Download Capillary Action in Plant Models Module

Capillary Action in Plant Models Experiment
Grades: 1-5
Concepts: Scientific Method, Experimental Procedures, Biology, Physiology of Plants,
Environment, Arts & Crafts.
Introduction: Students will run their own model experiment demonstrating the capillary action of
plants. Students will create flowers out of paper, make a hypothesis, then place their paper
flowers in a glass of colored water, then check the flowers after two minutes and record the data.
Equipment:
• Clear plastic cups (must be see-through), one per student
• “Stems”: light green sturdy construction paper, precut into 4”x1” strips, one per student
• “Leaf” templates: quarter sheets of dark green construction paper
• “Flower” templates: half- or quarter- sheets of different colors of construction paper.
• Crayons, markers, or colored pencils (enough for at least 2 different colors per student)
• Food Dye
• Experimental Data Sheets (With two drawings of a flower, for recording hypotheses and
results)
• Scissors (safe for age group)
• Timer
• Access to a sink
Procedures:
1. Give each student a half-sheet of construction paper, art materials, and (safe) scissors.
2. Ask the students to design a flower and some leaves, and cut them out.
3. Help the students staple their flower and leaves to the pre-cut stems. Make sure the
leaves are stapled high so they don't get too wet when placed in the cups of water.
4. Hand out the experiment data record sheet, and ask the students to select two different
colored crayons or markers. (At this point, a Wonderworks members should start filling
the cups ¼ full with water)
5. Explain the experiment: The students will be given cups of colored water, and will place
their flowers in the cups of water, and see what happens in the span of two minutes.
(time may need to be adjusted for the type of paper used for the stems – be sure to test
this module out ahead of time!) This is a good opportunity to ask how plants “get food”,
what sort of nutrients plants need to live, wet vs. dry environments, plant biology, etc.
6. Ask the students for hypotheses about their experimental models. Will the water travel
up the plants? If so, how far in the timespan? Make sure students are giving reasons for
choosing their hypotheses. If time allows, poll the students: “Raise your hand if you
think the water will travel more than halfway. Less than halfway?” etc.
7. Ask them to mark their hypothesis on their experimental data record sheet in one of the
colors they chose.
8. Pass out the cups of water. Wonderworks members should walk around with different
colors of food dye, and ask the students which color they'd like. (For older students, this
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can be a metaphor for dissolved nutrients) No students should have their flowers in the
water yet.
A Wonderworks member should stand at the front of the room with the timer. When the
Timer says “Go”, have students place their flowers in the colored water and watch them.
After two minutes, the Timer says “Stop!”. Students should pull their flowers out of the
water.
Have the students mark the water level on their experimental data record sheets in the
second color.
Talk about what happened. Introduce the term “capillary action” and explain that this is
an experimental model – this is designed to work just how plants work. For older
students, it may be appropriate to introduce the term “xylem” or explain osmosis.
Ask our “young scientists” to asses their data. How close or far were their hypotheses to
their results? Remind them that they had a reason for choosing their hypotheses, and ask
why their hypotheses were or were not accurate.
Have the students draw a conclusion on their hypotheses based on the results of their
data.
Congratulate the students on successfully perfoming a real scientific experiment! Hooray
for little biologists!