Plant Cloning

with a Light Hut

Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd Grade

Investigation
Kimberly Scott Science
2015
Copyright 2015 Kimberly Scott

BackgroundInformation

The typical method plants use to reproduce is through seeds. Repro

ducing with seeds allows for genetic variation. There are other ways
plantscanreproduce.Onewayisbycloning.Cloningiswhenanen
tireorganismiscreatedfromapieceoftheoriginal.Theyaregenetical

lyidentical.Typicallytheleaves,stems,oraspliingfromtheoriginal
plant is used. At the end of the cuing there is a mass of nonspecialized cells called callus. The callus, with the help of the correct
hormone,iscapableofgrowingintowhatevercellsareneeded.Inthis
investigation it will be roots. It is amazing to think a leaf can begin
growingrootsandstemstoproducenewplants.
Someplantsworkbeerthanothers.Recommendedplantsarebegon
ias,coleus,geraniums,ivy,andphilodendrons.Inthisinvestigationwe
will be cloning new plants by using the stem with several leaves

aached.

UsingaLightHut

The independent variable in this investigation is inside or outside a

lighthut.Alighthutisatoolthathelpsseedssproutfasterandplants
grow well. Light huts provide sunlight, warmth, and airow to the
plantings.Gardenerslikethemforseedstarting.Theyareinexpensive
andeasytomake.

The plant cuing inside the light hut should receive enough warmth

Vocabulary

Cloning:Whenan
entireorganismiscre
atedfromapieceof
theoriginal.

Callus:Nonspecializedcellsthat
arecapableofgrowing
intowhatevercellsare
needed.Theyare
foundatawound
edge.

OtherActivities

Planttheheathy
plantsinsoiland
observehowthey
grow.
Planttheheathy
plantsinsoiland
givethemas
MothersDay
gifts.
Havestudents
thinkofother
waystousealight
hut.

andsunlighttoallowrootstogrowmorequicklythanoutsidethelight
hut. My results with students all showed the light hut cuings pro
ducedlongerroots.Itispossibletohaveoutsidethelighthutproduce
longer roots.Use the results as a tool tocreatediscussion. Could the

lighthuthavebeentoowarm?Whatwastheenvironmentlikeinthe
classroom? That is the great thing about investigations, they provide
greatopportunitiesforanalyticalthinking.

Copyright 2015 Kimberly Scott

TeacherPreparation

*Create the number of light huts you need. A light hut

shouldbeabletohold6vases.
*Purchaseacoleusplant(orsimilar)fromagardencenter.
*Purchase the number of clear vases you need. Plastic
bolesmaybeusedtoo.
*Create your plant cuings. Make them the same length
with the same number of leaves. 15 inches with 3 leaves
shouldbesucient.Cutoanyextraleavesandstems.
*Theinvestigationcangolongerthan16days.Ifyound
thattheplantsareheathy,buttherootsareveryshortcon
tinuegrowingfor1to2moreweeks.
Callus.Roots
*Thewatermaygetyucky.Ifthathappensjustemptyboth shouldformat
thespotswhere
vasesandputfreshwaterin.
extraleaves
*Graphcanbeoptionalforkindergarteners.
andstemswere
*Therearetwoconclusionpagestochoosefromdepending cuto.
ongradelevel.

*Thelighthutwillstayon24hoursaday.Besuretoaach
foiltothefrontlikeacurtain.

Thisinvestigationgoeswellwiththefollowing
workbook.Allinvestigationsinvolvethelighthut.

hp://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Growing-Plants-in-aLight-Hut-Kindergarten-First-and-Second-Grade-Students-1588679

Copyright 2015 Kimberly Scott

Copyright 2015 Kimberly Scott

TheEectofaLightHut
onCloningPlants

Name

_______________________

Copyright 2015 Kimberly Scott

InvestigationQuestion

Doesthelocationaectthelengthoftheroots
whencloningplants?

MyHypothesis-EducatedGuess

Whichdoyouthinkwillhavethelongestroots,
theplantcuinginthelighthut
or
theplantcuingoutsidethelighthut?

InsideLightHut
Copyright 2015 Kimberly Scott

OutsideLightHut
6

Supplies

LightHut

2waterboles

MaskingTape
orvases

Water

2ColeusPlantCuings

Procedures

1. Writeinsideonapieceoftape.Aachittotherstvase.
2. Writeoutsideonapieceoftape.Aachittothesecond
vase.
3. Fillthetwovases1/2fullwithwater.
4. Placeone15inchplantcuingineachvase.Makesurethe
endofthestemisinthewatercompletely.
5. Puttheinsidevaseinthelighthut.

6. Puttheoutsidevasenexttothelighthut.
7. Turnthelighthuton.Aachapieceoffoiloverthefrontlike
acurtain.Thelighthutwillstayondayandnight.

8.Recordobservationstodayandevery4days.
9.Makesureeachvasestays1/2fullwithwater.
10.Onday16measurethelengthofthelongestrootofeach
plant.
Copyright 2015 Kimberly Scott

7
2

My Observations Day 1
Inside
Light Hut

Outside
Light Hut

My Observations Day 4

Inside
Light Hut

Outside
Light Hut

My Observations Day 12
Inside
Light Hut

Copyright 2015 Kimberly Scott

Outside
Light Hut

My Observations Day 16
Inside
Light Hut

Outside
Light Hut

Takeyourcuingsoutofthewater.Measurethelong
estrootoneachplantincentimeters.Ifnorootsformed
themeasurementis0cm.

MyDataTableon___________________________________

Location

LengthofRoot

InsideLightHut

OutsideLightHut

Copyright 2015 Kimberly Scott

LengthofRoot

MyGraphon_____________________________________

InsideLightHutOutsideLightHut

Location
Copyright 2015 Kimberly Scott

10

MyConclusion

Didthelocationaectthelengthoftherootswhen
cloningplants?
Colortheboxthatmatchesyourresults.

Yes

No

Whichplantcuinghadthelongestroots,
theplantcuinginthelighthut
or
theplantcuingoutsidethelighthut?

Inside Light Hut

Copyright 2015 Kimberly Scott

Outside Light Hut

Conclusion Version 1

11

MyConclusion
Didthelocationaectthelengthoftheroots
whencloningplants?
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
Problems Encountered
What did not go well? What would you change?

Possible Error

Copyright 2015 Kimberly Scott

Possible Solution

Conclusion Version 2

12

Exceeding

Achieving

Developing

BelowExpectation

Copyright 2015 Kimberly Scott

Studentselectedahypothesis.
Studentslisted3ormoredetailedobservationsor
drawings.
Datawasplacedintheappropriatelocationondata
table.
Graphisneatandmatchesthedatatable.
Studentansweredthequestionbyselectingtheresult
thatmatchestheirdata.
Studentactivelyparticipated,workedwellinthe
group,journalwasneatlycompletedandshowed
problemsolvingskills.
Studentselectedahypothesis.
Studentlisted12detailedobservationsordrawings.
Dataplacedintheappropriatelocationonthedata
table.
Graphmatchesthedatatable.
Studentansweredthequestionbyselectingtheresult
thatmatchestheirdata.
Studentactivelyparticipated,workedwellinagroup,
andmostofthejournalwasneatlycompleted.
Studentselectedahypothesis.
Studentlisted1observationordrawing.
Mostofthedatawasrecorded.
Datawasgraphedincorrectly
Studentselectedaresultthatdidnotmatchhis/her
data.
Studentshowedinterestintheactivityandeortin
tryingtocompletethejournal.
NoHypothesisselected
Noobservationsordrawingsortheywerenotunder
standable.
Nodatawasrecordedornotunderstandable.
Graphedthedataincorrectlyormissing.
Noanswerselectedinconclusion.
13

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