Bean Lab

Description

This lab is a classic introductory activity to familiarize students with the scientific method. Students will soak bean seeds in both plain water and Gatorade, and then form a hypothesis as to which they think will germinate more effectively.
This lab is suitable for middle school through high school. It takes about 4 days or so to really get the seeds to germinate and sprout. So, start this on a Monday to get it done by the end of the week. The questions are higher-order in nature, asking students about the dependent and independent variables, how the variables affect seed growth, how electrolytes dehydrate seeds, and what possible effect mold has on seed growth.
You will have to buy the seeds, cups, Gatorade Powder Mix, paper towels, and zip lock bags for the students.
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