Plant Experiments

"Human nature exists and operates in an environment. And it is not 'in' that environment as coins are in a box, but as a plant is in the sunlight and soil." —John Dewey, Philosopher

Grade Level: Elementary

Experiment 1:

1. Cover a single leaf of a potted plant in tin foil
2. Keep the plant in a sunny place, wait several days
3. Uncover the leaf--look at results, if no results are visual do a starch test (compare to a control sample)

Our hypothesis: We think the leaf will die because it can't get the sun it needs to photosynthesize

Experiment 2:

1. Coat a leaf in Vaseline.

2. Place Vaseline coated leaf in a plastic bag

3. Place another non-Vaseline coated leaf in a plastic bag

4. Wait several days, look for changes

Our hypothesis: The leaf covered in Vaseline will die because it can't get CO2.