Teacher Note: You can grow sprouts from seed, but make sure seeds have already sprouted before beginning the experiment. Make sure the plants get enough water so that the soil is moist to the touch. Check every day or so.
List of Materials
- Sunflower seeds or plains coreopsis seeds (Select one species to grow. Email DNSchools@mdc.mo.gov for plains coreopsis seeds.)
- Small 3-ounce paper cups to grow sprouts — 2 cups per group
- Soil for each cup
- Ruler
- Teaspoon
- Magnifying glasses
- Optional: One plant per 5 students from the schoolyard or your own home with roots attached
- Book: Cooking with Sunshine: How Plants Make Food by Ellen Lawrence
- SEEK App (download for free from any online app store: www.inaturalist.org/pages/seek_app
Estimated Time
2.5 hours + 10 minutes x 6 days
- Engage: 15 minutes
- Explore: 30 minutes + 10 minutes x 6 days
- Explain: 30 minutes
- Elaborate: 45 minutes
- Evaluate: 15 minutes