May 19, 2011

Attendance Permission Slips for Day of Service Record Plant Growth on Chart What is hydroponics? Futuristic Farms Article Learning Targets:

Hydroponic gardening is another way to grow seeds Hydroponic gardening has been around for many years List the advantages of hydroponics

Date TopicPage

5/6 Gardening 55

5/10 Seed Dissection 56

5/11 Invasive Species 57

5/13 Photosynthesis 58

5/18 Plants 59

5/19 Hydroponics 60

Table of Contents

Hydroponics 5/19/11 60

Summary:

Seed Growth Chart

Height (cm)

5/6 5/10 5/11 5/13

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

Stage 3

5/18 5/19

Record any changes in your cup. Do you Record any changes in your cup. Do you have growth? If so, measure it in cm. have growth? If so, measure it in cm.

If not, record any care that you have given If not, record any care that you have given today. Water? Dirt? today. Water? Dirt?

What stage of germination do you think your What stage of germination do you think your seed is in right now? Look back at your seed is in right now? Look back at your notes and draw a picture of what stage you notes and draw a picture of what stage you think your seed is.think your seed is.

Plant Journal Day 6

Reproduce

Space

Nutrients(food)

Carbon Dioxide(breath)

Water(hydrated)

Temperature

Biological Needs of Plants

Sunlight photosynthesis

HYDROPONIC PLANT SYSTEMS

Source: www.hydroponicsonline.com

What Is Hydroponics? In Latin, the word hydroponics literally

means "water working”

hydro = water

ponic = working

Hydroponics is the practice of growing plants in a bath of nutrient enriched water, without soil.

History of Hydroponics The First Hydroponic Gardens 600 BC -The Hanging

Gardens of Babylon are believed to be the first successful attempts to grow plants hydroponically.

Ancient Egypt - Ancient Egypt - Along the Nile, hieroglyphic records Along the Nile, hieroglyphic records date back several hundred years BC describing the date back several hundred years BC describing the

growing of plants in water, without soil.growing of plants in water, without soil.

Ancient China - Marco Polo wrote about his travels through China (c1275 -c1292) and described the floating gardens of the Chinese.

Ancient Greece - Theophrastus (327-287 BC) undertook various experiments in crop nutrition. Botanical studies by Dioscorides date back to the first century A.D.

Theophrastus Dioscorides

History (continued): The Floating Gardens of the Aztecs -

In the 11th century in what is now Mexico, soil was taken from the bottom of Lake Tenochtitlan and placed on rafts made of reeds. Plants were placed on the top of the soil so the roots grew down through the mats and into the water below. Some of the Chinampas (rafts) were as long as 200 feet growing vegetables and flowers.

Advantages of Hydroponics Hydroponic gardens are less work because you do not

have soil to till or weeds to pull.

By eliminating the soil in a garden, you eliminate soil borne disease.

Less water is used because none is wasted or

consumed by weeds.

Plants can be spaced closer together so more plants can grow in a smaller space.

Advantages (continued): Hydroponic gardens can be set up anywhere.

Plants grow more rapidly and produce bigger yields because you control the amount of nutrients they receive.

Hydroponic produce is higher in nutritional value than field grown crops.

Hydroponic produce generally tastes better. You can grow your hydroponic plants indoors on a

year-round basis.

As you read the article, look for specific ways that the biological needs of the plants are being met.

• Space

• Sunlight

• Water

• Nutrients

• Carbon Dioxide

• Temperature

• Way to produce offspring

Future Farms

• Summary: What is hydroponic gardening?

List 5 advantages.

• Homework: Permission Slips

• Flipper: Future Farms

Wrap Up