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Hi Team Popcorn!!!
It's really great how much thought and work you've put into this project!!! Thanks so much for the photos, video, and all your posts! It really helps me feel like I am there!
I had a last thought about why the medium light makes the plants taller:
Have you ever heard the term etiolation (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etiolation)?
Plants use the amount (and even the color) of light to sense their environment, as well as to do photosynthesis. When a seedling is spouting under the soil, it knows when it breaks through by sensing the change in light. Then it greens up and doesn't elongate as much (and often bends toward the light). And a plant growing in the shade senses the lower light and tries to grow taller faster. That's because the thing that mostly causes shade is OTHER plants, and if you get tall faster you might be able to shade them vs. them shading you (competition)
So the same kind of plants often have very different shapes in different light environments (picture trees in a dense forest growing tall and skinny vs. a big bushy one out in a field). Here are some pictures: (https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo/etiolated-plant.html).
Do you think that etiolation might contribute to the differences between the high and medium light treatments?
You all have done a great job, and I am glad I got to follow along with your experiment! I hope you keep asking "why?" questions and paying attention to all plants around you. They are amazingly smart once you get to know them!!
Best,
Lila Fishman
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Lila went above and beyond here to explain an advanced concept of plant biology to this group as it became a central feature of their experiment. Her explanation and examples are extremely helpful & her students clearly really appreciate the time and effort she put into mentoring them. This entire project is definitely star material!
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To apply, log in to your PlantingScience account and locate the application link under 'Resources'. For more information, check out 'Join as a Teacher' above!
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Testimonials
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