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Will It Wilt?

In this activity, students examine the differences between two similar plants when one plant is deprived of the power of sunlight. A plant cannot survive without sunlight because it needs light to make its own food. It does this by a process called photosynthesis.

Photosynthesis is a process where plants absorb sunlight through their leaves and convert it to chemical energy. When provided with everything else a plant needs to grow and survive (water, air, soil nutrients), we can observe what happens if it has no sunlight.

Objectives

  • Observe the effect of the sun on plant survival.

Materials

  • Per Class or Group:
    two similar/identical house plants
    box
    paper and pencils
    a sunny window sill

Key Questions

  • What differences can you observe?
  • Why does a plant without sunlight stop growing?

What To Do

  1. Place two plants on the windowsill or in another sunny location.
  2. Cover one plant with a box to stop the sunlight from reaching it.
  3. Periodically, water both plants equally.
  4. Measure and record the height and colour of each plant daily.

Extensions

  • Record the progress of the plants by taking photos or drawing pictures each day, or, measure the plant sizes and create a growth chart.
  • What does a plant need for photosynthesis to occur?
  • What happens when the sun-deprived plant is removed from the box? Will it grow again?
  • On a large piece of paper, create a food web that starts with the sun. Discuss what happens if the sun is removed from the food web.

About the sticker

Survivors

Artist: Jeff Kulak

Jeff is a senior graphic designer at Science World. His illustration work has been published in the Walrus, The National Post, Reader’s Digest and Chickadee Magazine. He loves to make music, ride bikes, and spend time in the forest.

About the sticker

Egg BB

Artist: Jeff Kulak

Jeff is a senior graphic designer at Science World. His illustration work has been published in the Walrus, The National Post, Reader’s Digest and Chickadee Magazine. He loves to make music, ride bikes, and spend time in the forest.

About the sticker

Comet Crisp

Artist: Jeff Kulak

Jeff is a senior graphic designer at Science World. His illustration work has been published in the Walrus, The National Post, Reader’s Digest and Chickadee Magazine. He loves to make music, ride bikes, and spend time in the forest.

About the sticker

T-Rex and Baby

Artist: Michelle Yong

Michelle is a designer with a focus on creating joyful digital experiences! She enjoys exploring the potential forms that an idea can express itself in and helping then take shape.

About the sticker

Buddy the T-Rex

Artist: Michelle Yong

Michelle is a designer with a focus on creating joyful digital experiences! She enjoys exploring the potential forms that an idea can express itself in and helping then take shape.

About the sticker

Geodessy

Artist: Michelle Yong

Michelle is a designer with a focus on creating joyful digital experiences! She enjoys exploring the potential forms that an idea can express itself in and helping then take shape.

About the sticker

Science Buddies

Artist: Ty Dale

From Canada, Ty was born in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1993. From his chaotic workspace he draws in several different illustrative styles with thick outlines, bold colours and quirky-child like drawings. Ty distils the world around him into its basic geometry, prompting us to look at the mundane in a different way.

About the sticker

Western Dinosaur

Artist: Ty Dale

From Canada, Ty was born in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1993. From his chaotic workspace he draws in several different illustrative styles with thick outlines, bold colours and quirky-child like drawings. Ty distils the world around him into its basic geometry, prompting us to look at the mundane in a different way.

About the sticker

Time-Travel T-Rex

Artist: Ty Dale

From Canada, Ty was born in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1993. From his chaotic workspace he draws in several different illustrative styles with thick outlines, bold colours and quirky-child like drawings. Ty distils the world around him into its basic geometry, prompting us to look at the mundane in a different way.