Example Scenario
One way to kick off the Tomatosphere™ Seed Investigation is by presenting students with a fictional scenario that provides an explanation as to why some tomato seeds might have been exposed to space or space-like conditions.
What Could Happen to the Tomato Seeds?
An Orion spacecraft with astronauts aboard is heading to Mars. On the outside of the spacecraft are several storage units for supplies and other important equipment. The stowage units are sealed and have pressure and temperature conditions like those inside the spacecraft.
The astronauts suddenly hear an alarm indicating a problem with one of the external storage units. They perform a spacewalk a few days later to investigate the problem and find that one of the storage units has been punctured by a micrometeorite. It is the storage unit that contains the tomato seeds to be used to grow food on Mars.
The hole in the storage unit is sealed up, but the seeds were exposed to the harsh space environment (-80oC and almost no atmospheric pressure) for several days. Yikes! Although the storage unit has been repaired, the astronauts are now wondering "How will this affect the seeds that will be used to grow tomatoes on the surface of Mars?"
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Templates
The Tomatosphere™ Seed Investigation provides many opportunities for students to develop inquiry skills. Below are some quick links to ready-to-use templates that students can use when they participate in the Seed Investigation. They are organized by skill.
Planning
- Seed Investigation - Planning Steps Organizer (pdf)
- Seed Investigation - 5Ws and an H Inquiry Planning (pdf)
Predicting
Observing
Using Appropriate Vocabulary
- Seed Investigation: Key Concept Exploration - Germination (pdf)
- Seed Investigation: Vocabulary Preview (pdf)
Displaying Data
Extend the Investigation
Suggested Investigation Questions
- Are there any differences in growth and vigour between the plants from the two seed treatments?
- How does the quantity of water affect plant growth?
- How does the application of fertilizer affect plant growth?
- How does the duration of light affect the time for tomato fruit to reach maturity?
- How do different types of light (e.g., natural light, fluorescent light bulbs, black light, etc.) affect plant growth?
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