Pampered Plant
2ND GRADE
Project Description
Students combine electronics, sensors, and Arduino minicomputer to build and code a plant monitoring station. Students will program their station to indicate the “happiness level” of their plant by measuring the moisture level in the soil and displaying a happy or sad face on an LED grid. They will learn about plant science; how plants use energy from sunlight; how factors such as humidity, temperature, and the level of UV light affect plant growth. Students will experiment with sensors and learn to add them to monitor conditions.
Key Concepts
Plant science; introduction to Arduino and circuitry; binary code and conditionals; integration of sensors and displays.
Students Take Home
Their very own potted plant, complete with their plant monitoring system.
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) support for 2nd grade learners:
Performance Expectations Arrangement(s):
2-LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
2-LS4: Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
Performance Expectations
2-LS2-1: Plan and conduct an investigation to determine if plants need sunlight and water to grow.
2-LS2-2: Develop a simple model that mimics the function of an animal in dispersing seeds or pollinating plants.
2-LS4-1: Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats.