Grow Eggshell Grass Heads
In this science experiment, kids will investigate how seeds grow while making adorable growing art projects. This is a great activity to do in spring, especially around Easter.
Seeds come in all shapes and sizes, and usually remain dormant until the right conditions are present: water, correct temperature and ideal environment (such as soil). Seeds are remarkably similar to eggs – they both have everything inside needed to grow and emerge beyond the shell. Also like animals, the baby plant inside a seed is called an embryo. When a seed germinates, it first produces roots, then begins to grow a stem and leaves. The embryo feeds on the contents of the seed until its leaves are large enough to make food through photosynthesis. The germination stage ends when the leaves poke through the surface of the soil.
Materials
- foam sheet or heavy paper - 1 - 1 of this item per student
- roll of tape
- plastic egg halves - 1 of this item per student
- potting soil - 2-3 tablespoon per student
- seeds (grass works best) - 1/4 teaspoon per student
- googlie eyes - 2 per student
- stickers, cutouts or other decorations
- water
Instructions
Bend the 1" x 5" strip into a ring wide enough to support the base of your plastic egg and secure with tape. Fill your egg about 2/3 full with soil and add a few seeds, then cover the seeds with about ¼” additional soil. Rest the egg on the ring. Now decorate as desired to make the ring look like a collar and the egg look like a face. The seed sprouts will eventually make the egg look like it has hair. Spritz the seeds with water and place your grasshead in a sunny window. Be sure to keep the seedlings evenly moist, but not soggy. Depending on the seeds you used, you should see sprouts within a week or two.
Substitutions:
Try using clean and dry egg shell halves if you don't have plastic eggs.
Soak and grow small dried beans if you don't have grass seeds, or collect and grow seeds from your garden or backyard.
