ln Lhe lab!

Last Updated 7/2013

D'#( OP 1""3 D#"+'#'(%)& QROS $%&7("4T
2. Choose Lhe klnd of seed you wlll sLudy.
3. LlsL Lhe seed you wlll be growlng, condlLlons Lo be LesLed, Leam name, and your name ln your
research [ournal.
o uo you have enough seeds for all LreaLmenLs? Lach LreaLmenL should use Lhe same
number of seeds.
4. CounL ouL Lhe number of seeds you wlll use and enLer Lhe number ln your research [ournal.
3. Lxamlne Lhe seeds you wlll be uslng. 8ecord your observaLlons, measuremenLs, skeLches, and
oLher noLes ln your research [ournal, especlally lf you see clear varlaLlons wlLhln Lhe group.
o (Optloool) A hand lens may help you make beLLer observaLlons of small seeds.
o (Optloool) A dlglLal camera can help you documenL any lnLeresLlng paLLerns you see.
6. (Optloool) Look aL oLher Leams' seeds, Laklng noLes on slze, colorlng, and shape Lo geL an ldea of
seed dlverslLy.
7. lace your seeds ln a conLalner, and cover Lhem wlLh 2-3 cm of waLer.
8. Soak Lhe seeds overnlghL Lo sofLen Lhe seed coaL and leL seeds lmblbe waLer, sLarLlng Lhe
germlnaLlon process.

D'#( UP M7%,3 @#)-(. /.'$6"#4 QROS $%&7("4T
1. Cnce Lhe seeds are soaklng, choose whlch Lype of growLh chamber Lo make from Lhe four
meLhods below.
o 1he besL cholce depends malnly on how many seeds you wlll sLudy.
2. llgure ouL how many growLh chambers Lo make.
o ?ou wlll need aL leasL one chamber for each LreaLmenL.
o lf you wlll measure percenL germlnaLlon, each
repllcaLe should have lLs own chamber.
3. CaLher Lhe maLerlals you need Lo bulld Lhe correcL number of
chambers.
4. WlLh a permanenL marker, label Lhe ouLslde of each chamber
wlLh Lhe planned LreaLmenL, Lype of seeds, planLlng daLe, and
your Leam name.
3. ConsLrucL Lhe chambers accordlng Lhe meLhod you selecLed.

MetboJ A. lettl ulsb
1. lold a paper Lowel so LhaL lL forms 3-4 layers.
2. lace Lhe folded paper Lowel lnLo a eLrl dlsh. 1rlm wlLh sclssors as needed Lo flL Lhe dlsh.
o 1he slze ls usually sufflclenL Lo flL 3-8 seeds ln one dlsh.
3. lf avallable, you can cover Lhe open dlsh wlLh a clear plasLlc or glass lld Lo llmlL molsLure loss
laLer.

Last Updated 7/2013

MetboJ 8. 8oqqeJ 5eeJs
1. lold a paper Lowel so LhaL lL forms 2-3 layers.
2. Check Lhe slze of Lhe folded paper Lowel Lo ensure LhaL lL wlll flL flaL ln a sealable plasLlc bag.
1rlm as needed.
3. ln pencll, mark ouL spaces for Lhe seeds ln one LreaLmenL/repllcaLe, so LhaL Lhe seeds wlll be
allgned ln a row.
o 1he slze ls usually sufflclenL Lo flL 6-12 seeds ln one bag.
4. lace Lhe paper Lowel lnslde Lhe bag.

MetboJ c. 8ottles Jqe
1. Clean a clear plasLlc drlnk conLalner and cuL off Lhe Lop half.
2. Llne Lhe boLLom half of Lhe conLalner wlLh a paper Lowel folded Lo form 2-3 layers.
o 1he Lowel should run up Lhe sldes of Lhe conLalner. CuL small wedges from Lhe Lowel lf
Lhls helps lL flL.
o ln pencll, mark ouL spaces for each seed, so LhaL Lhey wlll be allgned evenly ln a clrcle.
o ?ou should be able Lo flL 10-30 seeds, dependlng on Lhe slze of Lhe boLLle.
3. lace clean sand ln Lhe boLLom Lo keep Lhe paper Lowel ln place.

MetboJ u. 8ottles 8ose
1. Clean a clear plasLlc conLalner havlng a baslcally flaL or rounded boLLom and cuL off Lhe Lop half.
o ?ou wlll be able Lo flL anywhere from x Leaspoon Lo 1 Lablespoon of seeds, dependlng
on Lhe slze of Lhe boLLle. 1hls wlll cover Lhe conLalner boLLom wlLh one layer of seeds.
2. Cover Lhe Lop wlLh neLLlng or cheesecloLh secured by a rubber band.

D'#( V; D,'&( (." 1""34 QRUS $%&7("4T
1. AfLer seeds have soaked overnlghL, pour ouL Lhe waLer and bloL Lhe seeds on a paper Lowel.
o Seeds LhaL are Loo weL wlll roL lnsLead of germlnaLlng, so Lhey should noL slL ln waLer
from Lhls polnL on.
2. Lxamlne your seeds, record observaLlons and any measuremenLs, especlally lf you see changes.
3. lace Lhe soaked seeds ln Lhelr growLh chambers.
o Seeds should be dlsLrlbuLed so LhaL any LhaL are clearly dlfferenL from Lhe group overall
are equally abundanL across LreaLmenLs and repllcaLes, noL all placed ln Lhe same group.
o lor MetboJs A ooJ 8, open Lhe chamber, molsLen Lhe paper Lowel wlLh waLer, Lhen
place Lhe seeds ln Lhelr marked locaLlons. Close Lhe chamber.
o lor MetboJ c, pour a small amounL of waLer onLo Lhe sand, Lhen place seeds ln Lhelr
marked locaLlons beLween Lhe sldewall of Lhe boLLle and Lhe paper Lowel.
! 1he waLer wlll wlck up Lhe paper Lowel Lo provlde molsLure Lo Lhe seeds.
o lor MetboJ u, remove Lhe neLLlng, place seeds on Lhe boLLom of Lhe conLalner ln a
slngle layer, and replace Lhe neLLlng.
o lf your experlmenL lnvolves LreaLmenL wlLh dlfferenL llqulds, use Lhese lnsLead of waLer
as needed.

Last Updated 7/2013

4. lace growLh chambers ln Lhelr LesL condlLlons.
o lf you don'L have enough space ln your classroom, you can Lake your growLh chamber(s)
home. 8e sure Lo dlscuss wlLh your Leam how Lhe dlfferenL condlLlons ln your homes
mlghL affecL Lhe experlmenL.

D'#( W; @#)-%&! (." 1""3,%&!4 QRX $%&7("4 +"# 3'9T
Cver Lhe experlmenLal perlod, you wlll need Lo keep Lhe germlnaLlng seeds or seedllngs molsL ln
addlLlon Lo Laklng any planned measuremenLs. Check Lhe growLh chambers dally Lo be sure everyLhlng
ls ln good shape, reLurnlng each growLh chamber Lo lLs LesL locaLlon afLer observaLlon and care ls
compleLe for Lhe day.
lor MetboJs A-c, you wlll probably need Lo molsLen Lhe paper Lowel abouL Lwo or Lhree Llmes
each week.
lor MetboJ u, you wlll need Lo rlnse Lhe seeds or seedllngs every day or Lwo.
o CenLly run waLer lnLo Lhe growLh chamber Lhrough Lhe
neLLlng and genLly swlsh Lhe seeds ln Lhe waLer.
o our Lhe waLer ouL Lhrough Lhe neLLlng and genLly shake
Lhe chamber Lo remove excess waLer.
o lL ls helpful Lo leL Lhe seeds draln upslde down for a mlnuLe
or so Lo avold poollng waLer.

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