Lights, Camera, Action!

Lights, Camera, Action!

Lights of the rainbow
Lesson: 1.11
Level:
Advanced
Station: Seed Starting
Format: Experiment
Rating:
Advanced lesson 1.11 Lights, Camera, Action

Lesson Overview

Natural light is comprised of different wavelengths. Some of those wavelengths are preferred by plants more than others. In this lesson, students will experiment with different light sources to prove this themselves.

Teach the Teacher

Method

Plants respond to specific light sources – and to specific wavelengths – in different ways throughout the growing process. The photosynthetic process relies heavily on the red and blue wavelengths. Green, though inefficient, still holds value in the process.

Experiment with phototropism using different light spectra. Are photoreceptors more or less activated by specific light wavelengths?

Use as many different colors of the visible spectrum as possible. Does your experiment prove that plants favor blue and red wavelengths? How do they respond to green or yellow?

Related Lessons

Now that you’ve completed the Advanced Lesson, just remember that you can always revisit the Beginner and Intermeidate Lessons as needed.

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