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FARMING IN SPACE
TEACHER NOTES

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DESCRIPTION	In this activity students work online and in a laboratory setting to research, design, and run plant growth experiments. The online activities require access to computers for reporting and sharing data.
GRADE LEVEL	K - 12
OBJECTIVES	• Research current scientific knowledge and develop ideas for new plant investigations. • Identify research questions that can be addressed through experimentation. • Design an experiment using a building block model. • Learn techniques for conducting plant-based experiments. • Analyze data and interpret results.
NATIONAL SCIENCE STANDARDS	1. Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry Design and conduct a scientific investigation. Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze, and interpret data. Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models using evidence. Think critically and logically to make the relationship between evidence and explanation. Use mathematics in all aspects of scientific inquiry. 2. Understandings about scientific inquiry Current scientific knowledge and understanding guide scientific investigations. Mathematics is important in all aspects of scientific inquiry. Technology used to gather data enhances accuracy and allows scientists to analyze and quantify results of investigations. Scientific explanations emphasize evidence, have logically consistent arguments, and use scientific principles, models, and theories. Scientific investigations can result in new ideas and phenomena for study, generate new methods or procedures for investigation, or develop new technologies to improve the collection of data.

Section	Description	Suggested Duration
ACTIVITY BACKGROUND	Students read three web pages and become familiar with current space-based plant research.	One class period (45 – 50 minutes)
PLAN AND DESIGN YOUR EXPERIMENT	Students use web-based research blocks to learn about current scientific knowledge. Students formulate an experiment and then design it using Flash™ animation-based building blocks.	One or two class periods (45-50 minutes)
BUILD YOUR EQUIPMENT	Students build a soda bottle hydroponic production unit and a cardboard plant light house.	Two class periods (45 – 50 minutes)
RUN YOUR EXPERIMENT	Using a web-based interactive calendar, students generate a timeline of their experiment and dates to perform experimental tasks. Students conduct plant experiments and collect data using printout data sheets.	The experiments take from three days to 14 weeks, depending on the type of analyses performed and the plant species used for the experiments.
REPORT YOUR DATA	Data are reported directly into the interactive calendar and into the Flash™ animation building blocks.	Depending on analyses performed, from three days to 14 weeks.
ANALYZE YOUR DATA	Data are analyzed in the Flash™ animation-based data analyzer.	One or two class periods (45- 50 minutes)

Technology Requirements

Browser Requirements
Windows	Windows‚ 95, 98, Me: Internet Explorer‚ 4.0 or later; Netscape‚ Navigator‚ 4 or later; and Netscape‚ 6.2 or later.
Macintosh	System 8.6-9.2: Netscape‚ 4.5 or later; Netscape‚ 6.2 or later; and Microsoft‚ Internet Explorer‚ 5.0 or later. System 10.1 or later: Netscape‚ 6.2 or later; and Microsoft‚ Internet Explorer‚ 5.1 or later.

Plug-in / software requirements

Macromedia‚ Flash™ 6 or later Plug-in
Quicktime® 4 or later Plug-in
Adobe® Acrobat® Reader® 3 or later

Sources and costs of materials
(gather materials in advance)

MATERIALS FOR 1 PLANT LIGHT HOUSE (PLHS) - 4-8 STUDENTS PER PLH	SUGGESTED SOURCE	Cost
1 copy paper box	School office
1 14 cm x 28 cm piece of cardboard or foam board	Classroom
1 socket	Department store	$ 6.00
1 30-watt or 39-watt fluorescent bulb (150-watt equivalent) with adapter	Department store - 30-W Department store - 39-W	$10.00 $17.00
1 glue stick	Office store	$ 0.50
1 box of aluminum foil	Grocery store	$ 2.00
1 utility knife	Dollar store	$ 1.00
1 black, permanent marker	Office store	$ 0.50
1 roll 2" wide packing tape	Dollar store	$ 0.50
1 minimum-maximum thermometer	Department store	$12.00

MATERIALS FOR UP TO 7 PLHS - 4 HYDROPONIC PRODUCTION UNITS (HPU) PER PLH	Suggested Source	Cost
4 clear, plastic, 2-liter bottles/PLH	Students
1 container of Peters or other 20-20-20 (N:P:K) fertilizer	Garden store	$ 3.00
8 L bag of soil	Garden store	$ 7.00
8 L bag of vermiculite	Garden store	$ 7.00
1 remnant white, felt-like material (for 0.5 cm x 10 cm HPU wicks)	Fabric store	$ 1.00
Seeds (Apogee or Perigee wheat available from USU at http://www.usu.edu/cpl by online request; Fast Plant or AstroPlant seeds available from Carolina Biological, 800-334-5551)	Wheat seeds-Utah State University (USU) Fast & AstroPlant seeds (200/pack) - Carolina Biological	$ 0.00 $21.00
Pollination wands, pack of 12	Carolina Biological	$ 3.50
2 rolls 1" wide masking tape	Dollar store	$ 1.00

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