Here are a few fun & easy projects to teach children how plants grow. Do plants use water? Fill jar with water & add food coloring. Place celery stalk or white daisy in jar. As transpiration occurs, water is absorbed & colored water colors the celery stalk or daisy petals. Another way to show that plants use water is to split a white carnation stem into 2 parts with a knife, from top to bottom. Put each stem part in separate jar with different colored water. You’ll get a bicolored flower. Children can make a “seed doll” to see seeds germinate. Moisten a paper towel & spread it flat. Place 3 or 4 rows of seeds on the towel.(Lrg. seeds, like beans, are best. Fold in 2 edges of towel to cover the seeds; roll as in a cinnamon roll. Fasten with two rubber bands & put in a plastic bag to stay moist. Every 2 or 3 days, unwrap the “doll” to see if seeds have sprouted. Be sure towel doesn’t dry out or become too soggy. Children can plant the sprouted seeds. Eggheads When cooking eggs, carefully crack and save lower 2/3’s of shell intact. Wash & then draw mouth, eyes & nose on shell. Fill shells with potting soil. Sprinkle grass seed on surface & press seeds into soil. Water gently, put egg shells in egg carton and cover with lid. Keep soil moist but not soggy. The sprouts become “egghead hair” and can be clipped with scissors to keep short or go for the shaggy look. Thanks to Robert Cox and Shirley Marken, Colorado State University for these projects.
