Greenhouse Science

Fourth graders are immersed in learning about cellular biology as they study cells under the microscope, learn about the functions of each part of a cell, and experiment with photosynthesis and its effect on plant growth by growing beans under a variety of conditions.

Students started by working with science teacher Grace Crowell to learn the different parts of the cell organelles such as the mitochondria, DNA, and chloroplasts and their functions, acquiring lots of new vocabulary along the way. They learned about the chemistry behind photosynthesis, breaking the process down into its chemical equation. Then, they constructed a visual representation of the formula using Fruit Loops to represent the hydrogen, Cheerios as oxygen, and raisins as carbon. 

Students began their experimentation with plants cells and growth by planting “greenhouses” on the science classroom windows. Each group varied their planting conditions. One group planted lima beans, mung beans, and scarlet runner beans (donated by Mrs. McGinty!) to compare their growth. Another group varied the soil conditions, with some seeds planted in potting soil, others planted in bone meal, and a third group planted in a combination of both. Finally, another group varied the amount of water each seed group was given to see how that might affect the germination and growth process. As the seeds began growing, students watched a Science Court video to understand the role of organic and inorganic materials in building good soil and how that connects to plant growth. They also dissected a seed to identify all the parts and examined a bean leaf under the microscope to see what it looks like at the cellular level. They learned about Robert Hooke, the English scientist who first observed and named “cells” under a microscope leading to the creation of cell theory. As their seeds sprouted, the class brought them to the Fay Greenhouse and transplanted them into pots where they will continue to grow until March Break.

Fourth grade science is fueled by the curiosity of its students, who share their “noticings” and “wonderings” in class and a dedicated portion of their science journal. Often, this results in students stepping up to lead the learning. Recently, one student came across an experiment that uses detergent and rubbing alcohol to visually isolate and identify the DNA in strawberries. “I want them to lead the learning and understand that they are in charge of what they decide to learn about,” says Grace. “Then they feel empowered to be teachers and learners, and they are making observations and comparisons that are really relevant, and it makes the learning process a lot of fun.” Later this week, students will be smashing strawberries in class to extract the DNA!