1. Introduction: The lesson is designed to incorporate student’s knowledge of plant
growth and conduct an experiment based on the growth of carrot tops. Students
will use computer skills to develop a chart, design a digital spreadsheet, and
organize information.
Analyze Learners:
General Characteristics:
- 20 students
- 5th grade
- 10-11 years old
- Male and Female
- Various Socioeconomic backgrounds
- Diverse ethnic backgrounds: Pacific Islander: Chuuck, Pohnpei Palau,
Yap, and, Chamorro. Caucasian, African American, and Asian.
Main Learning Style:
- Linguistic/Verbal
- Visual
- Kinesthetic/Hands-on
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2. Prior Knowledge:
- Introduced unit on scientific method one week ago
- Knowledge on how to use a field- notebook
- Had a lesson on plants and what they need to survive
a week ago.
- Have experience in Plotting data and creating charts and
Spreadsheets
- Computer skills: Excel
Objectives:
Students will be able to:
- Use the scientific method for the experiment on the growth of carrots
- Input data gathered using the scientific method on Microsoft word.
- Organize information based on the scientific method in Microsoft word
creatively using different tools.
- Set-up experiment properly according to directions provided
- Create a digital spreadsheet and chart for six days of the experiment.
- Input in the digital spreadsheet types of water: Tap, drinking, and dirty
(such as: Grey water- wastewater generated from domestic
processes such as dish washing, laundry and bathing).
- Input in the spreadsheet and chart types of conditions: Darkness, In-
door, and Out-door.
- Input in the spreadsheet and chart the types of growth: root growth, leaf
growth, and the stalk growth in cm. over the span of 6 days.
- Present to the class the results of the experiment.
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3. Select Method, Media, and Materials:
- Students will be grouped into four groups of five students.
- Teacher will provided the materials.
- Materials needed: 4 Computers (1 for each group, 4 metric Rulers (1 for
each group, 27 carrots (9 for each group), 27 shallow containers (9 for
each group), 27 plastic cups (9 for each group), enough drinking, tap, and
dirty water for the 4 groups. Designated in-door, out-door, and dark area
for the 4 groups. Notepad (Field- notebook) to write down data until it can
be logged on the computer
- The students will set up the experiment following these instructions:
1. Choose healthy-looking carrots to use for this project.
2. Cut off the tops of the carrots about 1 inch from the stalk with a
sharp knife. If there are any leaves on the carrot, cut them off
close to the base (this will be done by the teacher for safety).
3. Place the cut end of the carrots with the cut edge down onto a
shallow container. Add enough water to cover about half of the
carrot piece. Each group will have 9 different containers. Three
carrot tops are in dirty water, 3 carrot tops are in drinking water,
and three carrot tops are in tap water.
4. Each shallow container will be covered with a clear plastic cup,
which holds in the moisture. Of the 3 carrot tops in different water
one will be placed out-doors, one in- doors, and one in a dark
room.
5. The plastic cup will be removed when student’s notice that the
leaves on the carrot are beginning to grow.
6. Watch as the carrots develops. Observe the root growth, the
stalk growth and the leaf growth every day for six days. Input
what you observe in the notepad (field-notebook) and then
transfer the information to the digital spreadsheet.
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4. Utilize Media and Materials:
- After setting up the materials students will need to organize their
information using the steps of the scientific method (Figure 1) on Microsoft
word.
Ex: Figure 2 is a sample of how a student’s document on Microsoft word
might look with all the gathered information. Information about what was
observed, the results and a conclusion cannot be logged until the
experiment is set up.
Figure 1 Figure 2
Title: Carrot Top Growth Experiment
Question: What will grow from a carrot top under
different conditions?
Background Research: Here student can explain
what they have learned from the units taught on
what plants need to survive. Also, the student can
use the Internet for research.
Hypothesis: The most growth will come from the
carrot tops kept out- door.
Experiment: Student can list the steps they used to
set up the experiment. Also, students can list
materials.
Observe and Analyze data: Here students can input
the information they gathered from the six-day
experiment.
Conclusion: Students can conclude what grew
during the carrot top experiment.
- After designing the Microsoft word document students will design their
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5. digital spreadsheet. Example of digital spreadsheet is Figure 3. The
students digital spreadsheet will be a span of 6 days and have a chart
Figure 3:
Day 1
Root Growth In- Door Out- Door Dark- Room
Tap Water
Drinking Water
Dirty Water
Leaf GrowthIn- DoorOut- DoorDark- Room
Tap Water
Drinking water
Dirty Water
Stock Growth In- Door Out- Door Dark- Room
Tap Water
Drinking Water
Dirty Water
Day 2
Root Growth In- Door Out- Door Dark- Room
Tap Water
Drinking Water
Dirty Water
Leaf Growth In- Door Out- Door Dark- Room
Tap Water
Drinking water
Dirty Water
Stock Growth In- Door Out- Door Dark- Room
Tap Water
Drinking Water
Dirty Water
- After the experiment is set up and the digital spreadsheet and Microsoft
word document are organized students will log into the digital spreadsheet
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6. the growth of the root, stock, and leaf based on the different waters and
conditions. The information will be documented over a span of 6 days.
Require learner Participation:
- After the 6 days and when the groups have finalized their data and
information the students will present the information from their Microsoft
word document that they gathered. Also students will present their digital
spreadsheet and graphs to the class. Each group will compare their
results in a class discussion. Students will discuss how the growth of the
stock, leaf, and roots relate to the different conditions and water. Students
should focus on what they observed and learned from this experiment.
Evaluation:
- Did the group use the scientific method properly to conduct the experiment?
- Did the group organize data on the scientific method using Microsoft Word?
- How creatively did the group create their Microsoft word document?
- Did the group use more than one tool to create their Microsoft word document?
- Did the group follow all the directions in setting up their experiment?
- Was the group able to organize the data for the six days using a digital spreadsheet?
- Did the spreadsheet cover the six days of the experiment?
- Was the spreadsheet labeled with the different types of water: Tap, Drinking,
and Dirty.
- Was the spreadsheet labeled with the different types of conditions: In-door,
Out-door, and Dark room.
- Was the spreadsheet labeled with the types of growth: Root, Leaf, and Stalk
- Did the group have a chart?
- How well did the group present the information, digital spreadsheet, chart, and
Microsoft word document?
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7. References:
Schneider, J. (2010, February 2). Carrot tops. Retrieved from
file:///Users/bms1/Documents/ED%20451%20Help%204.webar
chive
Steps of the scientific method. (2002-2010). Retrieved from
file:///Users/bms1/Documents/ED%20451%20help%203.webarchive
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