Eighth Grade, Plant Biology Science Projects (Page 2)

How Vines Find Their Spines: Thigmotropism in Morning Glory Tendrils

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

We tend to think of plants as immobile, but the tendrils of a vine, such as the morning glory, actually move in response to touch. Tendrils wrap around structures, which give the plant something to grow on. In this science fair project, you will investigate how plant tendrils respond to touch stimuli. Read more

Growing Great Gardens: Using Human Urine as a Fertilizer

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Every day farmers around the world apply commercial fertilizer to their fruits and vegetables to improve plant health and yield. But applying commercial fertilizer is expensive and not economically possible for some farmers in developing countries. What if they could find a way to fertilize plants cheaply? It turns out that human urine is rich in the nutrients that plants need to grow. Could urine serve as a fertilizer substitute? Find out for yourself in this plant growth science project. Read more

Harmful or Helpful? The Effects of Hydrogen Peroxide on the Roots of Plant Cuttings & on Seed Germination

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Hydrogen peroxide (often used as a disinfectant) has also been approved for use in pesticides. This science fair project investigates whether hydrogen peroxide has any effects on seed germination or on roots of plant cuttings. Read more

Rad Radishes: Effects of Irradiation on Seed Germination

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

DNA is the "instruction manual" for the successful growth of a living thing, from a single cell to a mature adult. When the DNA of an organism is somehow damaged, it can have an impact on the organism's development over time. In this plant science fair project, you will track how irradiation (exposure to radiation) of radish seeds affects germination (sprouting of a seedling from a seed). Read more

Experiment with Factors that Affect Roundup® Weed Killer

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Farmers are constantly battling various types of weeds that compete with the crops they are trying to grow. One of the tools they use to combat unwanted plants is a chemical called glyphosate. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Roundup, a widely used weed killer. In this plant biology science fair project, you will explore the factors that affect the activity of glyphosate. Read more

A Toxic Test: Can Plants Be Genetically Resistant to Heavy Metals?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever wondered why a plant that grows well in one environment may not survive in a different environment? For example, plants that grow well in a wet jungle would probably not do so well in a dry desert, lacking enough water. This is because plants have adapted to their specific environment. Some plants have even adapted to tolerate chemicals that would usually be toxic, such as various heavy metals. In this plant biology science project, you will investigate whether different varieties… Read more

Are Soil Microorganisms Important for Plant Health?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Soil may look like a bunch of dirt, but good quality soil is actually a complex mixture of dirt, nutrients, microorganisms, insects and worms. What type of benefit do these microorganisms offer a growing plant? You can test this by baking soil in the oven to sterilize and kill the microorganisms. Do plants grown in sterile soil do better than plants in unsterilized soil? What about adding worms to one plant, but not to the other. Will the plant with worms grow better? Some insects are bad… Read more

Bacteria Can Fix It! A Comparison of Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria and Nitrogen Fertilizers

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Do you know what plants need to grow? Sure, they need soil, water, and sunshine. Everyone knows that. But here's a secret: they also need nitrogen. Plants use nitrogen to make DNA in their cells and the proteins that lead to healthy stems and leaves. The problem is, although the Earth's atmosphere is made up of 78% nitrogen, the form of nitrogen found in the atmosphere cannot be used by plants. So how do plants get their nitrogen? Either through nitrogen deposits in the soil, or through… Read more

Chlorophyll Extraction

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Chlorophyll is a natural pigment found in green plants. It is the primary pigment that absorbs light energy from the sun for photosynthesis. This energy is then used by the plant to synthesize glucose from carbon dioxide and water. Chlorophyll in the leaves of plants can be extracted and separated using chromatography. A good source of chlorophyll for an extraction is a dark green leafy vegetable like spinach. Rub a fresh spinach leaf on the bottom of a strip of filter paper. You can get a… Read more

Cryopreservation: Freezing Plant Tissues

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Cryopreservation—storing seeds in ultra-cold liquid nitrogen—is one method for maintaining plant genetic stocks in seed banks. Can seeds withstand a really deep freeze and still germinate? Read more

Eighth Grade, Plant Biology Science Projects (27 results)

Explore Our Science Videos