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Plant Growth Light Dark Lab

Students will conduct an experiment to determine if light is required for plant growth by growing plants with and without light and measuring their heights over time. They will learn that plants need light for photosynthesis to produce sugars for cellular respiration and building biomass through metabolism.

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maria genio
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648 views3 pages

Plant Growth Light Dark Lab

Students will conduct an experiment to determine if light is required for plant growth by growing plants with and without light and measuring their heights over time. They will learn that plants need light for photosynthesis to produce sugars for cellular respiration and building biomass through metabolism.

Uploaded by

maria genio
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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www.NGSSBiology.

com

Topic: Plant Growth Light Dark Lab

Summary: Students will learn how photosynthesis is used by a plant to make sugars. These
sugars are then used to perform cellular respiration to make energy. The sugars are converted
into larger molecules like cellulose to help build the structure of plant cells. Students should also
recognize that plants grow by cell division.

Goals & Objectives: Students will be able to integrate how many processes are involved for
plants to grow. Students will be able to design a guided inquiry experiment.

Standards: NGSS: HS-LS1-4, LS1-5, LS1-6, LS1-7


Common Core: RST 9.10.3, 9.10.5, 9.10.7
Common Core: WST 9.10.1b, 9.10.1e, 9.10.2a, 9.10.7, 9.10.9

Time Length: 2 weeks, including 2 partial periods.

Prerequisite Knowledge: Students should have already been introduced to the following
concepts: photosynthesis, sugars, cellular respiration, cell division, and metabolism.

Materials:
• Grow light
• Graduated cylinder for measuring amount of water
• 4 Germinated seeds per group, preferably seeds that grow fast like the Mung Bean
• Pot / beaker or other container to hold soil
• Cabinet to place plants to grow in the dark

Procedures:
1. Germinate your seeds
2. Day 1: finish the front page of the lab report along with planting the germinated seed.
3. Give students a good number for the amount of water they should be giving the plants per
day; 20 mL is usually good enough.
4. 2 weeks later, have students measure the height (length) of each plant. Since they started
with a buried germinated seed, the initial height was 0 cm.
5. Students complete the lab report

Accommodations: Students with an IEP should work in a group with strong experimental
design skills. Notes about the main concepts can be provided so they have easy access to science
concepts.

© NGSS Life Science 2019


Name: _______________________ Row: _______

Plant Growth Light Dark Lab Date:_____________ Period:______

Driving Question:
In this lab, you will be discovering if plants need
light to grow. Design an experiment to determine if light is required for a plant to grow.
Materials:
• germinated seeds • container for soil
• light source • water and graduated cylinder
• soil • cabinet to grow plants in the dark
Background:
There are many processes involved in order for a plant to grow. Photosynthesis (performed by
chloroplast), cellular respiration (performed by mitochondria), and cell division are all required
for plants to grow. On top of the processes just listed, plants need to make larger polymers like
cellulose from glucose monomers. This process of building larger molecules is called
metabolism.
Hypothesis:

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Procedures: Number each step and be as detailed as possible.
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Variables:
Independent: ________________________ Dependent: ______________________________
Constants: ____________________________ ______________________________
____________________________ ______________________________
Control Group: ___________________________________

© NGSS Life Science 2019


Data Table: Include labels and units.
Experimental Group:
Date Plant 1 Length ( ) Plant 2 Length ( )
Initial Date
Final Date

Control Group:
Date Plant 1 Length ( ) Plant 2 Length ( )
Initial Date
Final Date

Experimental Errors:
_____________________________________________________________________________
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Conclusion:
Do you confirm or reject your hypothesis? ______________________
What evidence supports why you confirmed or rejected your hypothesis?
_____________________________________________________________________________
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Challenge Questions:
1. What is the main purpose of photosynthesis? _____________________________________
2. Predict the main process plants use to grow taller? ____________________
3. What molecule do plants use to get energy in order to grow? __________________
4. What process does the plant use to get usable energy? _________________
5. Most of the time, the plant in the dark grew taller. Where did that plant get the glucose
needed to get energy to grow if it could not do photosynthesis? ____________________
6. Why do plants need to perform photosynthesis in order to grow? ___________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
7. What else were the sugars used for besides cellular respiration? ______________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
8. Using the information above, predict why the plants in the dark have yellow leaves while the
plants in the light have green leaves. ________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
© NGSS Life Science 2019

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