| Lab Name |
Parameters that affect Photosynthesis rate.
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| Subject Area |
Biology, Math
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| Grade |
9
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| Topic |
Scientific inquiry - photosynthesis experiment
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| Experiment Title |
Using sensors to determine relationship between light, leaf size, and photosynthesis rate
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| Hardware |
- COSMOS Toolkit: Computer Node
- COSMOS Toolkit: Mobile Node
- COSMOS Toolkit: IoT Nodes with sensors (i.e., temperature, humidity, polluting dust, luminocity, CO2)
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| Software |
- COSMOS Toolkit: Framework
- Chronograf
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| Number of Sessions to teach the topic |
1-3 sessions (2-3 weeks project)
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| Educational standards to be addressed |
NYS Core Curriculum
- Key Idea 2
Beyond the use of reasoning and consensus, scientific inquiry involves the testing of proposed explanations involving the use of conventional techniques and procedures and usually requiring considerable ingenuity.
- Key Idea 3
The observations made while testing proposed explanations, when analyzed using conventional and invented methods, provide new insights into natural phenomena.
- Key Idea 5
Organisms maintain a dynamic equilibrium that sustains life.
NGSS
- HS-LS1-2
Develop and use a model to illustrate the hierarchical organization of interacting systems that provide specific functions within multicellular organisms.
- HS-LS1-5
Use a model to illustrate how photosynthesis transforms light energy into stored chemical energy.
- HS-LS2-3
Construct and revise an explanation based on evidence for the cycling of matter and flow of energy in ecosystems.
- HS-LS2-5
Develop a model to illustrate the role of various processes in the cycling of carbon among the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere.
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| COSMOS concepts to be used for the lab |
Real-time data, Chronograph formatting of results allow students to quantify relationships between correlate light, leaf size and photosynthetic activity.
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| K12 Educational Goals (How the educational goals are achieved through teaching using the experiment, how the topic is connected to the COSMOS concepts used) |
It develops a number of research-related skills (i.e. assess data and problem solve experiments), as well as understand how organisms are capable of adapting to their environment.
They will develop a number of research-related skills (i.e., assessing Chronograf results and problem-solving experiments).
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| Short Description and Walk-through of the experiment |
- Days 1-3 Student teams grow Brassica rapa plants in a potting container under optimal conditions (http://www.fastplants.org/pdf/growing_instructions.pdf; https://fastplants.org/2017/09/19/physical-environment-blog/)
- Day 4 Student teams spend 10 minutes, using sensors to measure carbon dioxide (CO2) levels just outside of the classroom in the hallway, no plants should be present. They can measure and record this value using several locations in the hallway and calculate the overall average (CO2 levels are approximately 405 parts per million or 0.1% of the atmosphere).
Students then return to the classroom and place the sensor near their light-exposed plants. A large, transparent beaker or bag should be placed over the potted plants and sensor. Students record an average CO2 value for 5 minutes.
Next students measure CO2 absorption per cm2 of plant leaves. (Trace outline of all leaves and calculate area within each (graph grid area = 1 cm2); subtract average CO2 in hallway from CO2 near plant to get CO2 absorption; divide CO2 absorption by total plant leaf surface area).
Students place the same plant back by the window sill or under fluorescent light) for the next 72 hours. (*Don’t forget to keep watering the plants during this time.)
- Day 7 Student teams repeat the activities that they performed on day 4. Students place the same plant back by the window sill or under fluorescent light) for the next 72 hours. (*Don’t forget to keep watering the plants during this time.)
- Day 10 Student teams repeat the activities that they performed on day 4. Students should generate a graph of days of light versus the total surface area of leaves and CO2 absorption (for these last 10 days); both of which should display increasing slopes; results should be significantly improved due to the increased size and leaf count of the growing plant. Students place the same plant back into a cupboard or black bag (hidden from light) for the next 72 hours. (*Don’t forget to keep watering the plants during this time.)
- Day 13 Student teams repeat the activities that they performed on day 4. Students should generate a graph of days of darkness versus the total surface area of leaves and CO2 absorption; both of which should display nearly zero slope due to the lack of light as selective pressure.
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| Testbed mapping of the experiment |
Testbed nodes-sensors can provide real-time data on temperature, humidity, and CO2 and help manage certain fragile or threatened ecosystems.
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