Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hello; my son who is in 7th grade is doing experiment on plants on the move (phototropism), and we wanted to find out if you sell empty milk cartons; he will need 15 of them.

Hi,

Is your son doing this project? It’s a really good one.

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... p041.shtml

Science Buddies is a nonprofit organization that offers resources for kids’ science fair projects, and although we have recently started to include information on science project kits that are available to purchase, we don’t sell items like milk cartons. I would recommend asking neighbors and classmates for help in collecting recycled milk cartons. If you have a neighbor who is a gardener, you might be able to borrow a stack of plastic pots all of the same size. Or, perhaps you could purchase inexpensive disposable paper pots from a plant nursery. Gathering the materials needed for a science project is always challenging.

In my experience, most 7th graders need lots of guidance in completing a science project. Here is the guide for doing a science project, from this website, which includes a very helpful step-by-step guide.

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... l?From=Tab

Please do let us know if you have any other questions about this project.


Donna Hardy

Thank you very much for your response. I'm not sure how this system of 'ask an expert' works; I wasn't sure someone would actually answer back! So then it is necessary to have the actual milk cartons, but the pots you are suggesting have to be opaque and soft enough to be able to punch holes in them, correct?

Hi,

You are welcome! Yes, you need a container that is opaque. Milk cartons are ideal because they are the the right size for the whole plant, and you can punch holes in them to let light through or seal them. If you used a regular pot, you would have to cover the top with a stiff paper bag that you could cut holes in, or perhaps make a paper mache tent to cover the pot. If you used the paper pots, you would probably need two pots, one for the soil and roots and one to invert and place on top of the first pot, or you could put a pot inside a cardboard box and cut holes in the box. Ask your son if he can think of another experimental set up that would meet the requirements for the experiment.

Good luck!

Donna Hardy