Skip to content

What? No Soil?

After learning the five basic requirements of plant growth, students discuss terms related to hydroponics. Students then build and maintain hydroponic units from soda bottles.

Grades
6 – 8
Estimated Time
60 minutes
Updated
February 2, 2024
lettuce plant in hydroponic system
Image: sippakorn/Pixabay

Background

Lesson Activities

Credits

Author

Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom

Sources

Adapted from Technology, Life and Careers Agricultural Science and Technology Instructional Guide, project of the Utah State Office of Education. Protect Director Richard M Joerger, PhD., developed and written by Brenda Mager and Kari Osterhout, 1995.

Bugbee, Bruce and Gus Koerner. Teaching Hydroponic Science. “Inexpensive Hydroponic Teaching Methods” by David R. Hershey. (27-33)

Hershey, David R. “Solution Culture Hydroponics: History and Inexpensive Equipment.” The American Biology Teacher, Volume 56, No. 2, Feb 94 (111-118).

Standards

National Content Area Standards

  • Career & Technical Education
    • AFNR (Grades 6-8): Plant Science Systems Career Pathway
      • PS.03.01: Demonstrate plant propagation techniques in plant system activities.
  • Science
    • MS-ETS1: Engineering Design
      • MS-ETS1-1: Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
    • MS-LS1: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
      • MS-LS1-5: Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms.
      • MS-LS1-6: Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for the role of photosynthesis in the cycling of matter and flow of energy into and out of organisms.
      • MS-LS1-7: Develop a model to describe how food is rearranged through chemical reactions forming new molecules that support growth and/or release energy as this matter moves through an organism.
    • MS-LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
      • MS-LS2-5: Evaluate competing design solutions for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services.