PROJECT: EFFECTS OF LIGHT ON THE GROWTH OF PLANTS

What is the effect of different durations of light and dark on the growth of radish seedlings?
Goals of the Project:
- Understand the meaning and the role of Statistics in real life.
- Be able to investigate a Statistics problem using experiments.
- Know how to collect data from the experiments.
- Understand the meanings and ways to calculate mean, median, and standard deviation.
- Know to compare the values of mean, median, and standard deviation.
Oriented Questions:
- What is the role and meaning of Statistics in our lives?
- How many treatments we can execute to investigate the effects of light and dark on plants?
- How can we collect data from those treatments?
- What will we measure to compare the effects of light on plants between those treatments?
- In order to compare treatment effects, what summary statistics we usually use to deduce?
- Open-ended question: Do the seedlings grow faster in the dark or the light? Why?
Experiment Conducting and Task for Students:
- What is the effect of different durations of light and dark on the growth of radish seedlings? This question is posed to a class of
Mathematics-Biology students who then set about designing and carrying out an experiment to investigate the question.
All possible relative durations of light to dark cannot possibly be investigated in one experiment, so the class decide to focus the
question on three treatments: 24 hours of light, 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness, and 24 hours of darkness. This
covers the extreme cases and one in the middle.
- With the help of a teacher, the class will use plastic bags as growth chambers. The plastic bags
will permit the students to observe and measure the germination of the seeds without disturbing
them. Two layers of moist paper towel are put into a disposable plastic bag, with a line stapled
about 1/3 of the way from the bottom of the bag to hold the paper towel in place and to provide
a seam to hold the radish seeds.
 - Although three growth chambers will be sufficient to examine the three treatments, the class will make four growth chambers,
with one designated for the 24 hours of light treatment, one for the 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness treatment, and
two for the 24 hours of darkness treatment.
 Group 1 will be responsible for Treatment 1 (24 hours of light). Group 2 will carry out Treatment 2 (12 hours of light and 12
hours of darkness), and Group 3 & 4 will be in charge of Treatment 3 (24 hours of darkness).
- One hundred twenty seeds are available for the study. Thirty of the seeds are chosen at random and placed along the stapled
seam of the 24 hours of light bag. Thirty seeds are then chosen at random from the remaining 90 seeds and placed in the 12
hours of light and 12 hours of darkness bag. Finally, 30 of the remaining 60 seeds are chosen at random and placed in one of
the 24 hours of darkness bags. The final 30 seeds are placed in the other 24 hours of darkness bag.
- After three days, the lengths of radish seedlings for the germinating seeds will be measured and recorded. Notice that not all of
the seeds in each group germinated.
 Once the data has been recorded, each group will compute the mean, median, and standard deviation of the data of radish
lengths they have collected.
Expected Products:
Experiments are designed to compare treatment effects, usually by comparing means. The original question on the effect of
different periods of light and dark on the growth of radish seedlings might be turned into two questions about treatment
means. Is there evidence that the 12 hours of light and 12 hours of dark (Treatment 2) group has a significantly higher mean
than the 24 hours of light (Treatment 1) group?
Is there evidence that the 24 hours of dark (Treatment 3) group has a significantly higher mean than the 12 hours of light and
12 hours of dark (Treatment 2) group?
 Students are expected to answer these two questions. In order to answer them, apart from collecting data from each groups
itself, they have to gather data from other groups for comparison.
Assessment Methods: Individual Assessment + Collaborative Assessment + Project Book Assessment
 Individual Assessment Sheet
Individual Assessment Sheet is given to students at the beginning of the project, collected at the end of the project. These sheets
help students to assess their competencies themselves and know their changes before and after the project.
Criteria 1 2 3 Score
Understanding the
I do not know what can I understand what statistics is I comprehend clearly the role
role and meaning
statistics help to better our but I do not know for sure and the meaning of statistics
of statistics in our
lives. how its role plays in our lives. in our lives.
lives.
I am not sure that I There are some terminologies
Understanding the I understand comprehensively
understand the requirements I cannot take the meaning of
project in study. the project of interest.
of this project. in the project.
Understanding how I understand the experiment
I do not know how to carry I can implement completely
to carry out the but I executed it in an
out the experiment. and exactly the experiment.
experiment. uncertainty way.
I know to measure the length I can exactly identify the unit
I am not sure that I know
Measuring and the of the seedlings but my unit measurement and measure
which part of the seedling to
unit measurement. measurement is not the lengths with respect to
measures.
consistent. that unit.
Identifying
investigative I do not know how to I can identify the investigative I can exactly identify the
information and investigate the information information but I am not sure investigative information and
collecting data for and how to collect the data. I can collect the data. wisely collect the data.
this situation.
Distinguishing I cannot make the difference I can tell the difference
I can clearly distinguish these
mean, median, and between mean, median, and between just any two of
three statistical terminology.
standard deviation. standard deviation. them.
I understand the concept of
Understanding the I remember the meaning of mean and I can find the
I cannot recall the definition
concept of mean mean but I do not know how average measures of bust,
of mean.
and how to find it. to find it. shoulder, height, or weight of
the students in the class.
 I understand the concept of
mean and I can find the
Understanding the I remember the meaning of
I cannot recall the definition median in the list of bust,
concept of median median but I do not know
of median. shoulder, height, or weight
and how to find it. how to find it.
measurements of the
students in the class.
Understanding the I understand the concept of
I remember the meaning of
concept of I cannot recall the definition mode and I can find which size
mode but I do not know how
standard deviation of mode. of shirt is the most/least
to find it.
and how to find it. popular in the class.
Explaining and
demonstrating the I cannot explain and I explain and demonstrate the I accurately explain and
process or demonstrate the process or process or procedure with demonstrate the process or
procedure procedure. minimal errors. procedure.
accurately.
I can make comparison
Comparing I can compare the Statistics
I am not sure that I can between number summaries
Statistics summaries but I do not know
compare the Statistics in Statistics and exactly
summaries and how to draw an appropriate
numbers. conclude the results from that
make conclusion. conclusion.
comparison.
Making the I can point out the differences I can explicitly distinguish the
I do not know what the
differences between these treatments but three treatments and the
differences between the three
between three I do not understand what can effects of them on the final
treatments are.
treatments. they affect the results. results.
I can answer the first part of I can relate my knowledge
Answering the I am not sure that I
the question but I do not with Biology subject to answer
open-ended understand what the open-
know how to deal with the the open-ended question
question. ended question is asking.
“Why” part. completely and correctly.
The solution is The solution is partially The solution is completely
The solution is incorrect.
correct. correct. correct.
 Collaborative Assessment Sheet
Collaborative Assessment Sheet is given to students at the beginning of the project or after finishing the project. These sheets help
students to assess their and their peers’ team-work skills.
Category 4 3 2 1
Routinely provides useful Sometimes provides
Usually provides useful Rarely provides useful
ideas when participating useful ideas when
ideas when participating ideas when participating
in the group and in participating in the group
Contribution to in the group and in in the group and in
classroom discussion. A and in classroom
the group goals classroom discussion. A classroom discussion.
definite leader who discussion. A satisfactory
strong group member May refuse to
contributes a lot of group member who does
who tries hard! participate.
effort. what is required.
Shows sensitivity to the
Shows and expresses
feelings and learning
sensitivity to the feelings Needs occasional
Consideration of needs of others; value Shows sensitivity to the
and learning needs of reminders to be sensitive
others the knowledge, opinion, feelings of others.
others; encourages the to the feelings of others.
and skills of all group
participation of others.
members.
Routinely uses time well Usually uses time well
Tends to procastinate, Rarely gets things done
throughout the project to throughout the project,
but always gets things by the deadlines AND
ensure things get done but may have
done by the deadlines. group has to adjust
on time. Groupd does procastinated on one
Time- Group does not have to deadlines or work
not have to adjust thing. Group does not
management adjust deadlines or work responsibilities because
deadlines or work have to adjust deadlines
responsibilities because of this person’s
responsibilities because or work responsibilities
of this person’s inadequate time
of this person’s because of this person’s
procastination. manegement.
procastination. procastination.
Consistently and actively
Contributes knowledge, Contributes information
contributes knowledge, Contributes information
Contribution of opinions, and skills to the group with
opinions, and skills to the group only when
knowledge without prompting or occasional prompting
without prompting or prompted.
reminding. and reminding.
reminding.
 Focuses on the task and
Focuses on the task and what needs to be done
Consistently stays
what needs to be done some of the time. Other Rarely on the task and
Focus on the focused on the task and
most of the time. Other group members must what needs to be done.
task what needs to be done.
group members can sometimes nag, prod, Let others do the work.
Very self-directed.
count on this person. and remind to keep this
person on-task.
Does not suggest or
Does not try to solve
Actively looks for and refine solutions, but is
Refines solutions problems or help others
Problem-solving suggests solutions to willingly to try out
suggestedd by others. solve problems. Let
problems. solutions suggested by
others do the work.
others.
Almost always brings
Almost always brings
Brings needed materials needed materials but Often forgets needed
needed materials to class
Preparedness to class and is always sometimes needs to materials or is rarely
and is always ready to
ready to work. settle down and get to ready to get to work.
work.
work.
Routinely monitors the Rarely monitors the
Routinely monitors the Occasionally monitors
effectiveness of the effectiveness of the
Monitor group effectiveness of the the effectiveness of the
group and makes group and does not work
effectiveness group and works to make group and works to make
suggestions to make it to make the group more
the group more effective. the group more effective.
more effective. effective.
Almost always listens to,
Often listens to, shares Rarely listens to, shares
shares with, and Usually listens to, shares
with, and supports the with, and supports the
supports the efforts of with, and supports the
efforts of others, but efforts of others.
Working and others. Tries to keep efforts of others. Does
sometimes is not a good Participates in needed
sharing with people working well not cause ‘waves’ in the
team member. changes when prompted
others together. Helps the group. Willingly
Participates in needed and encouraged; always
group identify necessary participates in needed
changes with occasional or often relies on others
changes and encourages changes.
prompting. to do the work.
group action for change.
 Project Book Assessment
Project Book is given to students at the beginning of the project. This books help teachers to assess the performing process of
students.
This is an example of a Project Book from a group of four students.
PROJECT: EFFECTS OF LIGHT ON THE GROWTH OF PLANTS
What is the effect of different durations of light and dark on the growth of radish seedlings?
Initial ideas:
- Preparing 30 radish seeds and planting them in the growth chamber.
- Placing them in the condition 24 hours of light.
- Measuring the lengths of these seedlings after three days.
- Recording the data collected.
- Calculating the mean, median, and standard deviation.
- Gathering data from other groups.
- Comparing the statistics summary to draw a conclusion appropriately.
Work division sheets:
Member 1 Member 2 Member 3 Member 4
Measure the lengths of these
Prepare 30 radish seeds and Calculate the mean of the
seedlings after three days + Record the data collected +
plant them in the growth data collected + Compare the
Calculate the standard Gather data from other
chamber + Calculate the mean of data from three
deviation of the data groups.
median of the data collected. treatments.
collected.
 All four members finally check the answers together for any needed changes and draw appropriate conclusion.
Performing plan + Information (Pictures included):

Supplies needed Staple the paper towel strip to the top of the paper towel
Place the paper towel into the plastic storage bag and place the seeds Measure the lengths of seedlings after three days
Measurements recorded (note that two of the thirty seeds are not germinated):
Group discussion:
- From the data collected above, our group calculated the mean, median, and standard
deviation.

- We also gather the data from other groups for comparison:

- From the table above, we can calculate the statistics summaries for three treatments:

- The Treatment 2 mean is 6.18 mm larger than the Treatment 1 mean.

The Treatment 3 mean is 6.04 mm larger than the Treatment 2 mean.
  In summary, the three treatment groups show statistically significant differences in mean growth that cannot reasonably be
explained by the random assignment of seeds to the bags. This gives us convincing evidence of a treatment effect—the more
hours of darkness, the greater the growth of the seedling, at least for these three periods of light versus darkness.
- Answer to the open-ended question: Why do the seedlings grow faster in the dark?
It seems to be an adaptation of plants to get the seedlings from the dark (under ground) where they germinate into the light
(above ground) as quickly as possible. Obviously, the seedling cannot photosynthesize in the dark and is using up the energy
stored in the seed to power the growth.
Once the seedling is exposed to light, it shifts its energy away from growing in length to producing chlorophyll and increasing
the size of its leaves. These changes allow the plant to become self-sufficient and begin producing its own food. Even though
the growth in length of the stem slows, the growth in diameter of the stem increases and the size of the leaves increases.
 Seedlings that continue to grow in the dark are spindly and yellow, with small yellow leaves. Seedlings grown in the light are a
rich, green color with large, thick leaves and short stems.

Assessment tables:
Individual scoring table

Criteria Score

Understanding the role and meaning of statistics in our lives.

Understanding the project in study.

 Understanding how to carry out the experiment.

Measuring and the unit measurement.

Identifying investigative information and collecting data for this situation.

Distinguishing mean, median, and standard deviation.

Understanding the concept of mean and how to find it.

Understanding the concept of median and how to find it.

Understanding the concept of standard deviation and how to find it.

Explaining and demonstrating the process or procedure accurately.

Comparing Statistics summaries and make conclusion.

Making the differences between three treatments.

Answering the open-ended question.

The solution is correct.

Self and peer collaborative scoring table

Self-
Category Member 1 Member 2 Member 3
evaluation
Contribution to the group goals
 Consideration of others

Time-management

Contribution of knowledge

Focus on the task

Problem-solving

Preparedness

Monitor group effectiveness

Working and sharing with others

Teacher’s assessment

1 2 3 4 5

The group do not understand The group has a clear and

the requirements and the complete idea and they know
initial idea is not clear. what to do in this project.

1 2 3 4 5

The work is not distributed evenly The work is distributed evenly

among members in groups. Some among members in groups. Every
members do less than the others. member has equal duties.