Materials Required:
Sweet potatoes (one per student or group)
Toothpicks (for suspending the sweet potatoes in water)
Clear glass jars or containers (one per sweet potato)
Water
Optional: Small pots and soil (for transferring sprouts later)
Steps Involved:
Introduction: Explain that not all plants reproduce using seeds. Discuss asexual reproduction and how sweet potatoes can sprout and grow new plants without seeds.
Preparing the Sweet Potatoes: Have students insert toothpicks into the sides of each sweet potato. The toothpicks should be placed about halfway up the sweet potato to allow it to be suspended in water.
Setting Up the Jars: Fill clear glass jars or containers with water. Place the sweet potatoes in the jars, resting the toothpicks on the rim so the bottom half of the sweet potato is submerged in water.
Observing Growth: Place the jars in a warm, sunny location. Over the next few weeks, students will observe the sweet potatoes as they develop roots and sprouts.
Documenting Changes: Have students record their observations of the sweet potato growth, noting changes in the roots and sprouts. Encourage them to draw or write about what they see.
Transferring Sprouts: Once the sweet potatoes have developed significant sprouts and roots, students can transfer them to small pots with soil if desired, to observe further growth.
Review and Discussion: Discuss the process of asexual reproduction and how the sweet potato grows without seeds. Review the stages of growth and the differences between seed-based and asexual reproduction in plants.