Seed Germination Inquiry Lab Name

Seed Germination Inquiry Lab Name: Date: Pd:

Background and Research: Plants require certain things to grow successfully. Changes in biotic factors such as oxygen, light, temperature, soil chemistry, and humidity by play a role in triggering or supporting seed germination. If these are not optimal for a plant, then its ability to grow can be impacted. Plants can also be affected by abiotic factors such as pollution, acidity, salinity, and interactions with other organisms.

Refer to the “Seed Germination Lab Research” sheet for details

Purpose: In this lab, you will design and conduct an experiment that explores what environmental factors influence seed germination. You will also demonstrate your knowledge of the components to a formal scientific lab report. Your lab report will include your formal write up along with your rough draft design sheet. You will work as a team on the experimental design and rough draft, and will performing the lab as a team. You will individually write up the formal lab. ______1. Problem Statement or Question? What are you testing?

Example: How does seed age affect seed germination?

2. Hypothesis: What do you except to see happen? (If …Then…)

Example: If the age of the radish seeds affects the seed’s germination density and growth then when you compare older seeds (1 yr, 2 yr, 3 yr and 4 yr old) to younger 6 month old seeds there will be less germination density and growth in the older seeds.

3. Identify the Variables:

a. Independent Variable (Manipulative Variable): What are you changing? Example: Seed age

b. Dependent Variable (Responding Variable): What will change because you changed the independent variable? (what are you measuring?) Example: Germination density and amount of growth

c. Controlled Variables: What is staying the same for all tests (must include at least 4) Example: Same amount of water, same time, same temperature, same number and type of seeds, and same amount of light. 4. Materials List Various supplies have been provided that you can use to design and execute your experiment.

Lettuce seeds, bean seeds and radish seeds 5 Petri dishes Filter paper to fit the Petri dishes Sharpie markers Grow light tray Foil paper, red and blue cellophane Distilled water, tap water, pond water Vinegar Beakers and graduated cylinders pH paper Salt Plant fertilizer

5. Experimental Design:

a. Diagram: sketch out your experiment (be sure to have a controlled experiment). Identify the Experimental Group set up, and the Control Group setup (What will you compare your results to?). Example: Experimental Group: multiple Petri dishes with one variable changing (age). Example: Control Group: one Petri dish with young seeds at 6 mo old

b. Procedure:

Refer to the “Experimental Variables and Baseline Values” sheet.

Clearly describe your experimental procedure in a way that someone else could use your directions to recreate your entire experiment and get the same results. You must have at least 4 separate setups you are testing plus one control setup. Example: 4 older seeds as experimental groups, 1 control group with young 6 mo seeds

Procedures must include specific directions such as exact amounts of each material to add and amount of time to test for, etc.

Example: 1. Place filter paper circle in the bottom half (not the lid) of each Petri dish. 2. Place dry seeds in each of your dishes, moisten with 5 mL of water 3. Seeds sense their environment within minutes; therefore apply treatments immediately after moistening the seeds (light, temperature, etc). 4. Cover the petri dish with the lid. DO NOT seal the dish! The seeds need oxygen to survive, and you don't want to suffocate them. 5. Label each dish with a Sharpie marker. Make sure your team’s name is on the lid along with specifics on watering amount and light conditions. Include your independent variable. For example, 1 year seeds. 6. Place your Petri dishes on the germination shelves in the lab, and note their location. 7. Record quantitative and qualitative data every class period for 1 week. 8. Water your seeds every class period with 5 mL of tap water. Seeds will be watered for you on the days you do not have class. 6. Data collection: You will collect qualitative data (color, texture, shape, smell, etc) and quantitative data (number of seeds germinated, length of root growth, etc) in an organized data chart.

Age of Radish Recording Number of Seeds Percent Root Growth Observations Seed Days Germinated Germination (cm)

6 mo Day 1 Day 3 Day 5 Day 7 1 year Day 1 Day 3 Day 5 Day 7 2 year Day 1 Day 3 Day 5 Day 7 3 year Day 1 Day 3 Day 5 Day 7 4 year Day 1 Day 3 Day 5 Day 7

6. Data Analysis: graph data to show trends. Example:

7. Conclusion: use your data to answer the following question (in paragraph style)  Was your hypothesis supported or contradicted? Explain.  Compare your slopes. Which variable test has the greatest germination density and root growth? Which test had the lowest germination density and root growth?  What trends did you see in your data?  How did your result compare to data from the control set up?  Based on these results how does the factor that you tested affect seed germination?  Why do you think that your factor affects seed germination this way?  Name at least 2 future questions would you be interested in testing based on your results?  What were some sources of experimental error? What would you do differently if you were to perform the experiment again? (Remember these are errors in design-things that could have influenced your dependent variable that was not your independent variable. These are NOT mistakes!)