Do Plants really need Soil?
(I) This activity introduces students to hydroponics, a special way to grow plants without soil. Hydroponic systems have been tested in space because they offer a soil-free way of delivering nutrients to plants in space. In some designs, the plant roots wrap around porous ceramic tubes that continuously deliver water and nutrients to the plants. Hydroponic garden activities have a great deal of potential. Students can grow the same plants in soil and in the hydroponic system and compare certain characteristics or features of the plants that result. They could even grow vegetables and have a tasting party to determine if they detect a difference in taste! Students can be assigned sides of a debate – growing plants in soil vs. growing plants with hydroponics – what are the pros and cons? They will find that there are some strong opinions out there! And of course, anything grown in your classroom hydroponically could be used as part of a service or beautification project that allows stude
