What Plants Need to Grow

Lab Brief #6

🎯 Your mission

Predict it first. Then prove yourself right (or wrong).

⚡ The twist

Nature loves to surprise the careful watcher.

What you'll learn

Plants need sunlight, water, carbon dioxide, and nutrients from soil to grow. Their roots absorb water and minerals while their leaves capture sunlight for photosynthesis.

Key words

photosynthesis
How plants use sunlight, water, and air to make their own food.
nutrients
Parts of food that help living things grow and stay healthy.

Make a hypothesis first

Before you start: write down what you think will happen, and why.

Say your guess out loud — then find out if you were right.

Get ready

🧰 What you need

soil
water

Get ready

⚠️ Safety first

Wash your hands thoroughly afterwards and keep the material away from your face.
Mop up spills straight away so nobody slips, and keep liquids away from sockets.
Check glassware for chips before use and carry it with both hands.

Step 1 of 4 · Read

Look at the vocabulary words and write a definition for each in your own words.

Step 2 of 4 · Do

Build a model ecosystem in a jar using soil, small plants, and water. Seal it and observe how the water cycle works inside it for one week.

Step 3 of 4 · Observe

Observe what happens and describe it in detail.

Step 4 of 4 · Record

Record your observations in your science journal with measurements and descriptions.

Question 1 of 3

What part of a plant absorbs water from the soil?

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Question 2 of 3

What do plants need to make food through photosynthesis?

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Question 3 of 3

What gas do plants release during photosynthesis?

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Mind = blown

🔬 The more you look, the more nature shows you.

Nice work!

You got 0 of 3 right.

Next: Herbivores, Carnivores, and Omnivores All lessons

🎯

Next Smart Experiment

We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.

✨ More to explore

🌍 Where you see this in real life: This shows up in your everyday life more than you'd think.

🏆 Stretch challenge (try it this week): Try one experiment in real life this week — even a tiny one.

👨‍👩‍👧 For the dinner table: “What's the most surprising thing you learned today?”

🦒Share card

Share this experiment

Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.

What Plants Need to Grow

Next Smart Experiment

Share this experiment

What Plants Need to Grow

Done with science? Try something else

Your Cart (0)