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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: How Do Roots Grow When the Direction of Gravity Changes?

For Students 3rd - 8th
You might not know it, but plants are able to sense their environment and actually respond appropriately. One of the key parameters that every plant must respond to is the direction of gravity: stems go up (opposite to the pull of...
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Vines & Spines: Thigmotropism in Morning Glory Tendrils

For Students 9th - 10th
We tend to think of plants as immobile, but the tendrils of a vine, such as the morning glory, actually move in response to touch. Tendrils wrap around structures, which give the plant something to grow on. In this science fair project,...
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Leaves and Light

For Students 2nd - 5th
Leaves use sunlight to make food for the plant. Sunlight contains all of the colors of the rainbow, but are all of those colors used by the leaf? Can you find out if some colors of light are more important than others?
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Unit Plan
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Attack of the Killer Cabbage Clones

For Students 3rd - 5th
Do you like to watch outdated science fiction and cheesy horror movies? Many fictional tales of cloned organisms have been created based upon the scientific method for cloning animals or plants. In the real world, the cloning of plants...
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Earthworm Castings: Soil for Young Garden Plants

For Students 9th - 10th
Everybody knows that worms are good for the soil, but not everybody knows why. Here's a project that investigates just one of the ways earthworms improve the earth.
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Weeds Be Gone! Experiment That Affect Roundup Weed Killer

For Students 9th - 10th
Experiment with factors that affect the activity of the weed killer Roundup. The Science Buddies project ideas are set up consistently beginning with an abstract, objective, and introduction, followed by a section on terms, concepts, and...
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Humic Acid and the Optimum Soil for Plants

For Students 9th - 10th
Humic acid is touted as an organic soil additive to improve plant growth by multiple means. Does it really work? Here's how you can find out.
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Activity
BiologyWise

Biology Wise: Simple Steps on How to Build a Plant Cell Model

For Students 9th - 10th
Describes the steps in how to make a model of a plant cell using simple materials and sweet foods like jello and candy.
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Activity
BiologyWise

Biology Wise: Tips on How to Make a Plant Cell Model

For Students 9th - 10th
Describes the steps for making a model of a plant cell in two different ways. The first way uses mostly sweet foods and the second way uses a shoebox, clay, and simple materials.
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Growing, Growing, Gone! An Experiment on Nitrogen Fertilizers

For Students 3rd - 5th
Plants need nitrogen to build proteins and nucleic acids to grow healthy stems and leaves. Though the Earth's atmosphere is made up of 79% nitrogen, the form of nitrogen found in the atmosphere cannot be used by plants. In this...
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Activity
BiologyWise

Biology Wise: Tips on How to Make a 3 D Plant Cell Model

For Students 9th - 10th
Describes the steps in how to make a model of a plant cell using clay and simple materials found at home. Suggestions for variations are also given.
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Plants Are on the Move! A Study of Gravitropism

For Students 3rd - 5th
As we humans zip from place to place, we often forget to stop and smell the roses. Compared to our fast-paced lifestyle, plants seem rooted to the spot. Don't be deceived by appearances however, plants are on the move. This experiment...
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria and Nitrogen Fertilizers

For Students 9th - 10th
Plants need nitrogen to build proteins and nucleic acids to grow healthy stems and leaves. Though the Earth's atmosphere is made up of 79% nitrogen, the form of nitrogen found in the atmosphere cannot be used by plants. In this...
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Do Potatoes Regulate the Formation of New Roots?

For Students 3rd - 5th
Propagate potatoes by giving it the right environment for the eyes to sprout.
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Shoots: How Do Mint Plants Branch to Form New Stems?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Do you like to climb trees? The branches of trees are what make them so fun to climb. Each branch starts out as a tiny shoot that grows out from a stem. How is the growth of shoots along a stem regulated?
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: How Many Seeds Do Different Types of Fruit Produce?

For Students 3rd - 5th
Do you like your strawberry jelly with or without the seeds? Are you glad to have a seed-free watermelon, or do you enjoy spitting the seeds into the garden? You might not like to find seeds in your fruit, but fruit is nature's way of...
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Slimey Likes It! Studying Chemotaxis in Physarum Polycephalum

For Students 6th - 9th
In this biology science fair project, test various amounts of glucose to see which ones attract and which repel (chemotaxis) growing Physarum polycephalum slime mold.
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Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

Alex: The Circles of Life

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This is an inquiry based cooperative learning unit that can be used in biology as a graduation exam review or in botany for a nine week project. The young scholars will learn the life cycle of mosses, ferns, gymnosperms and angiosperms....
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Website
Science & Plants for Schools

Science & Plants for Schools: Science & Plants for Schools

For Students K - 1st
A web resource that helps students and teachers learn more about plant science. The resource includes links for teachers for lesson planning and helpful hints for inside and outside the classroom. Also students can learn more about...
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Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

Alex: Botany Scavenger Hunt Where's the Ginkgo?

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students use a science nature journal to log in plants native to Alabama. They sketch pictures of leaves, identify the special characteristics of the plant, and describe the environment where it was found. They also research special...
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Activity
Colorado State University

Gardening & Horticulture in Denver: Gardening With Children

For Students 3rd - 5th
The section on plant projects for kids has lots of hands-on ideas for studying plant biology. Activities are included for stages from seed germination to growth. Geared more to the younger student.
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: How Do Roots Grow When the Direction of Gravity Changes?

For Students 6th - 8th
To start this experiment, you should bring all of your materials together on a flat work surface. The surface might get a little wet, so have some paper towels handy.
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Handout
Other

Kenyon College: Thigmotropism in Tendrils

For Students 9th - 10th
What is thigmotropism? Do plants have a sense of touch? What causes plants to curve toward the stimulus? Animated illustrations help to provide these answers and more. Hint: highlighting the text makes it easier to read.