Lesson 24 of 84 · Ecosystems
Experiment⭐ 30 XP🌿 Wild JungleWhat Do Plants Need to Grow?
Ecosystems.
🎯 Your mission
Predict it first. Then prove yourself right (or wrong).
⚡ The twist
Living things break the rules of non-living things — find the rule they break.
Mind = Blown
🌳 Trees can talk to each other through underground fungus networks.
Make a hypothesis first
Predict: what will happen to the plant if you change the water?
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
- succession
- photosynthesis
Materials Needed
- small pots
- cotton balls
- zip-lock bags
Safety First
- Wash hands after handling materials.
- Be careful with scissors — ask an adult for help if needed.
- Do not look directly at the sun or bright lights.
Steps
Review the background information on Ecosystems before starting.
Model natural selection: scatter colored paper scraps on grass. Time how long it takes a partner to pick up each color. Which color survived longest? Why?
Use your senses (except taste) to describe what you notice.
Write a summary of your findings in 3-5 sentences.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 3What type of consumer eats only plants?
Where you see this in real life
Your own body is doing this thousands of times every second.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
Find one thing about your body that's different from a friend's. Wonder why.
For the dinner table
“Tell me something you noticed about your own body today.”
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