A-Mazing Plants

They find their way out.

 

 

 

Category - Living Things

Key Idea - Sound Transmission

 

Purpose - To demonstrate the process of phototropism (the growth of plants toward the light)

Nature -  Demonstration or experiment.
Materials -  Old shoebox or similar, pieces of cardboard, scissors, stapler, cotton wool, shallow dish, bean seeds. 
Method - 
  1. Cut two pieces of cardboard that will completely divide the shoebox across.  Cut a small opening off centre in each.
  2. Arrange and staple the card as walls in the shoebox so that the openings are not aligned (see pictures to right).
  3. Cut a door in the end of the shoebox.
  4. Fill the bottom of the dish with cotton wool, and plant bean seeds on top.  Water the seeds and place the tray in the compartment of the maze furthest from the light.
  5. Place the outside door to the maze in a position where it receives large amounts of light.  Make sure you keep watering the seeds every few days.
  6. Over a week or so the seedlings will sprout and grow through the maze towards the light.
Safety - Nil
Explanation - Plants need light for photosynthesis, and will slowly grow towards a light source to maximise exposure.  This process is called phototropism.  Plants can detect even tiny amounts of light and so are able to work their way through a maze such as this.
Notes - To work effectively the lid of the show box needs to be tight fitting to stop light from entering from the top.

This sometimes works better if you let the seeds initially sprout outside the shoebox and place them inside later.