Activity: Grow Roots in STEM

We love to watch our gardens grow! Have you ever wondered what is happening to the plant under ground? With a few basic materials, you can create a great observation activity to unearth the mystery.

Materials Needed:

• Clear 18 oz plastic cups or jars  

• 2 paper towels per cup (unbleached preferred)  

• Seed packets (Anything that germinates quickly like radish, pea, pumpkin)

• Masking tape 

• Pen or sharpie 

• Water 

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Steps:

1. Soak larger seeds like pea, beans, pumpkin in water overnight.

2. Fold a paper towel in half and curl it into a ring so it fits neatly inside the cup, crease face up. 

3. Crumple ½ or a full piece of paper towel and place inside the ring of the first paper towel. 

4. Carefully add an inch or two of water to the center of the cup and allow the ring of paper towel to slowly soak up the water and become completely damp. Add more water if needed. 

5. Once the towel is damp near the top, carefully add 3-4 seeds an inch or less from the top of the paper towel. The seed should stick to the wet towel so you can see the seed through the window of the clear cup. Space the seeds a few inches apart. This is a delicate process, so  work slowly and patiently. Set up multiple cups to watch different types of seeds grow. 

6. Use the tape and sharpie to mark the type of seed and date you started on the cup. 

7. Place cups in a sunny window or under a grow lamp. 

8. Check the cups each day to make sure the towels are still damp. Leave about a ½ inch of water in the cup especially in warm, dry rooms. 

9. Radishes and peas will germinate in just two or three days, others take longer.  

10. Encourage your child to talk and ask questions about what they see. If they are comparing seeds, you could ask: Which seeds germinate fastest? Do they grow roots or shoots first? Why do you think that happens? Do all roots grow in the same pattern?

11. Optional: Make a data table for your observations and record the date, sketch the roots and other interesting observations such as which plant parts they see or describing the shape, color or length of the roots 

12. Read more about roots! https://kids.kiddle.co/Root 

We want to learn with you! Take a picture of your seeds and show us your progress, share answers to the questions in the lesson plan or show us your data table. Remember to post to Facebook or Instagram and tag @FarmingfortheFuture.