fostering student research through scientific inquiry and online mentorship

Welcome to PlantingScience

PlantingScience is a learning community where scientists provide online mentorship to student teams as they design and think through their own inquiry projects. Engaging in the science process and becoming familiar with science practices enhances science learning. The ability to collaborate, discuss, and reflect with scientists and peers opens new doors to motivate students, and builds necessary pathways for 21st century skills.
Learn more

New PlantingScience Website in the Works

We're working hard to bring you a new, improved PlantingScience website. In the meantime we will be running smaller sessions. Thanks for your patience as we make improvements.

Fall 2013 session will begin September 23

This fall's session will run from September 23 - November 22. Please join us!

How can your class participate?

Our teachers value an inquiry approach, integrate the three dimensions of the next generation science standards into their teaching, and bring technology into their school.

Does this describe you?

If so, please consider applying for an upcoming session. We are accepting applications for Fall 2013 until August 23rd.
Learn how to participate

Interested in becoming a scientist mentor?

Our scientists are concerned with improving science literacy, willing to donate their time to mentor students and excited to share their passion for the plant sciences.

Want to help?

Volunteer as a scientist mentor

Supporting Science Literacy

If your organization seeks to improve science literacy as a means of growing a sustainable tomorrow, we ask that you consider joining the PlantingScience movement. Learn more

Thanks for stopping by!

What teachers are saying

»	It is so much better that they get to do science instead of a teacher doing it for them. That speaks volumes for what ya'll are helping us do.
»	Thank you so much for letting me do this. It has been a wonderful learning experience and so much FUN for all of us, including me!
»	I have shared the site with some of my supervisors and the general response has been"this is so cool." Thank you for allowing me to participate in such a worthwhile project for my students.
»	The kids love the exchanges with the mentors, and what a wonderful way to proffer their work to classmates, mentors, etc. Thank you, thank you. Such a great idea!
»	Thanks for the opportunity for my kids to do 'real' science.
»	Students are very excited about plantingscience and are thrilled that scientists are responding to them.

What students are saying

I like...

»	figuring out and interpreting graphs. I learned to use data in a scientific way.
»	being able to talk to a scientist and learning new things about plants.
»	the Fact that we got to post our comments and actually get responses, and ideas from scientists.
»	everything....... this experience was awesome i love seeing plant growing because is life... i really enjoy this.
»	being able to do your own experiment, and seeing the changes and effects the experiment had on plants.
»	the experiment, working as a group and having mentors. I felt like a real scientist!.

» See exceptional projects in the STAR Gallery
» Enjoy all past projects in the Research Archive -->

Star Project Winners

Thanks to all the teachers and mentors who nominated teams this year. Below are winners from the first Star Project competition. What makes them star projects? Find out by visiting our Star Project Gallery

Team Marauders High Technology High School Lincroft, New Jersey How will the presence of chemical or natural root hormones affect the growth of coleus plant cuttings?	Magnificent Mademoiselles St. Sebastian School Akron, Ohio Does meat tenderizer and breaking a seed's coat change the rate of germination?
Popping Pyruvates Springfield Central High School Springfield, Massachusetts Will constant exposure to light increase a plants growth rate?	K.A.T.S Madison Middle School Tampa, FL How long does it take for a C-Fern to grow in a stable condition?
NINJA GNOMES Nottingham Elementary Nottingham, NH Are environment-safe cleaners really safe? Are the companies' claims true?	The Awesome Squad Cheyenne Central High School Cheyenne, Wyoming How will density of spore concentration affect male/hermaphrodites ratio?
The Germinaters Alexander Central Jr Sr High School Alexander, NY If plants are given too much fertilizer will it be harmful.	The Smartical Particals!!!!! :) Marion Jr/Sr High School Marion, Michigan If we change the sunlight from bright to no light, then will the seeds germinate?
The Wooners Gooners Lake Orion High School Lake Orion, Michigan Will radiation affect the rate of photosynthesis?	Sabertooth Sugar Gliders Clear Creek High School Evergreen , Colorado How does fertilizer affect the phenotypes of Brassica F2 seeds?

More Good News!

	The American Society for Association Executives has awarded PlantingScience with with their Power of A Silver Award which exemplifies how the association industry and its professionals strengthen America by enriching lives, creating a competitive workforce, preparing society for the future, driving innovation and making a better world.
	WOW! - PlantingScience has also been awarded the prestigious "SPORE Prize" (Science Prize for Online Resources in Education) from the journal SCIENCE. Read our response article, *Building Botanical Literacy*. Very cool, thank you!