Materials Required:
White carnations (one per student or group)
Food coloring (various colors)
Clear vases or cups
Water
Scissors (optional)
Steps Involved:
Fill clear vases or cups with water and add a few drops of different food coloring to each container, creating a variety of colored solutions.
Trim the stems of the white carnations to fit into the vases or cups.
Place each carnation into a different colored solution.
Observe the flowers over the course of several days as they begin to change color, noting how the color moves up through the petals.
Discuss with students how the colored water represents the nutrients that plants absorb and how these nutrients travel through the plant.
Reinforce the understanding of plant parts and their functions by connecting the color change to the plant’s uptake of water and nutrients.