A Salt on Germination

Going beyond what most students in 9-12 already know about the factors required to help seeds sprout and grow (water, warmth, substrate), the investigation in "A Salt on Germination" focuses on the practice of calculating how much of a concentrated stock must be used to create a diluted concentration. The solutions are then used in an experiment designed by students to test the rate of germination of seeds and draw conclusions of how salinization can impact agriculture. This investigation may be used in earth science, AP environmental science, biology, and also chemistry classes. An additional component to this lesson is a structured lab group setting with individual roles assigned to each student to create accountability, responsibility, and encourage collaborative communication that mimics professional industry lab groups.