| Introduction |
Many variables affect the growth of tulip bulbs. When students plant bulbs in their Test Garden, questions are bound to arise: Why do we have to plant our bulbs in the same way? What if we broke the rules and planted them upside down? What if we changed how deep we planted the bulbs? Introduce students to an Experimental Garden by exploring this essential question:
Essential Question:
What variables could affect the tulip's growth? |
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| Set the Stage for Learning |
1. Ask Questions in the Garden. As you plant your Test Garden according to Journey North's protocol, ask questions to spark thinking about variables that may influence growth:
- Why do you think we're planting the bulbs 7" deep?
- Why do you think we plant bulbs with the pointy side up?
- What did we look for when choosing our garden location?
- What would happen if we changed one of these variables? For example, where or how we plant the bulbs?
2. Review Protocol in the Classroom. Review reasons for planting the Test Garden according to Journey North's protocol:
- All test gardens are planted the same way to control variables.
- Gardens that follow the protocol can be compared.
- The only difference is the location (geography) of the gardens. This variable becomes the focus for comparisons.
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3. Write Testable Questions. "Grow" the questions students shared when they were planting bulbs in the Test Garden:
- Make a chart of students' questions.
- Work together to frame their ideas into testable questions: "What if...?" questions that challenge different planting and location variables.
- Build excitement about planting bulbs in an Experimental Garden by encouraging students to imagine how they can test each of their "What if..." questions.
Teaching Tip:
In the Experimental Garden, allow younger students to try out their ideas. Older students should test only one variable at a time. |
Sample Question: "What if we changed when the bulbs are planted in the fall? Would it make a difference as to when they emerge and bloom in the spring?"
— Belle Sherman Elementary, Ithaca, NY
Experimental Design: Plant 5 bulbs on these dates — October 7, November 4, 12, and early December. We will record when each group emerges and blooms.
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4. Watch a "How-To" Video: As a class, view the experimental design video.
- Encourage students to share responses and questions sparked by the information and images in the video.
- Challenge them to summarize details that will help them design and plant their own Experimental Garden.
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Experimental
Design Video |
5. Plant your Experimental Garden. Work together to design and plant an Experimental Garden. Encourage students to predict how this experiment garden will compare to the Test Garden.
6. Reflect in your Journals. Provide time for students to write thoughtful responses to the first four entries: "What If...Digging Deeper in the Tulip Garden."
- Save this journal page. In late winter or early spring, students will complete the rest of the page.
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Student Journal |
| National Science Educational Standards |
Science
as Inquiry
- Ask a
question about objects, organisms, events. (K-4)
- Identify
questions that can be answered through scientific investigations. (5-8)
- Plan and
conduct a simple investigation. (K-4)
- Design
and conduct a scientific investigation. (5-8)
- Scientists
use different kinds of investigations depending on the questions they
are trying to answer. Types of investigations include describing objects,
events, and organisms; classifying them; and doing a fair test (experimenting).
(K-4)
- Different
kinds of questions suggest different kinds of scientific investigations.
(5-8)
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