Carrots

This experiment is based around growing the biggest carrots.

the carrot field

pulling up all the carrots in the sample plot

flags are used to show where each plot is

BIG carrots!

Sometimes we get unusual carrots...

What happens...

An area is marked out and all the carrots in that area is harvested (gathered) and counted.
The carrots go back to the shed where they are weighed (fresh weight) and the area of the leaves is measured. Then the carrots and their leaves are put into ovens to dry. After a few days they are weighed again (dry weight). This data is put into the computer so it can be analysed and compared to earlier harvests. The scientist then has a pattern to carrot growth over several weeks. He can then use this information to answer the question "Did what we did (treatments) to the carrots make a difference?"

Counting emergence

I have three experiments set up in different temperatures. Each day I count each pot to see how many plants have emerged. There are 243 pots to count with 50 seeds in each.

Can you tell which seeds are carrots, beetroot and onions?

The end of the maize!

I went back to maize today. It has completely dried out and is ready to be cut down so the land can be cleared. There was talk of using machetes, but this sounded too dangerous. Fortunately a rotary chopper was found. It does a similar job to a set of hair dresser’s clippers. While someone ran the chopper down cutting two rows at a time, one of our team was either side coaxing the stalks to fall away from the chopper with a couple of long sticks. All the fallen maize then had to be shifted away from the row so it was clear for the chopper to pass by again. It was a tough job physically and we were all very tired by the end.

 

the dry maize

the edge of the maize field, with half done

every stalk of maize has to pick and moved away from the edge

it was very tiring work!

During the winter the field will have a rest, probably just with grass, and by next spring the field will be ready for another crop experiment.

 

 

 

Doubles or singles...

One thing I have noticed when counting the emerging plants is that I count more than 50 beetroot plants. This odd since there are only 50 seeds...

When I asked I was told this happens. Any idea why?

Part of my temperature experiment is to find out how many seeds will produce two plants. So every two days I pick out all the beetroot plants and seeds from the soil and count the doubles.

Unfortunately I am discovering that once the plant discards the seed the doubles then become singles (the seed is the link that holds them together). The trick is to check the emerging plants before this happens. A lot of trialling to find this moment.

Once the pant can fend for itself it gets rid of the green seed

The plants taken from the soil to check for doubles

This experiment will need to be adapted. Do I count everyday? Or do I put each seed in its own container so I can see if one seed will produce two plants or one? How else could I find out?

Science is...

Plant and Food Research has a website called 'iplant'. On it is lots of information about what is happening around the country around plant and food research. On it I found this interesting statement:

Science is done by prediction, test, observation and repeat.

So much of what I have seen here totally supports this!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Too many seeds and not enough time...

MY germination experiment has to be set up 5 times at different temperatures. I have only managed to set up one as I only have one temperature cabinet. Fortunately I managed to have access to two other temperature control rooms for 10 days. This means I can set up two other temperatures at 20 degrees and 25 degrees. But this means  I need to count out 252 samples of 50 seeds each (and measure each sample), prepare 32kg of sifted soil, and label 252 pots. This is all before I can plant the seeds.

Fortunately, by Friday I was ready to plant. Lucky for me I had a couple of helpers (by myself it would take at least 4 days).

It still took three of us 2 days, as we used Monday as well.

So now I wait for 18,900 seeds to germinate and their plants to start emerging. As they do, I count them and record on which day they emerged. Which temperature do you think the seeds will germinate the quickest in? 15 degrees, 20 degrees or 25 degrees?

planting seeds again...

Spent the past 2 days planting 6300 seeds one at a time with tweezers. Not a physical or intellectual activity but very tiring still. Probably because I had to concentrate for such a long time.

Step 1: label the pottles and match with the correct seed packet

Step 2: Put 100g soil into the pottle

 

Step 3: Carefully pick up each seed and place into the pottle

Carrot

Beetroot

Onion

 

Step 4: cover the seeds with soil, weigh the pottle again and put the lid on.

81 container with 50 seeds each...

Now for the next experiment which involved another 45 pottles but just with beetroot...
 

Dunedin Leadership Course

The whole purpose of the Primary Science Fellowship programme is to produce science curriculum leaders in primary schools.
As part of this, we spent a week in Dunedin developing our understanding of what makes a leader and how we can use this knowledge to develop our own leadership qualities. We were given a lot of research on different leadership models, as well as a list of our own traits. We reflected on these and shared our experiences and goals with each other. It was a very valuable experience.
One activity we had during the week was a tour around Dunedin. We were taken around in classic jaguar cars. The one I was in was a 1971 Daimler Limousine. In its life it has had many famous people like Queen Elizabeth and Nelson Mandela in it. Quite a special car.

The Limo

 

 

The Dunedin Railway Station

St Clair Beach

 

Rock garden...

Found some massive rocks outside Te Papa, wish I could bring them home...

Teaching science

27-28 February

Spent 2 days in Wellington improving my knowledge and skills in the teaching of science.
During our course we explored the NZ Curriculum, focusing on science of course! We were shown lots of simple experiments  and several science education websites we can use. Lots of great ideas to take back to school...

One activity we did was take some photos around Wellington that showed science. Can you see why I took these photos...?