• 3testtubes• 3seedbaskets• 3stands• 3supportrods(3tops,3bases)

EI-5099 Ages 5+Grades K+

TMTM

HydroponicsLab

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Contents:

Hydroponics LabHydroponics Lab

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You will need to provide the following: •seeds—Useseedsthatgerminate,orsprout,quickly(3-5days)

sothatyoucangetstartedrightaway.Readtheseedpackagetofindouthowquicklyyourseedswillgerminate.Beanorpeaplantsaregoodplantstotryfirst.

•apapertowel

•plasticbag

•stringortwistties

•write-on/wipe-offpen

•optional:plantfood

Setthetesttubeinthestand.Inserttheseedbasketintothetopofthetesttube.Toassembletherod,fitatopintoabasetomakeonelongsupportrod.Slidethislongsupportrodintotheholeinthestand.YourHydroponicsLabisnowreadyforseedlings!

Assembling Your Hydroponics Lab

Preparing Your SeedsGerminateyourseedsbeforeplantingthemintheHydroponicsLab.Here’show:

1. Moistenapapertowelwithwater.

2.Wrapyourseedsinthepapertowel,andthenplacetheminaplasticbag.Sealthebag.

3.Waituntiltheseedsgerminate.Forbeanorpeaplants,wait3–5days.Lookonyourseedpackagetoseehowlongthiswilltakeforyourseeds.

4.Yourplantsarenowseedlings.SelectoneseedlingtoplantineachHydroponicsLab.Useonetesttubeperseedlingtogiveyourplantrootsplentyofspacetogrow.

Fittopintobasetomakealongsupportrod.stand

testtube

supportrod-top

supportrod-base

seedbasket

germinatedseed

Didyouknowthatplantscangrowwithoutsoil?Welcometothescienceofhydroponics!Plantsthataregrownwithoutsoilaregrownhydroponically.Therootscangettheirnutrientsfromwaterorothermediainsteadofsoil.Watchtheexciting,hiddenworldofroots!

Hydroponics Lab

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Hydroponics Lab

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Planting a Seedling 1. Removetheseedbasket,andfillthetest

tubewithwater.

2.Threadtherootsoftheseedlingthroughthemeshbasketbottom.Therootsshouldhangdownbelowthebasket.

3.Gentlyplacethebasketintothetesttubesothattherootsarehanginginthewater.Theseedbasketshouldbeabouthalffullwithwater.

4.Useawrite-on/wipe-offpentolabelthestand.Youcanwritethenameoftheplantorwriteavariableyouaretesting(seeBeaScientist!onthenextpage).

5.PlaceyourHydroponicsLabnearawindoworinasunnyarea.

6.Waterwillevaporatewithtime.Addwatereveryfewdaystokeeptheseedbaskethalffullwithwater.Donotletthewaterleveldroptoolowortherootswilldryout.

7. Ifthewaterbecomescloudyorsmelly,youmustreplacethewater.TaketheHydroponicsLabtoasink.Grasptheseedbasketandliftit,withtheplantinit,outofthetesttube.Dumpoutthewater,andthenrinsethetesttubethoroughlywithwarmwatertoclearanydebris.Refillthetesttubewithcoolfreshwater.Gentlyreplacetheseedbasketinthetesttubesotherootsareagainhanginginthewater.Replacethetesttubeinthestand.

8.Asyourplantgrows,itmayneedsomesupport.Usestringortwisttiestotietheplanttothesupportrod.

9.Ifyouwish,addplantfoodtothewater.Followthedirectionsontheplantfoodtoseehowmuchtoadd.

Cleaning Your Hydroponics LabWhenyouarereadyforanewplantingproject,youmustcleanyourHydroponicsLab.Usewarmwaterandsoaptocleanoutthetesttubesandseedbaskets.Allowtoairdrybeforeusingagain.

Be a Scientist!YourHydroponicsLabisperfectforconductingcontrolledexperiments!Whenyouconductacontrolledexperiment,youkeepallvariablesthesameexcepttheonevariableyouaretesting.

HerearesomequestionsyoucananswerbyconductingacontrolledexperimentwithyourHydroponicsLab:

1. Doesthisplantgrowbestinwater,soil,orsand?

Plantthreeseedlings.Putwaterinonetesttube.Intheothertesttubes,putmoistsoilandmoistsand.Youdonotneedaseedbasketforthesoilandsandtubes.Instead,planttheseeddirectlyinthesoilorsand.Labeleachplantwiththetypeofmediuminwhichitisgrowing.

2.Doesplantfoodcausemyplantspeciestogrowtaller?

Planttwoseedlings.Putequalamountsoftapwaterineachtesttube.Inoneofthetesttubes,addplantfood.Followthedirectionsontheplantfoodtoseehowmuchtoadd.Writeplant foodonthelabel.Writecontrolontheotherlabel.

3.Doesthisplantspeciesgrowbetterintapwater,bottledwater,ordistilledwater?

Plantthreeseedlings.Putequalamountsofwaterineachtesttube.However,giveoneplanttapwater,anotherbottledwater,andathirddistilledwater.(Finddistilledwaterinyourlocalsupermarket.)Labeleachplantwiththetypeofwaterithasinthetesttube.

4.Doesthisplantspeciesgrowbetterinsunlight,shade,orartificiallight?

Plantthreeseedlings.Putequalamountsofwaterineachtesttube.Placeonetesttubenexttoawindow,placeanotherinashadyspotinyourhouse,andathirdunderalamp.Labelthemsunlight,shade,andartificial light.

Hydroponics LabHydroponics Lab

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Everyfewdays,observeyourplantsandrecordyourdatainasciencejournal.Recordtheday(howmanydaystheplanthasbeengrowing).Measuretheplantheight(abovetheseedbasketorsoilline)androotlength.Iftheplantsaregrowinginwater,youcanmeasuretherootsbybrieflypullingouttheseedbasketandholdingarulernexttotheroots.Ifpossible,takephotosoftheplantsandattachthepicturestotheappropriateplaceinyourjournal.Ifyoucannottakephotos,drawpicturesofwhattheplantslooklike.Observetheplantandwritedownyourobservations.

Foreachplantthatyougrow,drawachartinyoursciencejournalliketheoneonthenextpage.Everyfewdays,fillinanotherlineonthechart.Whenyouarefinished,makeseparatelinegraphsshowingtheplantandrootgrowth.

Thinkofsomemorequestionsyouwouldliketoanswer.WhatwouldYOUliketofindoutaboutyourplants?

UseyourHydroponicsLabforyournextsciencefairproject!

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