Description
Modern farming is changing rapidly and relying more on hydroponics than ever before. This STEM challenge tackles the properties of hydroponic gardens, substrates, and return on investment in 1 easy-to-use activity. Students first explore hydroponic substrate, learn the factors needed to grow plants hydroponically, and develop their own hydroponic substrate model. They then build a model based on what they learned. Once they are familiar with the concept of hydroponic substrates, student groups are challenged by celebrity chef Chuck Thacker to develop the most cost-effective way to grow greens for his restaurant. The winning design is determined by how much plant growth occurs in 1 week relative to the cost of the substrate students choose. This STEM challenge addresses the Next Generation Science Standards®, MS-ETS1-3. Materials are sufficient for 32 students working in 8 groups of 4.
*Next Generation Science Standards® is a registered trademark of WestEd. Neither WestEd nor the lead states and partners that developed the Next Generation Science Standards were involved in the production of this product, and do not endorse it.
FREE 1-year access to digital resources that support NGSS instruction included.