1. BES: Research design plans April 16, 2019
Please obtain your laptop and log in to Educurious.
Go to Module 5.1

2. Community Building…it’s been awhile!
Give the person across from you a high five! Say to that person “Tell me one fun thing you did over break?”

3. Warm Up
Log on to Educurious:
Go to Module 5.1
Scroll to the bottom.
Fill in the blanks within the paragraph. Write the words in order in your journal.

4. Designing a Phytoremediation Experiment: Your Research Design Plan

5. What is phytoremediation?
Phytoremediation video clip
Poplar tree phytoremediation

6. Unit Project: Design an experiment to study phytoremediation in Fast Plants
Experiment Constraints:
Zinc and copper are the “toxins” you can use. Suggested amounts to test are:
Copper: 0, 50, 100, 200, 400 mg/liter of H2O
Zinc: 0, 25, 50, 100, 300 mg/liter of H2O 
NOTE: When you add the toxins, is it better to add them to the soil or the water? Why?
You may also want to experiment with variable such as pH, temperature, nitrates, phosphates and water. Ask your teacher what resources are available.
You have 3 different species of Fast Plants (Brassica) to work with. You can use the Brassica plants you grew, or Brassica seeds:
Brassica negra Brassica juncea Brassica rapa
NOTE: To more easily manage the disposal of the toxins used and to more accurately mimic soil contamination by heavy metals, the students should add the toxins to the soil, not to the water tray.
©2018 Educurious Partners. All rights reserved.

7. NOTES 4/16/19: Brainstorm in your journal
What qualities make a plant a good phytoremediator?
(A phytoremediator is a plant that can remove toxins from the soil.)
©2018 Educurious Partners. All rights reserved.

8. What makes a plant a good phytoremediator?
It can absorb and store a toxin. or
It can turn the toxin into something less harmful by breaking it down.
©2018 Educurious Partners. All rights reserved.

9. Brainstorm in your Journal
What kinds of questions can we ask about Fast Plants (Brassica) and phytoremediation?
Does pH affect how Fast Plants can absorb toxins?
What kind of toxins can Brassicas absorb.
What amounts of toxins or heavy metals can Brassicas absorb.
How do metals affect the plant?
Do the toxins stay in the plant?
What should we do with the plant after it has absorbed the toxins?
Explain to students: Note: For your experiment, due to time and cost, you cannot measure the amount of heavy metals your plants do or do not take up. However, you can design your experiment to see what conditions help these plants thrive or not—telling you if they would be a good plant to use for phytoremediation. 
 Is this clear enough without giving too much away?
©2018 Educurious Partners. All rights reserved.

10. Introduction to Research Design Unit Project
Why do scientists need to plan out their experiments BEFORE they do them?
What is the variable I’m going to change?
What is my control (the thing I’m going to compare to)?
How will I set up my experiment?
What materials will I need?
How many trials will I complete?
What do I know about the topic?
Is there a local issue with this topic? Who will it affect?
©2018 Educurious Partners. All rights reserved.

11. Research Design Plan Project Overview
Grade example research design plan using rubric.
Write individual draft research design plan. (Turn in)
Peer review individual research design plans. (With comments and use rubric)
With your team, decide on a research design plan.
Write first draft of team research design plan with your team.
Submit team research design plan for group review.
Revise research design plan based on peer feedback.
©2018 Educurious Partners. All rights reserved.