Grow Space Lettuce - Analyses of Growth Study Data
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Can you identify the nutrient recipe to help astronauts grow lettuce in space? In this authentic Plants for Space investigation, students analyses data from a real hydroponic lettuce experiment to determine the optimum nutrient balance for growing Outrageous red lettuce.
Using measurements of plant height, fresh and dry weight, PolyPen plant health data and plant images, students identify trends, evaluate evidence and recommend the best nutrient treatment. Along the way, they explore hydroponics, experimental design and the challenges of growing food in space before communicating their findings through a scientific report or research poster.
By working with genuine research data, students develop critical thinking, data analysis and scientific communication skills while tackling a real-world space science challenge.
Australian Curriculum Links
Science Understanding
- AC9S7U01 – Cells are the basic units of living things.
- AC9S8U03 – Ecosystem interactions and factors affecting growth.
- AC9S9U01 – Plant growth and function.
- AC9S10U02 – Sustainable ecosystems and resource management.
- AC9S10H01 – Scientific knowledge is developed through collaboration, evidence and critical evaluation.
Science Inquiry
Students will:
- plan and conduct investigations
- process and analyses authentic scientific data
- interpret graphs and identify trends
- evaluate evidence and experimental design
- communicate scientific findings using appropriate scientific conventions.
Download packages includes:
- Experimental introduction
- Plant growth data (quantitative)
- Images from the growth experiment