Fast Plants Seed Challenge Spring 2024

David Kolb wrote in 1984 that we learn best through experience. I love that quote. It means everything and anything we do might be the first step on a journey of learning. 

One of my favorite experiences we provide at Thurston is giving every student seeds to plant. 

Some of those students didn’t even know they wanted to grow something until they hold their very own plant. Some go on to take horticulture and plant ecology. Some of those students go on to graduate school or to jobs at gardens. And some of those former students become the colleagues we reach out to when we need a little help. 

Every experience is a chance to learn. How wonderful to understand that it is also the best way to learn.

The Fast Plant Experiment

What effect does pollination by bees have on

the number of seeds produced by fast plants (Brassica rapa)?

Procedure:

Part 1  (Day 1-5) - Preparing quads, planting, germinating and thinning.

1.  Using the masking tape and markers, label the styrofoam quads with your initials and your Block.  Label two cells “P1” and “P2” for pollinated and the other two cells “NP1” and “NP2” for non-pollinated.    

2.  Click on the link below, enlarge the image (Cntrl +) and follow directions CAREFULLY.

http://www.fastplants.org/pdf/grow/quad_protocol.pdf

3.  On Day 7 (Monday, March  7, 2023) measure the height of each plant, and enter into your group's data sheet (Click Here for what your data sheet should look like)