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This is a group project where students will work together to explore specific qualities of plants. Groups will choose one experiment from a list and follow the directions to learn something new. All experiments should be conducted outside of the classroom and group members are responsible for collecting their own materials.
Guidelines for this project:
2 to 3 people per group, selected by the teacher:
1.) Choose which experiment your group will conduct. Experiments are available for download at the bottom of this page.
2.) Decide what materials your group will need
3.) Workout a time schedule and place for beginning/observing/recording results of the experiment
4.) Each member is required to write a lab report in their own lab book for the experiment selected by the group – EACH group member will be graded on their completion and participation in this assignment.
** (See Lab Report Instructions and Grading Rubric Below)**
5.) Each experiment comes with it's own Research Section. EACH group is required to follow the directions at the end of the assigned lab. Group members may work together to gather information, but each person is responsible for writing their own lab report. This information should be written in several paragraphs and should be included in the conclusion section of the lab report.
6.) Two digital/paper photographs need to be provided in each student's Lab Report for this experiment. One photograph for the START of the experiment and one photograph at the END of the experiment are required. (Photos can be photo copied, but must CLEARLY show the experiment. Having people in the photographs is optional.)
Lab Report Instructions for Plant Exploration Lab Project:
Question/Purpose:
What do you want to find out or what are we trying to learn in this experiment.
Hypothesis:
After researching a topic, you should have some predictions about what you think will happen in your experiment. In most cases, the hypothesis is provided for each experiment list below. However, the hypothesis is worded so that it can be tested in your experiment. Do this by expressing the hypothesis using your independent variable (the variable you change during your experiment) and your dependent variable (the variable that changes in response).
Variables:
Independent Variables: The Independent Variable is the one that is changed by the scientist. In an experiment there is only one independent variable.
Dependent Variables: The dependent variable changes in response to the change the scientist makes to the independent variable.
Controlled Variables: Controlled variables are quantities that a scientist wants to remain constant in the experiment.
Materials:
List all the materials your group are provided and are using in the experiment.
Procedures:
List all the steps you will follow in the experiment in the correct order. Record ALL steps exactly as you see them (this is so that future scientists can do the same experiment and test for same results).
Data Chart:
Here you will create a chart or graph that records your findings. Make sure to provide all variables in the experiment.
Analysis:
Take the information that you put in the chart or graph and explain/interpret these findings in words, using complete sentences. The analysis section should be written in multiple paragraphs. These are suggestions that will help you in analyzing your data:
a.) Tell step by step what you did in the experiment.
b.) Write down other observations you made during the experiment.
c.) Write about similarities or differences you found in your data.
d.) Write about what you learned from the data.
e.) Provide and talk about all variables used in the experiment.
f.) Make predictions as to why you got your results in the experiment.
Conclusion:
The conclusion should be written in multiple paragraph form. Your conclusion should have ALL of the following:
a.) Restate the hypothesis. (Rewrite the SAME hypothesis you used in the experiment and at the beginning of your lab report.)
b.) Tell if your findings supported or did not support the hypothesis and why.
c.) Did anything go wrong in the experiment? What could you have done differently?
d.) EXPLAIN what you learned in the experiment and how it is related to what we are studying in class. (You will need to apply what you have learned through the reading and listening in class discussions to help answer this part.)
- All experiments should be conducted outside of the classroom.
- Group members are responsible for collecting their own materials.
- EACH child will be responsible in writing and turning in their OWN Lab Report for the experiment the group decides to complete. (Students can write these lab reports either by themselves or may work together to complete the assignment, but each child will receive an individual grade for the lab report they turn in.)
- Students will receive a group grade to evaluate how well they worked together in completing the assigned project.
- Both grades will be averaged together to produce one final grade for each child within the group.
- The attached experiments focus on plants, which can take some time to produce results. Please allow enough time to complete all parts that are required.
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