Students Try To Grow Plants On Mars-like Soil
Students try to grow plants on Mars-likesoilBy Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, adapted by Newsela staff on 11.12.15Word Count 878UW-Stout student Molly Beaghan of Houghton, Michigan, waters plants in the "Hab," or habitat, which contains ChippewaCounty soil. The soil turned reddish after it was heated to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit to decompose the organic material.Brett T. Roseman/UW-StoutMILWAUKEE, Wis. — Thanks to two professors from the University of Wisconsin-Stout,some lucky students are getting a truly out-of-this-world experience.The professors, one a geologist and the other an ecologist, re-created the dusty surface ofMars to help their students better learn about life on the planet. They constructed an areato resemble Mars in a dirt lab and a greenhouse on the university campus. Their goal wasto help students explore the plot of “The Martian,” Hollywood’s blockbuster space movieabout what it takes to support life and grow food on Mars.To recreate the surface, the professors gathered about 400 pounds of glacial subsoil fromnearby. They cooked the soil at 1,000 degrees for about two hours to kill off all lifesustaining organic materials.This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.1
Then they challenged their students to figure out what to add so potatoes could grow inthe reddish-orange soil. This particular soil was lacking in the good stuff that soil on Earthnaturally contains, similar to what Mars is really like. One group of the students were in asoil science and conservation class.Tackling Complex ProblemsThis was a hands-on experience by all accounts. Students didn’t learn by memorizingfacts and definitions of soil science. Rather, they tackled a complex problem that requiredthem to apply critical thinking to foundation knowledge in order to find solutions. Then theyplayed the what-if game as they began to understand how all the pieces fit together.“It’s like taking a fun toy apart to see how it works, and then putting it back together,” saidMatt Kuchta, a UW-Stout professor of biology and geologist who teaches the soil scienceand conservation class.“The Martian,” starring Matt Damon as an astronaut stranded on Mars, is a hit in the movietheaters across the country. It’s based on a 2011 science fiction novel by Andy Weir. Andwhile the elaborate technical details are accurate, the parts about the wind on Mars arefiction.While Mars is famous for being inhospitable for any kind of life, the astronaut in the movieis a resourceful botanist who figures out how to grow food in a covered habitat with everybit of bio-matter he can find. He uses various things, from food scraps to his own waste,combined with a little bit of water. His goal is to survive until he can be rescued.Kuchta, the professor, started reading the book the movie is based on last January, andquickly realized the plot was almost entirely based on soil science.“One of the goals for the human race is to explore and view other worlds,” Kuchta said. “Itstruck me as a perfect theme to help students understand concepts of soil science, andnot just rural agriculture. It’s important if we want high yields of corn or soybeans, butunderstanding the soil system also is important to manage a forest or conserve a prairiehabitat.”Simulated Martian Soil . From Chippewa CountyKuchta actually got the idea to simulate the soil on Mars from his father, a high schoolbiology and chemistry teacher with an environmental science background. Kuchta took hisadvice to use glacial subsoil locally from Chippewa County, which he then sterilized withhigh temperatures. The subsoil is soil from below the surface, consisting of sand, gravel,silt and clay dropped by melting glaciers tens of thousands of years agoMandy Little, a professor of biology who is married to Kuchta, also helped with theexperiment.This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.2
Her students added composted garden soil from decayed organic matter, like vegetablesor leaves, to the "Martian" soil in an attempt to grow potatoes. They faced manychallenges, including the fact that many of the potatoes rotted because of diseases in thecomposted soil.The class started with a clean slate and watched how plants extract water from the soil;how microorganisms interact with organic and mineral components of soil; and what kindsof minerals are present and provide important nutrients for plant life.“It’s all about understanding how the system works and being able to make predictionsbased on how the soil system will respond to various changes,” Kuchta said.Everything Is ConnectedEarth’s soil system is interconnected with the biosphere in which living organisms arefound. Gases are exchanged between the soil and the atmosphere, and rain in theatmosphere has an impact. These different elements can break down fragments of rocksand minerals in the soil system, which then connects to geology.Some students suggested adding hair to the soil because that's something that would beavailable to someone isolated on another planet. They also thought about adding foodscraps and bits of clothing.They didn’t use human waste to fertilize the soil, like in the movie. Instead, they used wormdroppings called casings.Making Science AccessibleThe first class assignment was to read the first chapter of the book online. The professorsalso showed their classes the trailer for “The Martian” movie.“I want them to be interested in science and have it be accessible,” Little said.Scientists don't have all the answers when they first tackle a problem. Seeing firsthand howscientists do research, develop theories and make informed decisions about their workwith limited information, helps students understand the role science plays in society, shesaid.This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.3
Quiz12Which opinion would the scientists in the article be MOST LIKELY to agree with?(A)Teachers should always use insights from movies to teach students.(B)Students never learn from books; they need real-world experiences to learn.(C)If you design an experiment correctly from the beginning, you will besuccessful with your result.(D)The best way to learn science is by investigating real problems likescientists do.Read the selection from the article.Thanks to two professors from the University of Wisconsin-Stout, somelucky students are getting a truly out-of-this-world experience.Which of the following can be inferred from the selection above?3(A)The article describes a practice that is actually quite commonplace inschools.(B)The article describes a practice that should not be allowed in schools.(C)The article describes a practice that is unusual in schools.(D)The article describes a practice that is controversial, but ultimately good forthe students.Read the selection from the article.While Mars is famous for being inhospitable for any kind of life, theastronaut in the movie is a resourceful botanist who figures out how togrow food in a covered habitat with every bit of bio-matter he can find.Which of the following could BEST replace the word "inhospitable" This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.4
4Read the selection from the article.Kuchta actually got the idea to simulate the soil on Mars from hisfather, a high school biology and chemistry teacher with anenvironmental science background. Kuchta took his advice to useglacial subsoil locally from Chippewa County, which he then sterilizedwith high temperatures.Which answer choice is the BEST substitute for "simulate" as used s article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.5
Answer Key12Which opinion would the scientists in the article be MOST LIKELY to agree with?(A)Teachers should always use insights from movies to teach students.(B)Students never learn from books; they need real-world experiences to learn.(C)If you design an experiment correctly from the beginning, you will besuccessful with your result.(D)The best way to learn science is by investigating real problems likescientists do.Read the selection from the article.Thanks to two professors from the University of Wisconsin-Stout, somelucky students are getting a truly out-of-this-world experience.Which of the following can be inferred from the selection above?3(A)The article describes a practice that is actually quite commonplace inschools.(B)The article describes a practice that should not be allowed in schools.(C)The article describes a practice that is unusual in schools.(D)The article describes a practice that is controversial, but ultimately good forthe students.Read the selection from the article.While Mars is famous for being inhospitable for any kind of life, theastronaut in the movie is a resourceful botanist who figures out how togrow food in a covered habitat with every bit of bio-matter he can find.Which of the following could BEST replace the word "inhospitable" his article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.6
4Read the selection from the article.Kuchta actually got the idea to simulate the soil on Mars from hisfather, a high school biology and chemistry teacher with anenvironmental science background. Kuchta took his advice to useglacial subsoil locally from Chippewa County, which he then sterilizedwith high temperatures.Which answer choice is the BEST substitute for "simulate" as used s article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.7
“It’s like taking a fun toy apart to see how it works, and then putting it back together,” said Matt Kuchta, a UW-Stout professor of biology and geologist who teaches the soil science and conservation class. “The Martian,” starring Matt Damon as an astronaut stranded on Mars, is a hit in the movie theaters across the country.
Lesson 1: What Plants Need . This lesson is the firstlesson in a series that introduces children in Year 1 to the world of plants. Children will understand that plants need warmth, light andwater in order to grow. They will look at the ideal conditions for plants and will grow their own plants from seeds.
plants including deciduous and evergreen trees. Seasonal changes - trees in winter. Year 2: Living things and their habitats - identify and name a variety of plants. Plants - find out why plants need water to grow. Year 3: Plants - identify the functions of different parts of flowering plants and explore the requirements of plants for life.
How do plants grow and change? Plants grow and change in two important ways. Non-flowering plants germinate (produce and fertilise) their own seeds to reproduce another plant. Whilst, plants that flower, reproduce with the help of insects through pollination. This is when an insect such as a bee flies from plant to plant, collecting pollen.
that allow plants to live, grow and reproduce. Discussions of structure will be primarily morphological, that is, the gross structure of plants. . Non-vascular plants is a general term for those plants without a vascular system (xylem and phloem). . flowering plants) can be further classified as either monocotyledonous or
Plants Pupils should be taught to: and recording the weather and its effect on plants (plants growing and leavesidentify and name a variety of common plants, including garden plants, wild plants and trees, and those classified as deciduous and evergreen [1] describe the basic structure of a variety of common plants including roots,
seedless vascular plants. 8. Plants with seeds are further divided into the two groups of gymnosperms and angiosperms. 28.2 Non-Vascular Plants Bryophytes 9. Give three examples of nonvascular plants: – Moss – Liverworts – Hornworts 28.3 Vascular Plants Tracheophytes 10.Classify each of the following as
Flowering Plants Tracheophytes Cone- bearing Plants Moss Plants Bryophytes Fern Plants Seed Plants Liverworts Plants are generally classified according to the absence or presence of plant parts such as the flowers, seeds, fruits, leaves, or stem. They are grouped according
plants Seedless vascular plants Gymnosperms Angiosperms Reproduction by spores Hardened vascular tissue Seeds Flowers Notice in Table 28-1 that vascular plants can be further divided into two groups, seedless plants and seed plants. Seedless plants include the phylum of ferns and three phyla made up of plants closely associated with ferns.
