(Project) Stem-less Flowers

Stem-less Flowers

Purpose

To demonstrate the importance of plants stems for the purpose of their survival.

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Additional information

Stems are one of two main structural axes of a vascular plant and are made up of nodes and internodes. Nodes hold plant buds, which eventually grow into leaves or flowers. Internodes act as a padding between nodes, keeping them at distance from one another. Roots are the other main structural axes of a plant.

Stems have several important purposes for plants. They provide support for the elevation of leaves and flowers, pushing them up into the sunshine to develop growth. They also act as the main artery to transport water from the roots, essentially feeding the plant and keeping it nourished. Furthermore, stems provide the storage of nutrients that are essential to the plants growth and healthiness.

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Required materials

• 2 fresh flowers
• Scissors
• Pencil or pen
• Journal

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Estimated Experiment Time

Less than 5 minutes to set-up, up to 3 days to observe results.

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Step-By-Step Procedure

• 1. Cut the stem off of one of the flowers using the scissors.
• 2. Place your 2 flowers (1 with the stem, 1 without a stem) in a safe place/
• 3. After an hour, check the plants and write any noticeable differences in your journal.
• 4. Next wait 24 hours and check the plants again, notating the differences in your journal.
• 5. Repeat step 4 for an additional 2 days. What is happening to the plants?

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Note

You'll need fresh flowers for the best results in this experiment. If you don't have any available in your house, feel free to hit the fields outside and pick some flowers you know are safe and free from thorns. Be courteous though... don't pick them from a neighbor’s garden!

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Observation

Do the plants change after 1 hour? What seems to be the trend as each day passes? What do you think the plants will be like if you left them for a week? How about a month?

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Result

The stem of a flower holds water. When flowers are in a vase or in the ground, the stem is what draws water up to keep their petals moist and healthy. Even when a vase is out of water or the ground is dry, the stem of the flower still holds water, nourishing the plant. When the stem was removed from one of the plants, its water source was literally cut-off. Without the water to draw up to the petals, the plant quickly dies. The plant that had the stem left in-tact can live much longer because it's still feeding off the water in the stem.

(Project) Spore Prints

Spore Prints

Purpose

To record the spore prints left behind by mushrooms.

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Additional information

Spore prints can be used to help identify the type of mushroom or fungi by it's color. Capturing spore prints is both interesting and fun, and the end result can be used artistically to produce unusual patterns on posterboard. Additionally, you can study the pattern of the spore by optionally placing a small glass slide over the middle of the spore. This allows for examination under a microscope.

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Required materials

• Open mushrooms
• Black and white posterboard
• Notebook
• Pen or pencil
• Plastic cups or plastic containers
• Hair spray
• Magnifying glass (optional)

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Estimated Experiment Time

About 10 to 20 minutes to set-up, several days for the spore prints to form and dry.

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Step-By-Step Procedure

• 1. Gently pull out the stems of the mushrooms so that you are left with the caps. If you have a magnifying glass, look under the mushroom caps and observe the frilly soft bits known as "gills".
• 2. Place the mushroom caps with the gills facing down on the black and white posterboard.
• 3. Cover the mushroom caps with the plastic cups or plastic containers.
• 4. Wait 24 hours and check to see if you can see spore prints on the posterboard. If there is nothing there, leave it an additional 24 hours and check again the next day. Keep checking until you can see spore prints on the posterboard.
• 5. Once the prints show up clearly, remove the mushroom caps and let the posterboard sit an additional 24 hours for the spore prints to dry.
• 6. Stand at least 12 inches from the posterboard and spray your spore prints with hair spray to preserve them.

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Note

Using black and white poster board is important in finding out if the mushroom print has a pigmentation. If you do not have black and white posterboard, favor using a pure white posterboard for best results on the print.

If you have access to microscope glass slides (blank) you can place a slide over the spore print and cut it out for view under a microscope!

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Observation

How do you suppose the spore prints would look if you tried using multi-colored posterboard to capture the prints? What can the spore prints tell you about the mushroom?

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Result

Spores are similar to plant seeds. Mushrooms and other fungi produce spores that drop from their gills. The fallen spores deposit on the ground or are carried by the wind and deposited into other areas. These spores produce new mushrooms and fungi, much like plant seeds produce new plants.

(Project) Preserve Spider Webs

Preserve Spider Webs

Purpose

To collect spider webs and preserve them for demonstration.

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Additional information

Spider webs are one of the most beautiful and complex creations of any type of insect. Not only are they useful to spiders by collecting their food, they’re useful to humans by helping to keep unwanted insects such as flies and moths from overpopulating.

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Required materials

• Area present with several spider webs or the ability to travel to find spider webs
• Can of aerosol hairspray (try to find one without CFC’s) or a can of spray glue
• Can of silver or gold spray paint, or baby powder, cornstarch, talc or flour
• Sheet of black construction paper
• Can of spray varnish (clear)
• Cardboard box slightly bigger than your sheet of black construction paper

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Estimated Experiment Time

A few hours, once you get the hang of it

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Step-By-Step Procedure

• 1. Find your spider web and make sure the spider is not near it.
• 2. Hold the box behind the spider web and proceed to spray the web with your spray paint or blow the cornstarch or talc on it to completely cover the web. Make sure that you do not harm or damage the web in any way during this process!
• 3. Spray the black sheet of construction paper with hairspray or spray glue while it is in the box – the box’s purpose is to protect the surrounding vegetation from harmful chemicals during the collection process.
• 4. Before the hairspray or glue dries, quickly sweep the spider web on to the paper from behind. Don’t pull the web away from what it is attached to – instead, simply remove the strands with your fingers.
• 5. Once again, place the sheet of paper with the spider web on it inside the cardboard box and spray it with clear varnish, coating it evenly. This will create a protective shield over your spider web and also help adhere it to the construction paper.

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Note

When you begin collecting spider webs, you’ll need practice. It will take a few tries before you get a spider web positioned and preserved well, without it breaking or sticking together. Make sure you have plenty of supplies to allow for several tries.

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Observation

Many people, including friends, parents and classmates will enjoy looking at how you’ve preserved the spider web. Metallic silver or gold paint can make the web stand out against the black background even more, making it seem like a work of art – and it truly is!

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Result

At the end of this experiment, you will have a beautiful mounted spider web that can be displayed for months!

(Project) Nocturnal Plants

Nocturnal Plants

Purpose

To demonstrate that plants need sunlight in order to survive.

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Additional information

Plants use a process known as photosynthesis to absorb energy from the sun, along with carbon dioxide and water, to convert them into simple sugars. These sugars are used as fundamental building blocks for the health and growth of the plant, acting as their food source to keep them healthy and growing.

There are several factors that can affect the growth of a plant. These include temperature, water, sunlight, and nutrients found in the soil. Living organisms (biotic factors) may also affect the plant growth. For example, plants that are planted within close proximity of one another must compete for food, sunlight, and water. The crowded conditions will result in malformed plants that do not meet their full growth potential. Another main factor in growth is the fertility of the soil. Hard soils, such as clays and hard earth, can drastically affect a plants chance of survival as their roots have difficulty forming and growing. Fungi, viruses, bacteria, and insects also play a part in plant growth.

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Required materials

• 2 plastic cups
• 2 saucers
• 2 seedlings
• soil
• water
• scissors

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Estimated Experiment Time

About 15 minutes to set-up, several days (3 or more) to observe results.

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Step-By-Step Procedure

• 1. Carefully poke some small holes into the bottom of cups. This will allow water to enter the cups.
• 2. Fill each cup with soil.
• 3. Plant a seedling in each cup. Do this by making room in the center of the soil and dropping the seedling in it, and then cover with soil.
• 4. Place each cup on a saucer and give them equal amounts of water. The amount of water you give the plants will vary with the size of your cup, so be careful not to over-water them.
• 5. Place one plant in a brightly light room where it can get plenty of natural sunlight, such as by a window sill.
• 6. Place the other plant in a dark area, void of natural light. Good locations include closets, draws, and pantries where doors can be shut and light kept out.
• 7. Leave both plants undisturbed for 3 or more days.
• 8. After several days have passed, observe your plants. What happened?

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Note

Make sure you keep the second plant in the dark location at all times. It's best to place it in a draw that seldom is opened. The key is to keep the plants undisturbed in their locations for the duration of the experiment.

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Observation

What happened to your plants after the 3rd day? What do you think would have happened if you had both plants in the sunlight? How about both plants in the draw? Would it be possible to have the second plant grow in a healthy manner, even without any sunlight?

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Result

Plants need natural sunlight to survive! The plant that received the natural sunlight is healthy, happy, and growing consistently. This is because sunlight helps the plants to produce food, allowing them to stay healthy. The plant that was placed in the dark room with no sunlight is limp and unhealthy, possibly even dead after only a few days. Without sunlight, the unhappy plant wasn't able to produce it's food.

(Project) Molls Experiment

Molls Experiment

Purpose

To demonstrate that plants cannot manufacture its food (photosynthesize) unless carbon dioxide molecules are available.

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Additional information

Plants use sunlight and carbon dioxide present in air to produce food for itself; in the absence of either photosynthesis is affected adversely. Food produced is in the form of starch, the presence of which can be tested chemically using Iodine solution – it turns starch black.

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Required materials

• Plant twig with leaves
• Glass bottle with a wide neck
• Cork with a slit
• Beaker containing water
• Alcohol
• Iodine solution
• Caustic potash

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Estimated Experiment Time

Approximately 10 minutes to set up the apparatus and 8-12 hours to carry out the observations

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Step-By-Step Procedure

• 1. Prepare the twig by placing the bottom end of the twig in the beaker containing water.
• 2. Choose a leaf and position the split cork in the center of the leaf. The leaf must be placed between the two halves of the cork so that one half lies inside the bottle and the other half outside it with the tip of the leaf/twig dipped in water in the beaker or dish.
• 3. Prepare the bottle by pouring a small amount of caustic potash solution and lay the bottle on its side.
• 4. Seal the mouth of the bottle with the split cork inside which the leaf is lodged.
• 5. Expose the apparatus to sunlight for a few hours, preferably until evening.
• 6. Remove the leaf and decolorize it with alcohol
• 7. Test for the presence of starch using iodine solution

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Note

• A single leaf will also do instead of the twig with many leaves.
• The setting up of the apparatus must ideally be done in the early morning so that the experiment is conducted with a starch-free leaf.
• Place the bottle in such a manner that the solution does not touch the portion of the leaf inside the bottle.
• The edges of the split cork should be smeared with petroleum jelly so as to make the bottle air-tight.

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Observation

When tested for starch with the iodine solution, the portion of the leaf outside the bottle turns black, while the portion inside does not indicating the absence of starch.

(Project) Mini Greenhouse

Mini Greenhouse

Purpose

To create a miniature greenhouse to grow living plants.

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Additional information

Greenhouses are structures with glass or plastic enclosures (roofs and walls) and are mostly used to grow vegetables, fruits, plants, flowers, and tobacco. Greenhouses protect crops from too much heat or cold and shield their inhabitants from storms and harsh weather. They also help keep out damaging pests. Some areas of the world rely on greenhouses as their means of survival, especially those living in harsh landscapes such as deserts and arctic wastes.

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Sponsored Links

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Required materials

• Clear plastic bottle (such as a large empty soda bottle)
• Planting soil
• Small plant or seedling
• Wide tape
• Scissors
• Water

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Estimated Experiment Time

Several days.

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Step-By-Step Procedure

• 1. Wash the bottle thoroughly so that it's clean. Don't worry if it's still wet inside.
• 2. Cut the bottle in half
• 3. Take the bottom part of the bottle and fill it half-way with the planting soil.
• 4. Plant the seedling or small plant in the soil, making sure to cover all the roots.
• 5. Place the top half of the bottle back on to the bottom half and use the tape to seal them together, making sure it's air tight and there's no leaks.
• 6. Put a few drops of water into the bottle. Place the cap back on.
• 7. Place your mini greenhouse near a window where it will get plenty of sun and leave it there.
• 8. After a few days you will notice the bottle "sweating". If the bottle gets too moist, open the cap and let it dry out for a while.

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Note

It's important to use a clean bottle, free of any residue. It may be easier to clean the bottle once it's already been cut in half. Ask for an adults help if you don't have safety scissors or you find cutting the bottle to be difficult (it can be tricky to get the first cut going).

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Observation

What do you think is happening inside the greenhouse that would cause it to "sweat"? Observe your plant at least once a day and note it's growth. After a week, has your plant started to grow? What do you think is the key element in the plant's growth?

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Result

The sun causes the temperature inside the greenhouse to rise. Because the lid is sealed the air inside stars heated, even when air outside the greenhouse cools down. This means the air inside turns to water the feeds the plant and keeps it alive.

(Project) Magic Balloons

Magic Balloons

Purpose

To demonstrate how the gases from yeast can be used to blow up a balloon.

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Additional information

Everyone loves balloons! The bright and festive colors cause a feeling of well being in all of us. They make us happy! Of course, the process of actually blowing up the balloons is anything EXCEPT happy! It can be a frustrating task as we try our hardest to blow the balloon up only to have all the air escape as soon as we try to tie it. By the time we're on our 3rd balloon, we're all out of breath and wishing there was an easier way. Using yeast, some sugar, and some warm water we'll do just that!

There are about 1500 species of yeast, which are a growth form of eukaryotic microorganisms classified in the kingdom Fungi. The species of yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae (also known as S minor), has been used for thousands of years for baking (such as in breads) and fermenting of alcohol (such as beer). Modern uses of yeast species have been used for generating electricity in microbial fuel cells and producing ethanol, a biofuel.

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Required materials

• 1 Packet of dried yeast
• Teaspoon
• Warm water
• Sugar
• Clear plastic bottle (such as a small empty soda bottle)
• 1 or more balloons
• Large bowl (optional)

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Estimated Experiment Time

Approximately 15 minutes

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Step-By-Step Procedure

• 1. Pour the packet of dried yeast into the clear plastic bottle
• 2. Add some warm water to the bottle so that the bottle is about 1/4 filled
• 3. Add a teaspoon of sugar to the bottle and swirl the bottle around
• 4. Place the balloon over the mouth of the bottle so that it's fully covered and there are no leaks
• 5. Place the bottle with the balloon on it on a warm windowsill or place it into a large bowl of warm water

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Note

Sugar, along with vinegar, produces the best conditions for yeast to ferment.

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Observation

What is happening when the bottle is placed in the warm bowl or warm window sill? How do you think the addition of sugar is helping the process? This process is similar to that of baking bread. Can you describe what causes the yeast to rise?

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Result

After placing the bottle in the warm bowl of water or on the warm window sill, the balloon will "magically" blow itself up. By adding sugar and warmth to the yeast, the yeast (which is a plant) grows and produces a gas called carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide trapped inside the bottle rises and fills up the balloon.