Worksheet

A Growing Station for the Zoo

Use a zoo's lettuce-growing tests to investigate sunlight and water, compare evidence, and improve a growing-station design.

Grade 2ScienceInteractive · Printable

Aligned to2-LS2-1

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What’s included

Single worksheet
Auto-graded online
1 NGSS standard
Printable answer key
13 questions
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Details

Format: Interactive · Printable
Grade: Grade 2
Subject: Science
Question types: Fill in the blank, Multiple choice, Circle the answer, Sorting, Short answer

About this worksheet

What students practice

Students use plant-growth data to investigate the effects of sunlight and water.
Students identify fair comparisons that test sunlight or water.
Students use evidence to judge and improve plant-growing designs.

How to use

Read the zoo test notes together and review the graph scale. Have students use the records to judge designs and explain their final choice.

Curriculum

NGSS standard covered

2-LS2-1

Investigate whether plants need sunlight and water to grow.

Preview

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Name Date

A Growing Station for the Zoo

Use plant tests to judge designs for a lettuce-growing station.

Study the Zoo's Test

Read the test notes. Use the notes and graph to answer the questions.

Lettuce for the Tortoises

A zoo keeper wants a growing station for lettuce that the tortoises can eat. Before building it, the keeper tests three tray designs for 14 days. Each tray holds three young lettuce plants. The plants start about the same size, with the same number of leaves. They have the same kinds of pots and soil.

Tray A gets sunlight and water. Tray B gets no sunlight but gets the same measured amount of water as A each day. Tray C gets sunlight beside A but gets no water. The keeper checks that all three places have the same room temperature and enough air.

The keeper counts each plant's leaves at the start. At the end, the keeper counts how many new leaves have grown. The graph shows the total new leaves for the three plants in each tray. Leaves that were there at the start are not included.

Which claim about the plants is supported by the graph?

A. Tray C grew more new leaves than Tray B.
B. Tray A grew more new leaves than Tray B.
C. Tray B grew as many new leaves as Tray A.
D. Tray C grew as many new leaves as Tray A.

Why did the keeper use plants that started about the same size?

A. To make every plant grow at the same speed.
B. To make the plants need less sunlight.
C. To make watering the plants unnecessary.
D. To make the tray designs fairer to compare.

How many more new leaves grew in Tray A than in Tray B? new leaves

Which pair lets the keeper test water while keeping sunlight the same?

A. Tray A and Tray C
B. Tray A and Tray B
C. Tray B and Tray C
D. Tray B and another tray with no sunlight

Sort the claims. Decide whether the graph gives evidence for each claim.

Tray A grew more new leaves than Tray C.The plants in Tray A were the tallest.Tray B grew some new leaves without sunlight.Every plant in Tray A grew exactly four new leaves.

Supported by the graph	Not supported by the graph

Judge Growing-Station Designs

Use the tray test as evidence. Choose designs that could help the lettuce keep growing new leaves.

Which design does the test give the keeper the best reason to choose?

A. A dark shelf with a daily watering plan
B. A sunny shelf with no watering plan
C. A sunny shelf with a daily watering plan
D. A dark shelf with no watering plan

One design puts plants by a sunny window, but no one is assigned to water them. Which change best addresses the missing plant need?

A. Put the pots farther from the window.
B. Begin with plants that have more leaves.
C. Add a watering job to the keeper's daily list.
D. Use a taller shelf in the same sunny spot.

The keeper will test two watering plans. Circle the TWO choices that help make this a fair test of water.

Give both groups the same amount of sunlight.Use larger plants for the plan with more water.Count new leaves after 14 days for both groups.Use different kinds of soil for the two groups.

The keeper repeats the test with new plants. This time, Tray B gets sunlight as well as water. Based on the first test, what is the best prediction?

A. It will probably grow fewer new leaves than before.
B. It will probably stop growing any new leaves.
C. It will probably grow the same three new leaves.
D. It will probably grow more new leaves than before.

Check the Keeper's Next Plan

Look for fair tests and careful measurements. Use evidence when you explain a design choice.

10.

A helper wants to test only sunlight. The helper gives one group sunlight and water. The other group gets neither. What is wrong with this plan?

A. It changes water and sunlight at the same time.
B. It should use different soil for each group.
C. It should give neither group any water.
D. It keeps the groups too much alike.

11.

In a new test, a tray starts with 12 leaves altogether. It ends with 24 leaves. None of the starting leaves fall off. A helper records 24 NEW leaves.

Fix the helper's count. How many leaves are new? new leaves

12.

A helper says, “Every sunny, watered tray will grow exactly 12 new leaves in 14 days.” Which reply is best?

A. Yes. Every lettuce plant grows at the same speed.
B. Yes. Sunlight makes the leaf count stay the same.
C. No. A new tray may grow a different number of leaves.
D. No. Watered plants cannot grow new leaves again.

13.

The keeper must choose between a sunny, watered shelf and a dark, watered shelf. Which design would you choose for growing new leaves? Use numbers from two trays to explain.