Potato Shoot Experiment

In this experiment, the class will grow a potato’s roots in a shoebox for four weeks and learn about the science of how it grows. Specifically, students will learn that plants have cells that direct its growth and towards what direction. 

What You Need

• a shooting potato (one that has little white shoots growing out of it)
• a shoe box
• scissors
• rocks

Activity

• Cut a small coin-size hole in the short end of the shoe box.
• Put a handful of potting mix in the corner of the box opposite the hole you have made.
• Lay the potato in the soil.
• Put the rocks in the box with the potato to create ‘obstacles’.
• Put the lid on the box and put it somewhere where there is plenty of light.

After 4 weeks, open the box and you’ll see that the potato shoot has made it’s way around and over the rocks to reach the hole where the sunlight is coming in.

Why?

Plants have cells that are sensitive to light and tell the plant which way to grow.

Plants will always grow toward the light.

The shoe box had a tiny hole of light and the potato shoot twisted until it reached the light.