Estimating the Glucose Concentration of a Solution
Produced by Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), in this investigation, students look at the concentration of glucose in isotonic sports drinks. This enables students to see if the drinks are, in fact, isotonic with the blood. In this investigation, students first produce a standard curve by testing glucose solutions of known…
The Effect of Phosphate on the Enzyme Phosphatase
Produced by Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), this investigation looks at end-product inhibition of the enzyme phosphatase. The investigation is designed for students following a Scottish Highers course but it is equally useful for other post-16 courses in biology. This investigation involves an acid phosphatase extracted…
Calculating the Mitotic Index of a Growing Root Tip
Produced by Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), this investigation enables students to investigate the process of mitosis in a growing root tip. The mitotic index is the fraction of cells in a microscope field which contain condensed chromosomes. In this activity students prepare and stain root tips. Garlic cloves, bought…
Respiration Changes During Fruit Ripening and Storage
This practical activity, from Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), investigates the process of respiration. Suggestions are given for looking at different fruits or vegetables and measuring the respiratory rate during the ripening process. Possible investigations include: • Does the rate of respiration vary during the…
Competitive and Non-competitive Enzyme Inhibition
Produced by Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), this activity enables students to investigate the effect of competitive and non-competitive inhibitors on the enzyme beta-galactosidase. The chemical ONPG (o-nitrophenyl beta-D-galactopyranoside) is degraded by the enzyme beta-galactosidase. The product is yellow and so the…
Investigating Enzymes: Inhibition of Catechol Oxidase in Bananas
One of a series of resources from Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS) investigating key topics in plant biology. In this practical, student investigate how lead inhibits catechol oxidase, an enzyme which is easily extracted from a banana and which is responsible for turning fruit brown. Measuring the intensity of the brown colour…
Fruit Juice Production and Enzyme Recovery
Produced by Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), in this investigation, students look at the effectiveness of enzymes used in the commercial production of fruit juices. Fruit juice companies use enzymes to break down the cells walls within the fruits and release the liquids and the sugars which make up the fruit. Pectinases,…
The Effects of Mineral Concentrations on Plant Growth
Produced by Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), this activity enables students to investigate the effects of different concentrations of nitrates, phosphates and potassium on the growth of radish seedlings. After sowing, the radish seedlings are kept well watered, in a warm temperature under constant illumination. The investigation…
What Determines the Number of Spines on a Holly Leaf?
Produced by Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), this activity enables students to: • develop knowledge and understanding of structural defence mechanisms in plants • develop problem solving skills • demonstrate the processing of information and use of calculations The investigation looks how the number of…
Induction of the Lac Operon in E.coli
Produced by Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), this activity enables students to look at the induction of the lac operon in the bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli). Lactose is found in milk but not in many other environments. The enzyme, beta-galactosidase breaks down lactose to glucose and galactose. E.coli switch on the…
Investigating Factors Affecting Photosynthesis Using Leaf Discs
One of a series of resources from Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS) investigating key topics in plant biology. An enjoyable and reliable practical activity allowing students to compare factors affecting photosynthesis. Possible investigations could include the rate of photosynthesis in sun and shade plants, and at different…
The Effects of IAA on Root Growth
Produced by Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), this activity enables students to investigate the effects of the plant hormone indole acetic acid (IAA) on root growth in mustard seedlings. Different concentrations of IAA appear to have differing effects on root growth. These effects may vary from one species to another but…
Stomatal Opening and Closing in Commelina Communis
Produced by Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), this investigation looks at stomatal opening and closing in Commelina communis (Asiatic dayflower). This is achieved by varying the turgor of the guard cells by bathing lower epidermal peels in solutions of different osmotic strengths. Changes in guard cell turgor results in changes…
Investigating Phototropism: The Response of Seedlings to Light
One of a series of resources from Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS) investigating key topics in plant biology. This activity offers a simple way to investigate phototropism: the response of seedlings to different wavelengths of light. This technique will help students investigate this tropic response, using seedlings in film…
Doubling and Dabbling in Duckweed
Produced by Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), the investigations suggested in this resource use duckweeds. These seem to be simple plants - small, green, and with no flowers. However, this simplicity makes them ideal experimental organisms for investigations into a variety of environmental topics such as the effects of pollution…
Growing Pollen Tubes
One of a series of resources from Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS) investigating key topics in plant biology. An enjoyable and thought-provoking introduction to the topic of sexual reproduction in plants. Students observe in real time the growth of a pollen tube, over the course of a lesson. When a pollen grain is released…
The Response of Leaf Discs to Green Light
Produced by Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), this investigation enables students to investigate the response of leaf discs from sun and shade plants to green light Leaf discs from a sun plant and a shade plant are put in a sodium hydrogen carbonate solution. The rate of photosynthesis is seen by how long it takes the leaf…
Gel Electrophoresis of DNA
Produced by Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), this activity enables students to look at the gel electrophoresis of DNA treated with restriction enzymes. It will help to develop a knowledge and understanding of the cutting of DNA with restriction enzymes. In the experiment, a batch of DNA is digested by two different restriction…
Investigating Seed Germination
One of a series of resources from Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS) investigating key topics in plant biology. This activity allows students to investigate many factors that influence seed germination, including temperature, light, nutrient levels, pollutant effects, tropisms and so on. It provides a convenient, cheap and replicable…
Investigating Plant Growth: Growing Radishes in Film Cans
One of a series from Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS) investigating key topics in plant biology. This practical introduces a simple method to grow radishes, for investigations into the effect of a range of factors on plant growth, including levels of pollutants, nutrients, or light levels and temperature. Students use radish…
Investigating Enzymes: Phosphatase Enzymes in Plants
One of a series of resources from Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS) investigating key topics in plant biology. A standard protocol which is used to extract phosphatase enzymes from plants, including a method to calculate the rate of reaction. Investigations using this protocol can be found on the Science & Plants for Schools…
TLC for Plant Pigments Involved in Photosynthesis
One of a series of resources from Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS) investigating key topics in plant biology. This reliable and enjoyable practical gives students the opportunity to observe the different pigments involved in photosynthesis using thin layer chromatography (TLC). A low-cost method to get the most out of TLC…
Investigating Photosynthesis: Can Leaf Discs Make Starch in the Dark?
One of a series of resources from Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS) investigating key topics in plant biology. In this practical activity, students to investigate the role of light in starch production in leaves during the process of photosynthesis. By using leaf discs rather than whole leaves, a number of common misconceptions…
Investigating Enzymes: Microscale Investigations with Catalase
One of a series of resources from Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS) investigating key topics in plant biology. A simple yet accurate protocol looking at the results of the enzyme catalase. Catalase is a widespread enzyme, protecting the cell from toxic effects of hydrogen peroxide by catalysing its decomposition into molecular…
Investigating Plant Growth Regulators
One of a series of resources from Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS) investigating key topics in plant biology. In this activity, students investigate the effects of the hormone auxin (Indole Acetic Acid or IAA) as a plant growth regulator, giving opportunities to look at auxiliary bud development, root development, and leaf…
Concentrations and Dilutions: a Survival Guide
This resource from Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS) is presented as a survival guide for students, describing how to handle numbers correctly, standard form, the use of scientific calculators, the definition of a mole, calculating molarity, Avogadro’s number, how to express concentrations and how to calculate dilutions.…