GET GROWING! A Science Experiment for Kids
It’s time for a fun science experiment! The snow is finally melting. The grass is beginning to turn green. The onions, chives, and strawberry plants in my kitchen garden are popping up out of the leaves and soil. Springtime is here! It seems like it always takes a little longer in Minnesota to get things growing.
Spring is the time to focus on outdoor fun in the garden, family field trips, plants, and recipes for children.
Now is the time to plan a garden with your kids. Spending time outside, digging in the dirt, planting, and harvesting are fun, especially with children. Get books on gardening at the library. Visit the local greenhouse to observe seedlings. Check out the many varieties of seeds available to plant. There are lots of ways to garden with children; a community plot, a sectioned off area in the yard, a raised bed or a single pot all qualify.
We are going to start with a Germination Station. This is an interesting science activity for for children to observe seed germination and growth.
Materials
bean seeds
ZipLoc bag
absorbent paper towels
tape
south-facing window
magnifying glass
paper
crayons/markers
pencils
Instructions
Soak bean seeds in water overnight to soften. Fold paper toweling to fit snuggly in the ZipLoc bag. Moisten with water. Arrange seeds in bag on paper towel. Seal the ZipLoc bag carefully, pressing air from bag. The beans will stay in place if air is removed. Hang in window with tape, beans toward sunlight. Additional watering is not necessary as the water is trapped in the bag. Children can observe condensation forming in the bags, similar to rain clouds in the atmosphere.
Check the beans progress each day with your children. Make a chart with the days of the week to keep track of the germinating beans. How long did it take the beans to sprout? What color are the sprouts? Allow your children to examine the germinating seeds with a magnifying glass. Use the following questions to get the discussion going.
What do you think will happen to the seeds? Why?
What do the seeds need to grow?
What color are the roots?
Which direction do the roots go?
Which direction does the sprout go?
Encourage your children to hang the bag in a window, turning 90 degrees each week and record the results. Discuss what might happen… and then what does happen. (Roots will always turn down, the sprout and leaves will go up. This will happen even if the children continue to turn the bags!)
Plant the seedlings in small plastic cups and then in the garden when the weather is warmer, after May 15.
Then God said,
“I give you every seed-bearing plant
on the face of the whole earth
and every tree that has fruit with seed in it.
They will be yours for food.”
Genesis 1:29
Copyright ©2015 Becky Danielson. All rights reserved. If this post is encouraging, please take a moment to subscribe to the Faith First Parent e-newsletter, join in the conversation on the Facebook page or share the post with a friend.