This manual was created by students in partnership with the USU College of Education, USU Center for Civic Engagement and Service Learning, USU STARS! GEAR UP, and the Space Dynamics Laboratory.

Version 3.0Updated January 2015

InternatIonal Plant Growth exPerIment A Guide for Teachers and Students

i

Table of ConTenTsbackground 1overview 1Planting and setup 2 Labeling the Planters 2 Planting 2

Required Planting Materials 2 Baseline Parameters 3 Planting the Seeds 3 Setting Up the Growth Chamber 4Plant Maintenance 4 Plant Care 4 Thinning the Plants 4Recording and Reporting findings 5 Reporting Templates and Tools 5 Required Measurements 5 Recording Hypotheses 5 Recording Plant Thinning 5

Reporting Findings to SDL 5

1

baCKGRoUnDCongratulations! You and your students are about to participate in a plant growth research project along with the Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL), Utah State University (USU), and teachers and students throughout the United States, Russia, and Japan.

The US had the opportunity to place seeds aboard the Russian Foton M4 spacecraft to study the radiation effects that space flight has on the seeds.

This is similar to the plant growth research partnership between the US, Russia, and Japan on the International Space Station (ISS). On the ISS, long term experiments test the effects of low gravity and space radiation on plant growth and seed re-germination. The Foton M4 experiments are launched into orbit in pressurized satellites similar to the Russian Soyuz capsule. The pressurized satellite orbits the Earth for 44 days before returning to the Earth. When a capsule returns to Earth, the experiments are collected for analysis. The space-exposed seeds for these experiments flew on the Foton M4 mission. For this project, students will be comparing the growth of seeds exposed to space radiation (space-based) to seeds not exposed to space radiation (land-based).

oVeRVIeWEach site will receive two groups of seeds: 1) seeds flown on the Foton M4 and 2) seeds that were not flown in space. Teams will follow the procedures in this manual for planting and measurement. This will allow comparison across schools and provide the information necessary to answer student hypotheses.

Participating in the experiment is easy and fun! Simply follow the steps outlined in this guide, which are:1. Obtain a growth chamber2. Plant the seeds and finalize the growth chamber setup3. Care for plants 4. Record and report your findings

Students will work in teams to record the results to share with SDL and USU STARS! GEAR UP. Each school will send data and reports to the SDL. All school results will be posted on the SDL website at http://www.sdl.usu.edu/company/epo/ to enable comparison across schools. Students may also have the opportunity to Skype other schools in the US, Russia, and Japan to compare results. Please contact SDL with any questions at gayle.bowen@sdl.usu.edu.

To participate in this experiment, you will need a good team, the materials identified in this guide, a growing location, a data tracking plan, thoughtful hypotheses, and a sense of adventure.

An adult experiment leader and students gathered in a science class, school club (before, during, or after school), etc. The experiment leader can be a teacher, volunteer, or other adult willing to commit to guiding students for the duration of the project.

Some materials will be provided by SDL and others will need to be obtained by the experiment leader who can use existing or newly purchased items. SDL-provided Materials: Seeds, medium, fertilizer, planters, and a growth chamber. Team-provided Materials: Measuring devices, water, lights, electric timer for the lights, and data recording tools.

A safe space where the plants can grow for 25 to 75 days without being disturbed. The location must include electricity for a growth light that will operate on a 24-hour timer. Common locations include a classroom or library space.

Plants should sprout within 2-7 days after planting and will grow very quickly for a few weeks. The data tracking plan should include who is responsible for recording data every day and should indicate that each student is trained to use the materials properly. It might help to have a back-up plan if a student recorder is absent.

By creating hypotheses before the experiment and checking them after the experiment, you can improve student learning. Comparing hypotheses and data logs across schools also shows whether participation in plant growing experiments influence student learning.

Remember that this is an experiment conducted at multiple schools to compare the range of results. Each school will likely have a varying inputs for watering and temperature and a range of outcomes in terms of plant growth and harvest. Recording the data consistently and recording findings will help determine possible reasons for differences and similarities. Photos and student drawings will be valuable to log the growth progress.

Team:

Materials:

location:

Data Tracking Plan:

Hypotheses:

sense of adventure:

a1

3

2

Land-basedlb-a

b1

3

2

Land-basedlb-b

C1

3

2

Land-basedlb-C

a1

3

2

sb-aSpace-based

b1

3

2

Space-basedsb-a

C1

3

2

Space-basedsb-C

land based space based

2

Planting Before you begin planting, read through the Required Planting Materials and Baseline Parameters sections below to ensure that you have what you need. When you have all the materials, gather students who are ready to plant, involving them in the process either as planters or observers of the process. It is a good idea to take pictures of your progress and log the dates.

Required Planting Materials Before you begin planting, ensure you have the following materials:• Planting environment: Growth chamber (MicroLada), watering pan, planting containers (6 soda/water 0.5 liter bottles or equivalent)• Lighting: LED ~15W (75W equivalent) daylight floodlight bulb, a power source, a method of placing the light above the growth chamber (light fixture without a shade or reflector, etc.), and a 24 hour timer• Medium (soil): A mixture of equal parts peat moss and vermiculite • Fertilizer: 1 g of fertilizer for every 75 g of medium. NOTE: SDL uses the brand Osmocote 14-14-14 or Nutricote. You may use something similar, as long as it has fast growing

release (~100 days). If using a different fertilizer, note the name and growing release information in your data log before you begin monitoring.

• Seeds: 18 seeds

NOTE: You will receive 9 space-based seeds that were flown on Foton M4 and 9 land-based seeds. • Water: Potable water• Additional tools: Measuring cup, thermometer, ruler, electric timer for lightingNOTE: All sites will receive seeds from SDL. If using MicroLada, you will also receive the growth chamber, planters,

watering pan, medium, and fertilizer.

PlanTInG anD seTUPOnce you have your growth chamber, it is time to label your planters and plant the seeds.

obtaining a Watering PanPurchase or find a 23 X 23 cm (9 x 9 in) foil pan or similar to use as the watering pan.

labeling the PlantersBefore planting, you need to label your planters. This can be done with anything that will stay in place, such as a permanent marker or paper with tape or glue. 1. Gather the planters and all the materials you need for labeling.2. Examine your 6 planting planters and ensure that everything is the same to eliminate variables

that could affect the growth (example: shape, width, height, or diameter of planters).3. Label the front of each of the 6 planters. Use three planters for space-based seeds and three

planters for land-based seeds. Each planter should be labeled to show the type of seed and which planter. Follow this format: for space-based use: “SB-A”, “SB-B”, “SB-C” and for land-based use: “LB-A”, “LB-B”, and “LB-C.” These labels need to be permanently on the planter (using permanent marker, tape, or glue). Consistent placement in the growth chamber increases accuracy and makes data collection easier.

4. On a separate piece of paper, draw a diagram of each of the planters. You will use this in the next step, to plan where the seeds will be planted. This diagram will also be used throughout the data collection process.

3

baseline ParametersTo establish a baseline some of the experimental parameters must be kept constant. The constants will include:• Medium (soil) depth: approximately 10 cm (4 in)• Seed depth: 0.64 cm (0.25 in) • Number of seeds in each planter: 3• Temperature: Ideal growing temp 22-28º C (71.6-82.4 º F)• Light duration: ~16 hrs of lighting each day

In addition to the above constants, teams can investigate different variables. However, it would be best to change only one or two extra variables in a growth cycle to compare results. It is important to keep detailed records of the variable you choose. It is also important to keep everything (watering, lighting, temperature, etc.) consistent throughout a growth cycle.

Planting the seedsTo plant the seeds: 1. Uniformly mix the medium and the fertilizer together to create your soil. The medium

is composed of equal parts peat moss and vermiculite. To add the fertilizer, add 1 g of fertilizer for every 75 g of medium.

2. Fill each planter with approximately 10 cm (4 in) of soil mixture.3. Using the “SB-_” and “LB-_” label locations as a guide, plant three seeds in each

planter placing the spaced-based seeds in the planters labeled SB and the land-based seeds in planters labeled LB. Plant the seeds 0.64 cm (0.25 in) deep in each planter in a triangle formation; where there is one seed by the label and two other seeds equidistant from that seed. On the planting diagram, label these plants as 1, 2, and 3. Consistent notation will be important to log growth and deciding which two plants in each planter will be chosen to be removed midway through the growing cycle.

4. As each planter is planted and diagramed, place in the watering pan, with the label facing forward, in the same order as indicated in your diagram.

Fill the Pan

15 - 20 cm

4

PlanT MaInTenanCe

Plant CareTo maintain the health of your plants:1. Water: After the initial watering after planting, as the water in the watering pan decreases of about

0.64 cm (0.25 in), refill the pan. The watering requirements will vary depending on the region in which you live; so adjust accordingly. If the level of wetness at the top of the seed area is soggy you can allow the watering pan to remain dry for a day to allow the media to dry a little.

2. Light: Ensure the plants have 16 hours of light every day of the experiment. Rotate the plants within the watering pan in a clockwise rotation so that each plant receives a few days of illumination in each position in the chamber. This needs to be performed every in 3-4 days to ensure that the plants get equal distribution of the light gradient. Track this movement in your log.

Thinning the Plants1. When the plants are 2.5- 5.08 cm (1-2 in) tall (should be about 15-17 days after planting), it is time

to thin the plants. This means that each team will evaluate the 3 plants in each planter and identify the largest and the smallest plants. Gently remove the smallest and largest plants from both the land-based and space-based planters. Take care to disturb the remaining plant as little as possible. The remaining single plant in each planter will continue growing until the end of the experiment. When you thin the plants, you must follow the instructions for recording plant thinning that appear later in the guide. Mark on your diagram whether plant 1, 2, or 3 will continue to grow in each planter.

setting up the Growth ChamberNow that you have your seeds planted, you can set up your growth chamber. To set up the chamber:1. Place the chamber in the desired location.2. Place the watering pan with the planters inside in the growth chamber with the labels facing

forward. 3. Set up the lighting for your MicroLada growth chamber: Use a LED ~15W (75W equivalent) daylight floodlight bulb and keep the light 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 in)

above the case. Ensure the light beam shines from above the chamber, directly through the plants. The LED vents heat around the outside of the bulb and should not have a light shade or any type of lamp housing around the bulb.

4. Set the electric timer to have the lights on 16 hours a day, every day of the experiment. This will keep the lighting consistent for the start and stop time each day, including weekends.

5. Water the plants immediately after setting up by gently adding water to the top of the planter to saturate the media around the seeds. Be careful in this step to not wash the media away or expose the seeds. Next, fill the watering pan to near the top of the pan. The medium will absorb the water from the bottom. Initially, the soil medium will absorb more water. The goal is to have the water soak into the medium for the seeds to begin growth. So, during the next 24 hours, continue to add water to keep the medium wet and damp to the touch. Measure the water so you know how much you initially used and record it in your data log.

NOTE: If the pan goes dry for a day over the weekend, there is sufficient moisture in the plant support media that it will not affect the plant growth.

5

ReCoRDInG anD RePoRTInG fInDInGsEducators need to guide students to record the results using the provided data log and send a data report to SDL.

Reporting Templates and ToolsAfter planting the seeds according to directions, student teams will observe the plants and log information every other day (at least 3 times weekly) using the data sheet located in the separate Harvest Protocol download at http://www.sdl.usu.edu/company/epo/.

Required MeasurementsFor SDL to be able to effectively compare the land and space seed groups, each team must record the required measurements listed below. These measurements should be taken at least three times a week and recorded in your plant log using the Metric system. Record data and keep simple health notes for each seed. If there are adjustments that need to be made due to temperature or watering, record the reasons for those decisions in the notes. Skipping data collection for weekends is acceptable, just make a note of that decision and check and water needs before leaving and upon returning from the weekend.

Record the following data at least three times a week:1. How many days from planting until the first sprout appears?2. What is the growth measured in centimeters? Record the dates measured. (Because seeds grow rapidly in the first couple weeks, taking pictures and

measuring every day or every other day is rewarding.)3. How many leaves are on each plant?4. What is the color of the leaves? (Indicate whether dark green, light green, yellow green, yellow, red, brown, or other. The color of the leaves indicates

plant health.)

During Harvest, also record the following: 1. What is the size of the plant at harvest in centimeters? (Note if the plant grew or not)2. What is the weight at harvest? (Note if the plant grew or not)3. What is the texture? (Color, hardness, etc.)4. Note any other parameters of interest specific to the type of seeds you planted, such as bulb size, number of flowers, etc.

For more information, download the Harvest Protocol for the type of seed you planted at http://www.sdl.usu.edu/company/epo/

Students can form hypotheses and create experiments to test other aspects of plant growth beyond those listed above. If you add variables, add them to the standardized variables included on the spreadsheet.

Recording HypothesesIt is encouraged, but not required, to have students keep a science notebook with individual student hypotheses and observational comments and drawings. Before, during, or soon after planting is a good time to ask students to log their hypotheses about the similarities and differences of growth outcomes for the space vs. land seeds. Possible prompt questions include: 1) which plant will have the first sprout 2) Will one type of plant grow faster than the other and why, and 3) How will the harvested plants compare with each other in terms of (number, size, and presence)? This information should be recorded in the data logs.

Recording Plant Thinning1. After 15 to17 days (when most plants are 2.5- 5.08 cm), you need to thin the plants. 2. As you thin the plants, place an “X” on the data log sheet in the column for the largest and smallest plants on the day after thinning (for example,

if the team thinned/removed two plants on Day 17, mark an “X” in day 18 for each of those plants and do not continue collecting data). Continue recording data for the remaining plants until the end of the experiment.

Reporting findings to sDl1. At the end of the experiment, write down your final notes. 2. Enter the data from all of your reporting sheets into an electronic spreadsheet, such as Microsoft Excel. The spreadsheet templates are available

electronically and can be obtained by emailing gayle.bowen@sdl.usu.edu.3. Submit your finalized spreadsheets to SDL at gayle.bowen@sdl.usu.edu.

We appreciate you sharing your findings with SDL and USU STARS! GEAR UP.