Villa Maria Techno-ferme Pedagogical Activity Guide Activity Passive Hydroponics Summary Students will build a self-contained passive hydroponic system that can be used at home or in a classroom to grow seedlings, sprouts or small houseplants. Courses Secondary 2 Science and Technology Curriculum Connections ST: Living World - Understand the lithosphere. - Understand how plant species adapt to their environment Suggested Experiments 1) Try different growing mediums (ex. seedling soil, perlite, coconut coir, hydroton, etc.) 2) Add fixed volumes of nutrient solution Use a timer to record how long it takes to drain fully (until the flow is reduced to a slow drip), or, record the volume that is drained within a certain time 3) Use different amounts of soil in the planter and oBserve the effects on root growth 4) Omit the filter; oBserve the effects on drainage and soil erosion Materials Bottle Connector 3 empty plastic bottles (3D-printed part) (2L size) Filter (3D-printed part) Soil (approximately 500 mL per planter) Nutrient solution (1 package or container) Seeds or seedlings (varieties of herbs are a good choice) This pedagogical activity guide was produced with the financial support of: PROCEDURE Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Carefully cut the Bottom off of Screw the second Bottle to the Pour in the soil or other grow the Bottle that will Be used as Bottom end of the Bottle medium. Gently add the seeds the planter. Screw it onto the Connector; this will act as the or seedling (taking care not to top end of the Bottle Connector. reservoir. damage its roots). Step 4 Fill the remaining third plastic Bottle with nutrient solution, mixed according to the manufacturer's instructions. Slowly pour the nutrient solution it into the planter (upper, open-ended bottle). The solution will gradually drain into the reservoir (Bottom Bottle). When the nutrient solution has fully drained from the planter, unscrew the reservoir Bottle (now containing the drained nutrient solution) from the Bottle connector and replace it with the empty third plastic Bottle. Set the full Bottle aside. After 2-3 days, repeat this procedure. Eventually some water will have to Be added with an amount of nutrient in proportion to the manufacturer's instructions. .