Store cupboard scientist

Learning objectives:

Experiment | Science | Materials | Observe | Measure | Reaction | Solution | Change

Preparation

Look in your food cupboards at home for any examples of seeds e.g. popping corn, lentils, chickpeas, dried peas, mung beans etc.

Equipment

• Small plant pots or any small container with holes
• Compost
  

  Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own.

• Plant labels
• Watering equipment
• Packet of dried mixed beans
• Small containers for sorting beans

1. Decide the type of investigation you want to carry out. e.g. Compare the effects of light/no light, correct water/no water/too much water, depth of sowing, growing inside/outside on one type of bean or give all the different beans the same growing conditions
2. Sort the beans into different types and try to identify/name them
3. Plant the seeds individually in pots, label with their name, date and note the conditions in which they are grown
4. Transfer the containers to a range of locations depending on what you are investigating
5. Care for the seeds depending upon the investigation e.g. water or don’t water
6. Record the development of your seed in a diary and evaluate the results after 3-4 weeks. As a scientist what have you discovered?

• Try growing dried popcorn kernals and eat the shoots
• Why not grow some pea shoots to add to a salad