When you receive your Fast Plants Packet... Quietly begin reading the contents of the packet to yourself… Follow along with this PowerPoint to fill in critical vocabulary to understanding your Fast Plants growth and development.

Fast plants are a variety of the species Brassica rapa… You may recognize some of the Fast Plant’s cousins. All of these plants are members of the same species: Brassica oleracea

Page 1

What to expect from your Fast Plants Today (Day 0): Your seeds Tomorrow and Wednesday (Days 1 & 2): Seed Germination Radicle Page 2

What to expect from your Fast Plants Thursday and Friday (Days 3 & 4): Your seedling Root Root hairs Cotyledon Hypocotyl Page 2

What to expect from your Fast Plants Over the weekend (Days 4 through 6) The hypocotyls will extend as the plant seeks light Page 2

What to expect from your Fast Plants Monday (Day 7): The developing plant True leaves Shoot Meristem Page 3

What to expect from your Fast Plants Page 3 Nodes (where the leaves are attached) Internode

CO 2 O2O2O2O2 Page 3 Leaves contain many pores (called stomata)

Page 3 Chloroplasts contain a green pigment called chlorophyll

Glucose! Page 3

What to expect from your Fast Plants Week 3 (Days 14-20): The flower is ready to pollinate Pistil Stamens Petals Sepals Page 4

What to expect from your Fast Plants Pollinating with Bees Thorax of bee Where is the pollen on the plant? Where does it need to be deposited? The stamens The pistil Page 4

What to expect from your Fast Plants Fertilization has occurred Developing Fruit Developing seeds Page 5

Harvesting your seeds What to expect from your Fast Plants Moist Paper TowelEvenly scatter seeds on paper towel Where should these seeds be kept?A cool, dark place Page 5

1. Requirements for Growing 24-hour lightingThere must be 24-hour lighting from cool fluorescent bulbs The light must be 5 – 10 centimeters above the tallest plant On the bottom of page 5 of your Fast Plants Handbook

constant water sourceThere must be a constant water source Your plants will rest on top of a self-watering system like this one.Your plants will rest on top of a self-watering system like this one. 2. Requirements for Growing

Room temperatureRoom temperature Between 65° and 78° F 3. Requirements for Growing

Consistent source of nutritionConsistent source of nutrition 4. Requirements for Growing 2 – 3 Fertilizer pellets per planting cell

Planting Materials Formulated soil Pelletized fertilizer Quad Wicks Anti-algal squares Labels Watering mat & watering system

Your group will plant one quad, which consists of four smaller cells Push the wicks into each cell, so that they extend through the bottom of the quad by about one centimeter Directions for Growing

Fill each cell half full with moist potting soil Add three fertilizer pellets to each cell. Add more soil to fill each cell. Do not pack the soil! Use your finger to make a 4 mm depression in the soil. Drop three seeds into the soil of each cell. Cover seeds with enough soil so the seeds are not visible. Directions for Growing

Label your quad with one pot label. Water gently with pipette until water drips from each wick. Place the quad on the water mat. Water with the pipette for the first three days to ensure adequate moisture for germination. Directions for Growing

Monitoring the Growth of your Fast Plants