Materials Required:
l 2 identical flowerpots, cut-off milk cartons, or empty margarine tubs—almost any kind of containers in which you can plant, as long as they are identical
l Soil
l 20 bean seeds
l Water
l Bright window
Procedure:
You will have lots of fun doing this experiment, and perhaps be astonished by the results!
- Fill the planters with house plant soil and place 10 bean seeds in each. Cover the seeds with some more soil, then water thoroughly. Label the planters ‘A’ and ‘B’ and place both in a bright window. When the soil feels dry, water your seeds, but make sure each planter receives the same amount of water.
- Care for both sets of plants in the same way except for one thing: Act nice to one set of plants and mean to the other. Every morning and afternoon, greet the seeds in planter A with a big smile and a “Hello.” Tell them how much you love them and how you know they will grow so well. Then make an ugly face and grumble at group B. Tell them they are nothing but dirty old beans.
- Continue this behaviour even after the seeds have sprouted and started growing. After several weeks, see if you notice any differences between the two groups. Has group A grown better?
This Is What Happens:
If you follow the steps in this experiment carefully, you might see that group A sprouts sooner than group B, and grows taller and greener. Scientists who study plants are called botanists, and some botanists believe that plants have feelings similar to humans. One scientist hooked up a lie detector to a plant and the machine responded when the man just thought about hurting the plant! When you are done with this experiment, say you are sorry to group B and that they are really nice beans too.
