Looking for a Plant Growth Experiment?

If you’ve been studying soil types with your students, they’ll likely already know that different soil types possess different properties (color, texture, particle size, ability to retain water). If you’re looking for a way to demonstrate the real-world effects of these properties, then look no further than this hands-on experiment exploring how plant growth is affected by soil type.

This soil science experiment has been designed by our experienced team of teachers to transform your learners from students into scientists! The students will compare and contrast the growth of plants in a variety of soil types.

Throughout the investigation, the students will:

1. Prepare and germinate seeds.
2. Transfer the germinated seeds into a pot containing a certain soil type.
3. Measure and record the growth of the sprouted seeds over a period of time.
4. Compare results with their classmates.
5. Draw conclusions about how soil type affects plant growth.

You’ll find everything you need to implement this soil science experiment in the comprehensive student workbook. The workbook contains the following:

• Teacher instructions
• Student instructions
• Experiment planning template
• Procedure text template
• Observations templates
• Growth chart template
• Final observations template
• Results and conclusions template

This plant growth science experiment downloads as a print-and-go PDF or an editable Google Slides file. 

This student-centered science experiment would make the perfect activity to accompany any unit of work on soil types and properties!

Make Sure It’s a Fair Test!

One of the cornerstones of any scientific inquiry is fair testing. A test (experiment) is fair when only one thing causes a change (in this case, the soil type). A fair test can be created by:

1. Changing only one thing.
2. Measuring something.
3. Keeping everything else the same.

This plant growth experiment provides an ideal opportunity to reinforce the principles of fair testing with your students. Our What Is a Fair Test PowerPoint is a great resource to support these teachings!

Download This Plant Growth Experiment

Use the dropdown menu on the Download button above to access the PDF or editable Google Slides file. (Note: You will be prompted to make a copy of the Google Slides template before accessing it).

For sustainability purposes, please consider printing this workbook double-sided.

This resource was created by Caitlyn Phillips, a Teach Starter collaborator.

More Teacher-Made Science Experiments

Looking for more science experiments to excite your learners? Explore this great selection of teacher-created resources!

teaching resource

Making a Mini Water Cycle - Experiment

Investigate the water cycle with this hands-on experiment.

teaching resource

Does the Sun Transfer Heat? – Science Experiment

Discover how the sun transfers thermal energy and which objects absorb more heat with this science experiment for kids.

teaching resource

Water Retention in Soils – Science Experiment

Explore the water retention capabilities of sand, silt, loam and clay with this science experiment for kids.