Investigate Science

Objective

Activity

Resources

Seeds of Imagination

To recognise that seeds come in many forms. To germinate as many seeds as possible from everyday and exotic fruits and vegetables. To explore different methods of encouraging germination.

Dissect and remove seeds from common edible fruits and vegetables. To plant them and set up a variety of growing conditions (e.g. poly bag, cloche etc.) To record and evaluate results.

Variety of fruits and vegetables (one of each), knives, seed trays, labels, compost, plastic bags, black plastic bags, empty fizzy drinks bottles.

Plant Power

To explore other methods of plant cultivation including propagation.

To grow plants from cuttings and plant parts. To encourage willow to grow roots and shoots.

Seed trays/pots/clear plastic cups, rooting powder, variety of plants

Feed the Birds!

To produce a bird feeder that will attract birds into the garden. To explore melting and solidifying

To monitor the bird population in an area and make a variety of feeders to see which is most popular.

Empty yoghurt pots, string, a variety of dried fruit and nuts for bird consumption, lard or vegetarian equivalent. Access to heat source, pan.

Fly Trap

To use air pressure to make an open/dose mechanism.

To use pneumatics to illustrate the feeding mechanism of a Venus Fly Trap and similar carnivorous plants.

Polystyrene food trays, balloons, rubber tubing, syringes, coloured paper.

Funky Fungi

To explore the feeding and growing patterns of a variety of edible fungi. To see how drying changes the mushroom and whether it is reversible.

To grow mushrooms and look at the reproductive cycle. To find differences between flowering plants and fungi. To produce dried mushrooms and hence discover the water content of edible mushrooms.

Fungi starter kit from garden centres. A variety of edible fresh and dried mushrooms. Hand lenses and Intel microscope.

Apple Idol

To evaluate the properties of a variety of apples and find suitable fruit for a variety of purposes.

To decide criteria and evaluate a variety of apples to find the perfect eating, cooking and looking apple.

Apples, access to cooker, bowls, knives etc.