Reed Ranch students conduct science experiment, comparing tomato seeds from Earth and space
Reed Ranch Grade 5 / 6 students are “out of this world” with excitement for a science experiment they are working on. The students have planted two sets of tomato seeds in their classroom; one set of regular tomato seeds and one set that has flown on a space shuttle to the International Space Station (ISS) and back to earth.
The students have since been comparing the growth of the “X” and “Y” sets of seeds, without knowing which has been in space.
“I think this opportunity is cool because we get to grow seeds from space. I think it is exciting trying to find out if X or Y tomato seeds are from space,” says Ella H., a Grade 6 student.
“It’s pretty exciting to plant these seeds because what if they look different than the rest?” wonders Carson T., a Grade 5 student.
“The exciting part about it is watching them grow, being able to water them, and looking after them,” says Charlie B., a Grade 6 student.
The idea for the experiment came from Reed Ranch teacher Terry Seidel. He started it for the first time 20 years ago, and has involved students in the project every year since except for during the COVID pandemic.
“I thought it would be interesting for the students to experience, and it fit one of our school goals at the time to be a green school,” says Seidel. “We’ve kept doing the experiment as a part of our unit about space. Also, it definitely captures the students’ interest.”
The seeds come from an organization called Let's Talk Science, which runs the “Tomatosphere” program. The program encourages students to “think and act like scientists as they practice their inquiry skills.” The question students work to answer is “How does exposure to the space environment affect the number of tomato seeds that germinate?”
Once the two sets of seeds arrive at the school, students plant them, then care for the plants as they grow, and participate in measuring and comparing the two sets.
The results are shared with Let’s Talk Science, and ultimately with the Canadian Space Agency and the University of Guelph, to add to a body of data about how space impacts plant growth.
Seidel says it's always a guessing game for the students, and it is often hard to tell the difference between the two sets.
“It was surprising to me that they both seem to be growing about the same,” says Charlie B.
Seidel says the project opens the door to talk about what is currently happening in space research or related current events, such as when a new probe landed on the moon, or when astronauts got stuck at the ISS for nine months and recently returned to Earth.
He finds it gratifying when students connect to the project. For instance, this year one student who doesn’t love to read, really enjoyed the project and has started dreaming about working for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). “You never know,” says Seidel, “but it’s possible a student might go into the space program.”
The class has submitted this year’s experiment results and found out that their results for the seeds that were at the international space station were almost exactly what the national average was. The control seeds from Earth germinated ten percent better than the national average.
The activity created numerous discussions about space travel and Seidel says, “We’re glad the Tomatosphere program is available. It’s great for students to use their natural curiosity to learn.”