Main Concepts:

1. Understand the Concept of Photosynthesis

2. Application of Scientific Method

3. Application of Logo programing commands

Objectives:

*The students will follow a set of directions.

* The students will apply the tenets of the Scientific Method to their greenhouse project by placing their greenhouse in different climate settings to determine if the plants in their greenhouse will survive.

* Different plants need different climates, mineral and nutrients in which to grow and flourish.

*The students will apply problem solving techniques to their science experiments.

*The students will design an experiment and use a data collection method to determine the results of the hypothesis.

*The students will learn how to create a project page and use the tools on that page.

Prerequisite Knowledge:

*Familiarity with the Scientific Method

*Familiarity with plants and how they grow

*Familiarity with the process of photosynthesis

*Familiarity with Measuring in metric units

*Familiarity with LEGOs

*Familiarity with the LEGO Command Center programs

*Familiarity with the application of Logo programing commands

*Familiarity with the graphing terminology and mathematical computation

Materials:

*Lego Dacta sets for groups of four (five groups in all)

*Written expectations and assignments (ie journals or log books)

*A list of basic Logo programing commands for the angle and temperature sensors

*Different types of plants and seeds

*Heat lamps, fans, dry ice, and dark boxes to block sunlight to help manipulate the different climate changes

*Metric measurement sticks

* Building project blueprints

* Internet based computers

Procedure:

*Groups will be set up before class and students will be assigned a group.

1. Review the tenets of the scientific method.

2. Using the scientific method, the students will design an experiment using their greenhouses. The experiment should relate to the major concept of photosynthesis.

3. Have students build the greenhouse project and interface it with the computer.

4. Review Logo commands and use of control center.

5. Have the students test out their greenhouse for vent mobility control and accurate temperature and angle measurement readings.

6. Have the students develop their project pages for their greenhouses. Be sure that they can control the vent movements through the use of the command buttons on their respective project pages.

7. Have the students set up their data collection for their hypothesis.

8. Have the students execute the data collection of their hypothesis through the process of observation and plant growth measurement. They should also record the temperature readings of the greenhouse through the temperature sensor and the graphing tool button on their project pages. The students should determine if there is a correlation between the temperature readings and the growth of their plants in the climate. The students can analyze specific data points of their graph through the curve reader and enlargement button. The students should determine how this correlation relates to their hypothesis.

10. Have the student write up their results and present their experimental findings to the group.

Extension:

*Discuss the greenhouse effect .

*Discuss the carbon burial cycle and its realtionship to global warming.