We love Spring! With the temperatures creeping up, we’re sure you and your kiddos are spending more and more time outside. There are so many changes happening in the world this time of year – in particular, plants are starting to grow and flourish. This week’s STEAM Saturday project is an awesome combination of engineering and science that will help your budding botanist learn about how seeds sprout into plants!
To make your Sprout House, you’ll need:
- 4 Plain Sponges
- Scissors
- Toothpicks
- Hot Glue Gun (optional)
- A Plate
- Seeds Of Your Choice (recommended: wheat berries, chia, and alfalfa seeds sprout quickly)
Select one sponge as the base and lay it flat on your plate. Cut another sponge in half to form two of the walls of your Sprout House. To form the other walls, cut your third sponge in half, and then cut one of those halves in half again. Finally, cut your fourth sponge in half to make your roof. Now that you’ve got all of your elements, let’s assemble your Sprout House!
Stick toothpicks in the sides and bottom of each wall, with approximately one-half inch of toothpick sticking out to attach the walls to the floor and to one another. You may need to step in and help your child with this part. Hot glue can be used optionally to make your Sprout House sturdier. Use toothpicks and/or hot glue again to secure your roof in place.
Once your house is built, it’s time to cover it in seeds! If you’re using chia seeds, it’s best to add a bit of water to the seeds to make a kind of slurry. The seeds absorb the water and become gummy, creating a paste that allows it to be easily spread over your sponges.
Once your seeds are spread, add some water to your plate to keep your bottom sponge wet, then spray the roof and walls. Now, you watch, water, and wait! Keep your sponges watered – it’s best to check them a couple of times a day to make sure they don’t dry out.
How long does it take for your seeds to sprout? Is it the same for all of the seed types, or is each one different? What do they look like as they sprout? How quickly do the sprouts grow?
Check out this full activity and the science behind seeds from The STEM Laboratory HERE!
As always, get as creative as you want, and above all, have lots of fun learning together!
We’ll see you right back here next Saturday for another STEAM Saturday activity! Scroll through the rest of our website to learn how Critchlow Adkins is Building Brighter Futures for the children and families we serve!
