What it shows
Seeds need water, air and warmth to sprout. Mustard seeds grow quickly, so we can see roots and shoots within days.
The science
A seed has a tiny new plant inside with stored food. When it gets water, it swells and the root breaks out first. Then the shoot grows upward and leaves open to catch sunlight. Mustard grows fast because the seeds are small and warm weather helps.
Materials
Cost: free. Many items come from home or from waste; spare parts such as LEDs, motors and wire are in the store.
- A handful of mustard seeds from the kitchen (free)
- Cotton wool
- A plate or shallow tray
- Water
- A sunny window
- A notebook and a ruler
Safety
For this project: Wash hands after touching seeds. Do not eat seeds that have been growing on cotton for days.
Never use mains electricity: power models with cells, batteries or a low-voltage adapter. Sharp and hot tools, flames and lab chemicals need an adult or your teacher beside you. Keep magnets, button cells and small parts away from young children, and wash your hands after making.
All the safety rulesStep by step
8 steps. Do them in order, and test each part before you go on to the next. Write what you notice in a notebook as you go.
Spread a thick layer of cotton wool on the plate.
Sprinkle water on the cotton until it is wet but not floating.
Scatter twenty mustard seeds on top and press them lightly.
Put the plate near a window with sunlight.
Sprinkle a little water every morning to keep the cotton damp.
Draw what you see each day and measure the shoots with the ruler.
Count how many seeds sprouted after three days.
After a week, write how tall the plants are and how many leaves they have.
What you should see
Most seeds sprout in two to three days, and by the end of a week the seedlings are about 3 to 5 cm tall with small leaves.
Viva questions
A teacher or a judge will ask how it works. Try to answer each question before you open it, then compare.
1What do seeds need to sprout?
Water, air and warmth.
2What comes out of a seed first?
The root.
3Why did we keep the cotton wet?
Seeds need water to start growing.
4Where do the seedlings get their first food?
From the food stored in the seed.
Take it further
Set up a second plate in a dark cupboard and compare how the plants look after a week.
Change one thing, measure what happens, and add a table or chart of your readings: that is what turns a model into your own investigation.
Free ebooks for this project
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