The Wisconsin Fast Plants Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has developed nearly 50 WFPIDs covering a variety of Fast Plants topics and activities. These WFPIDs are full of hands-on, practical information to help you get the most from Fast Plants. We encourage you to use them.
Plant Physiology and Fast Plants
Exploring Photosynthesis with Fast Plants®
(PDF Download)
Investigate the link between the energy plants get from sunlight and the energy we derive from consuming those plants. This hands-on experiment demonstrates the difficult concept of photosynthesis, using, among other things, baking soda and a drinking straw.
Gravitropism
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How do plants "know" which way to grow? This activity can help you find the answers to that question, and many others relating to it, by showing you how to build a "film-can gravitropism chamber" from a film can, tape, a water bottle, and other materials.
Photomorphogenesis
(PDF Download)
Learn more about how the amount of light impacts the form that your Fast Plant seedlings take by observing seedlings grown under varying levels of light.
Phototropism - Do Fast Plants® Prefer the Blues?
(PDF Download)
How will your germinating seedlings react to red light and green light? After constructing a phototropism chamber, discover which color of visible light affects your Fast Plants® the most, and why.
Phototropism - How will light bend your seedling?
(PDF Download)
How much light is needed to bend a seedling? In groups of 4, your students search for the answer by building a phototropism chamber using everyday items such as a water bottle, film cans, and aluminum foil.
Plants Know the Way to Grow
(PDF Download)
Why do plants seem to "know" the way to grow? By constructing a phototropism chamber out of plastic film cans, electrical tape, and other materials, students can explore the many possibilities that arise from that question.
The Crucifer Cross: Gravitropism Revisited
(PDF Download)
Learn how to build a gravitropism chamber out of a film can, tape, paper towels, and a small pipette. Use it to observe a plant's response to gravity.
