Thirst Quencher

Thirst Quencher

Drinks for All My Friends
Lesson: 2.3
Level:
Intermediate
Station: Soil Management
Format: Class Project
Rating:
Intermediate Lesson 2.3 Thirst Quencher

Lesson Overview

Watering can be a tedious task and in the flagship Edible Learning Lab we have students perform that function by hand. This lesson explores the design of a flood table and tasks students with crafting a new and improved version.

Goals

  • Students will be able to describe how an automated watering system functions.

Outcomes

Students will analyze the design of Bright Agrotech’s Flood Table in order to design a better timed watering system for the Lab.

Teach the Teacher

Tools & Materials

  • CAD program or grid paper
  • Pencil
  • Scale or ruler
  • SMART Board

Activity

From day one in the flagship Edible Learning Lab we decided that the process of watering starts each day would be managed by the students. It’s important for students to learn how to be responsible, develop fine motor skills, and use hands-on observation to assess just how much water the young starts need.

The plants in our Lab have been watered every single day since September 2016 and that task can get old for even the most engaged students. It doesn’t take long to water a table of 500 starts but who doesn’t like automation. Right!

There are several designs in use today for watering tables that make the daily process of watering starts a no-brainer. Check out the timed watering system for flats created by the BA flood table (Additional Resource). What could be improved? Is there a way to build it for less?

Design a timed watering system for your Lab’s seed starting station that will automatically water plants when you’re out of school. Draft a design as a first step, and then build it out for operational use.

Related Lessons

Give the Advanced lesson a try now that you’ve completed the Intermediate Lesson! Or revisit the Beginner Lesson as needed.

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