| Explore | We know that the seed needs water, soil, and a good environment to grow. Will peeling half of the seed coat affect the growth of the seed more or less than peeling the whole seed coat. When we conduct this experiment I would like to learn the affect the seed coat has on the seed. |
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| Research Question | How does the absence of the seed coat affect germination rate? |
| Predictions | If we peel the seed coat than the seed will grow faster than the seed with the coat because the seed won’t have to push through the seed coat when it is germinating and the seed will be exposed to the water more. |
| Experimental Design | Step 1. Fold a piece of paper towel and put it at the bottom of the Petri dish Step 2. Put five seeds in each Petri dish and space them out evenly (six Petri dishes) Step 3. Water the seeds with five milliliters of water Step 4. Repeat step three every other morning |
| Conclusion | Peeling the seed helps speed up germination. The peeled seeds started with 3 germinated seeds and ended with 9 seeds. In the week that we conducted this experiment, there were 6 seeds without the seed coat that germinated. The seed that had the seed coat started with 2 seeds and ended with 3 seeds. Only 1 seed germinated through day 1 and day 5. The seed with half of the coat peeled had 0 to start with and 6 to end with. Through the investigation, the seed with only half or the coat peeled had 6 seeds germinate. The reason for this is because the seed coat help the plant grow by giving it energy from the sun and water. The energy is stored in between the seed coat and the base of the embryo. If you don't have the seed coat then the sun energy will be able to go into the seed easier because it doesn't have to go through the coat. When the seed coat starts germination then the seed won't have to nudge it;s way out of the seed coat because there is no seed coat. This data supports my prior knowledge about the seed coat. I believe that this was not a fair test. |
| About this Project | This team came up with a creative investigation question that tested their prior knowledge, and showed persistence and curiosity as they figured out how to test their question. They communicated well with their mentor, especially when working to design their investigation. They showed great enthusiasm throughout the investigation! |