This project was taken from Wikipedia
Materials
- Carrots
- Beets
- Turnips
- Parsnips
- Onion
- Garlic
- Knife
- Drinking glasses
- Toothpicks
- Plates
- Water
- Watering can
Instructions
The Lesson
- The Hook: Read "The Carrot Seed" by Elizabeth Kennedy
- Brainstorm - as a class - about plant knowledge. Write everything on the blackboard. Ask various questions, like "Do you always need seeds to grow plants?", "Does anyone know how vegetables such as carrots and turnips grow?" , "What do you think would happen if we tried to make something like a carrot or potato, grow without seeds?", "Does anyone think it is possible to grow something using the actual food instead of its seed?", "What do you think will happen if we try?"
- Song/Poem "Seeds" This is an excllent way to get kids up and moving around
- Model: (Teacher should do the following demonstration as it involves the use of a kinfe). Remove the green sprouts from the top of the carrot and cut the base of the carrot so that only about 5 cm remains below the green base.
- In order to suspend the carrot over the glass with water, insert 4 toothpicks in the middle of the carrot, creating a "cross" shape. Place the carrot in a glass. The toothpicks should be resting along the edge of the glass, and only 1cm of the carrot should soaked in the water.
- The glass should be placed in a bright spot, but not in direct sunlight
- Add water as required - make sure that the lowest 1cm is soaked
- The same procedure is applied for sweet potatoes, beets, turnips, parsnips, and/or garlic
- This experiment will take about a week's time
- Have all foods ready-to-plant so that students won't need to utilize any knives
