This week, students explored how their plants have grown over the last 6 weeks under the microscope. They also continued their work with stomata printing from the week prior, using different types of plants. The student who printed the best image of the stomata was able to take the plant home.  Students explored features of a microscope, understanding how to focus, zoom, and learn about the plants under a lens. 

This week students explored how plants uptake carbon dioxide through a structure called the stomata. Students learned about the two different types of stomata, and made imprints of them from leaves and nail polish to observe under the microscope. 

This week, students explored the properties of non-newtonian fluids with oobleck. Students observed what a "shear stress" is and how it influences the fluids. Students also explored how perlite behaves under the same forces (opposite of oobleck!). Students observed how quicksand can be like these materials. 

This week students began growing Arabidopsis plants. Students looked at seeds under the microscope, made observations in a lab notebook, and planted them to observe over the next several weeks. While planting, students explored a plant lifecycle and what helps them to grow. 

This week students explored the concept of seed dispersal. Why is it important for a seed to grow away from its parent plant? A seed needs its own light and nutrients. Students created two different seeds for dispersal, one similar to a plant burr that could be picked up by an animal and carried far, and one that could be dispersed with the wind. 

This week, student explored the concept of capillary action in plants with celery and microscopes. Using food dye, celery stalks, and capillary tubes, the students investigated concepts of transport of fluids in plants. The students observed the celery under the microscope and made observations about what they saw.