Resources by Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS)

Having Fun Growing Plants

This activity gives children a chance to bring their own ideas and materials and try to grow some plants from their seeds. Children bring in all kinds of seeds such as: conkers, acorns, and apple pips, provide the conditions for germination and observe them over time to...

Holly Leaves - Themes and Variations

This resource, aimed at primary level and linked to the curriculum area of plants, investigates holly leaves. Designed to be used in an outdoor area where holly plants grow, it provides questions about holly leaves which children may investigate, for example, how many...

How does Light Affect Growing Plants?

This activity investigates what conditions plants need to grow and why lack of light alters plant growth. It is part of a larger resource which looks at plants at primary level, ...

How Fast Does a Root Grow?

In this activity, seeds are grown in Petri dishes so children can make direct observations of the roots as they grow. The activity requires measurements over a number of days, so provides an opportunity to link to numeracy by working out growth rate and representing...

How Healthy Are Your Trees?

This activity is designed to get students thinking about plants as living organisms that have to survive, reproduce and defend themselves against disease. Students begin by cataloguing the health of trees in the area, and can then follow this with a statistical investigation, as suitable for your location and the...

How Science Works - Copper Pollution From Mines

This resource considers how pollution from copper mines affects growth of plants, including a data analysis activity and a practical. The resource aims to address aspects of working scientifically.

The materials...

How Tall Are You in Leaves?

In this resource, aimed at primary level, children take measurements of their height using leaves. Using different sized leaves to measure different children, and then comparing their actual height with that measured in leaves, will help them to see the importance of using standard measurements.

Produced by...

How to Find the Height of a Tree

This resource, aimed at upper primary level, provides six activities to find the height of a tree. Linked to the topics of measurement, geometry and ratio it provides an opportunity for estimating, measuring and calculating. Teachers’ notes are provided which outline each method, along with a children’s worksheet...

Hydroponics

This practical activity outlines how to grow plants hydroponically in the classroom. It aims to give students an understanding of the basic growth needs of plants. It also shows how hydroponics can be utilised to provide food to humans as our population expands.

This technique can be expanded in a number of...

Ideas for Extended Projects with Plants

Produced by Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), this resource suggests a range of ideas for extended investigations into plant growth and physiology. Each suggestion is given a brief description but details of experimental methods are not provided.