Hi everyone! A few weeks ago, Squeaks and I decided to do a really cool experiment to see how seeds grow. We planted seeds in four different cups to find out what plants need to grow best.
We put seeds in four cups. The seeds in the first cup got everything a plant needs: sunlight, water, and soil. The second cup’s seeds didn’t get sunlight, the third cup’s seeds didn’t get water, and the last cup’s seeds were planted in sand instead of soil.
Oops! We made a mistake with the seeds that weren’t supposed to get sunlight. We put them in a clear cup, so light got in through the sides. To fix this, we started over and put those seeds in a dark cabinet.
We let our plants grow for three weeks. The seeds with sunlight, water, and good soil grew really well, just like we thought they would! The seeds without water didn’t grow at all, which we also expected. The seeds in sand grew a little bit, just as we predicted.
But the seeds without sunlight surprised us. They grew a lot, but then they died. The grass was a light yellow instead of green.
Our results were a bit different from what we thought, but that’s okay! Experiments help us learn new things. We were surprised that the grass without sunlight grew so much. Plants need sunlight to make food, so we didn’t think they would grow without it.
We learned that when plants are in the dark, they grow a lot to try and find light. If they can’t find light, they can’t make food and will eventually die. That’s why our grass grew tall but then died. It was also yellow because it didn’t have chlorophyll, the green chemical that helps plants use sunlight to make energy.
Even though our results were different than expected, we learned a lot! We showed that plants need sunlight, water, and good soil to survive. We could learn even more by trying the experiment again with different conditions, like giving all plants sunlight but different amounts of water.
There are so many ways to learn about growing healthy plants, so keep experimenting!
Thanks for joining us on SciShow Kids! If you tried this experiment, we’d love to see your results. Just ask a grown-up to leave a comment or send us an email at [email protected]. See you next time!
Plant Detective: Go on a nature walk with a grown-up and look for different plants. Try to find plants that are growing in different conditions, like in the shade, in the sun, or near water. Take a notebook and draw or write about what you see. Do the plants look healthy? What do you think they need to grow well? Share your findings with your friends or family.
Mini Garden Experiment: Create your own mini garden at home! Plant seeds in small cups or pots. Try giving each plant different amounts of water or placing them in different spots around your home to see how they grow. Make sure to keep a journal of your observations. Which plants grow the best? Why do you think that is?
Sunlight and Shadows: Use a flashlight or a lamp to create a “sun” for your plants. Place a small plant or sprout in a dark room and shine the light on it from different angles. Observe how the plant moves or grows towards the light over a few days. Why do you think the plant moves towards the light? Discuss your thoughts with a friend or family member.
