Learning Objectives

The student will be able to:

• Describe two effects of crowding on the growth of living things.
• Name two resources plants need to grow well.

Teaching Process

Part 1

1. Mark off a 5’ x 5’ (1.5 m x 1.5 m) area.

2. Ask someone to assume the role of a seed. The seed is “planted” inside the square and remains dormant. (Person should be sitting with head tucked.) You can use the following rhyme to signal the seed to start “growing”:
The sun shines, the wind blows, the rain falls and the little seed grows!
Given a signal to sprout, the seed slowly becomes active and finally becomes a mature plant, standing and slowly waving its stem and branches (using arms and upper body).

3. Now plant more and more seeds (students) in the same area and (try to) repeat the growth process each time.

Part 2

1. Make planting pots by cutting off the tops of empty, rinsed milk cartons and using the bottoms.

2. Punch a few holes in the bottom of the cartons for drainage.

3. Fill the pots with potting soil to about 1/4” below the rim.

4. Distribute the seeds as follows: Give 1/3 of the class (Group 1) one seed each; give 1/3 of the class (Group 2) two seeds each; give 1/3 of the class (Group 3) six to ten seeds each.

5. Plant seeds at the depth recommended on the seed package. Each student should plant all of his or her seeds in a single hole in the middle of the carton. Students should label their cartons with their names, the number of seeds planted, and the date.

6. Set the pots in a lighted spot and keep them moist. Seeds should germinate in about one week. Maintain the plants during the growth period and make notes on growth observed in each group.

7. Harvest the radishes when foliage appears thick and mature. Compare size.

Discussion Questions:

1. What happened to some of the seeds?
2. How did you feel when you did not have enough room to sprout and grow?
3. Think of your own home, and the people you share it with.What would it be like if there were two or three times as many of you living there? What things might there be too much or not enough of? (Possible answers: too much noise, trash; not enough beds, food, hot water, space, privacy, quiet, etc.) How do you think you and the people you live with would like that?
4. Which student grew the largest radish? The smallest?
5. Which group grew the largest, most healthy-looking radishes? Why?