CHIA SEED EXPERIMENT INTRODUCTION CHIA SEEDS ARE NUTRITIOUS, AND CAN BE GROWN AS A CROP IN PARTS OF THE WORLS WHERE CONDITIONS ARE TOO DRY FOR OTHER CROPS, SUCH AS WHEAT AND CORN. CHIA SEEDS WILL GERMINATE AND GROW UNDER A VARIETY OF CONDITIONS. THEY DO NOT NEED SOIL. THEY ARE OFTEN GROWN ON SPECIAL POTTERY (CHIA Pets). WE ARE CONDUCTIONG EXPERIMENTS TO DETERMINE WHAT CONDITIONS AFFECT THE GERMINATION AND GROWTH OF CHIA SEEDS.

HYPOTHESIS: WE EXPECT TO FIND EVIDENCE THAT _____________________ WILL AFFECT THE GERMINATION OF GROWTH OF CHIA SEEDS. INDEPENDENT VARIABLE WHAT DO YOU WANT TO TEST IN YOUR EXPERIMENT? THIS IS THE THING THAT YOU ARE GOING TO CHANGE.

PROCEDURES AFTER WE CONDUCT THIS PART TOGETHER YOU WILL DEVISE YOUR OWN PROCEDURES. THESE ARE SAMPLE PROCEDURES FOR DETERMINING HOW NOT ADDING WATER TO A GROWTH CHAMBER AFFECT CHIA SEED GERMINATION AND PLANT GROWTH. THE OTHER TWO VARIABLES, LIGHT AND TEMPERATURE WILL REMAIN THE SAME AS THE CONTROL GROWTH CHAMBER.

PROCEDURES ADD 1 PART SEEDS TO 10 PARTS WATER. MIX AND WAIT FOR 10 MINUTES. THE SEEDS WILL ABSORB THE WATER AND PRODUCE A GEL.

PROCEDURES PREPARE 2 GROWTH CHAMBERS (PETRI DISHES) WITH PAPER TOWELS. LABEL ONE CHAMBER (A) AND THE OTHER CHAMBER (B). USE PIPETTES TO PLACE 10 SEEDS ON EACH PAPER TOWEL MAKE SURE THE SEEDS DON’T TOUCH. LET THE SEEDS DRY ON THE PAPER TOWELS FOR 10 MINUTES.

CONTROL GROUP PLACE ONE OF THE PAPER TOWELS IN THE PETRI DISH MARKED (A). ADD ABOUT 20mL OF WATER TO THE CHAMBER AND PUT THE LID ON IT. PLACE THE DISH IN A WELL LIT LOCATION AND KEEP IT AT ROOM TEMPERATURE. OBSERVE, MEASURE, AND RECORD YOUR DATA OKVER SEVERAL DAYS. (TWO WEEKS)

EXPERIMENTAL GROUP PLACE ONE OF THE PAPER TOWELS IN THE PETRI DISH MARKED (B). ADD 0mL OF WATER TO THE PETRI DISH AND PUT THE LID ON IT. PLACE THE BAG IN A WELL LIT LOCATION AND KEEP IT AT ROOM TEMPERATURE . OBSERVE, MEASURE, AND RECORD YOUR DATA OKVER SEVERAL DAYS. (TWO WEEKS)

QUESTIONS 1. DID THE VARIABLE YOU CHANGED HAVE A POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE IMPACT ON GERMINATION AND PLANT GROWTH? 2. WHAT CAN YOU INFER FROM THE RESULTS OF YOUR EXPERIMENT? 3. DID YOUR EXPERIMENT RAISE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU’D LIKE TO INVESTIGATE? 4. HOW MIGHT YOU IMPROVE HE RELIABILITY OF YOUR RESULTS?