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Effect of Pollution

Question: My daughter wants to design a science fair experiment testing the effect of pollution on plants. Can you suggest ways she might be able to expose her plants to simulated pollutants? Answer: Although it might be impossible to expose plants...
Plants from Fruits/Veggies

Question: We've planted carrot tops and dyed celery. What else can we do with vegetables from the grocery store? Answer: You might have fun with some of these: Take the pit from a mature avocado, wash it, and near the middle, stick three toothpicks into...
Plants and Music

Question: For my daughter's science fair project, she wants to compare plants grown with classical music playing and plants grown with rock music. There don't seem to be any definitive scientific studies on this subject. Can you help? Answer: Although it...
Sensory Gardens

Question: I want to do a sensory garden with my kids. What types of plants are best? Answer: Plants in a sensory garden should appeal to all the senses, so be sure to include plants to see, taste, smell, feel, and hear. The soft, velvety leaves of...
Number of Seeds in an Apple

Question: My kids and I were wondering if all apples have the same number of seeds, and if so, how many? Answer: This would be a good topic for an investigation! Try cutting open some apples and counting the seeds. Try to find some misshapen apples;...
Glaze Testers

Have students contact companies and request samples of their glazing materials. Then ask students to design a series of tests to evaluate key factors for each product and make recommendations for the greenhouse. They might investigate ways to measure...
Shady Dealings

Ask your students to investigate the effect of shade on temperature. Angle a piece of clear plastic or glass toward the sun, and record the temperature underneath. Then shade it with a piece of...
Mixed Media

Challenge students to explore the effects of various growing media on plant growth. Have them set up a series of containers with different growing media, then plant the same type and number of...
Inspiring Herbal Inquiries

What better motivator for student investigations than plants that feel cool, smell great, and can turn mere tomatoes into pizza sauce?Consider ways in which you can use herbs in the classroom to get students observing, comparing, and designing...
Getting in "Touch" with your Soil

Overview Students explore ways to determine the composition of soil. Materials: soil samples water a clear, plastic container a ruler Background Soil composition is determined by the amount of sand, silt, and clay particles present in a given...