The seeds are floating again, well, not the same seeds but a new batch. I have picked cabbage and radish seeds because both types were referenced by Darwin in his research and for no other reason. At the moment they hit the water most of the cabbage seeds went stright for the bottom of the container. So now I know this is not just an error of the first experiment. (Good to know.)
As for the radish seeds, more of them like the surface of the water over the bottom, but not that many more. So if I learn nothing else from this experiment, radish may be my seed of choise for this silly story. They have been floating since sunday the 11th and no other detail of note at this time. We will start removeing seeds from the water after 10 days of floating and plant three seeds a day to see which ones will grow.
New topic for the blog.......Reverse Pyschology, fact or fiction. I say fact!
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Take Two of the Floating Seeds
In case you just tuned in, I am trying to replicate a seed study done by Charles Darwin to help me with a story I am writing about seeds. Darwin was trying to determine how long seeds could float in salt water and still grow into a healthy plant. The results of his work helped him build evidence that supported his theory of evolution. In other words seeds could travel on their own and adapt to new environments.
Travel and adapt to a new environment? Hold on, isn't this what we have done moving to South Bend? Anyway back to the project.
I had to made my salt water (because we don't have any here). In case you want to try your own seed project you need to use approximately 1/2 cup salt to a gallon of water to get to the levels of sea water. Then you need to pick the seeds you want to use for your experiment. Pour them into the water and your experiment is on it's way. Now you need to collect your observations. Are the seeds floating, sinking or falling to pieces? As they soak for a few days are there any changes, odors, slimy coats? And then finally, after 10 days in the water will they grow after you plant them? What about after 15 days or more? In theory, the longer they can soak and then germinate, the further they could travel. Darwin gathered they could travel near 30 miles a day by ocean currents.
TO ALL MY WEST COAST FOLLOWERS How about giving this experiment a try with real ocean water? I would love to see your results. You can email me your results or write them in the comments so they can be featured in the blog. The more data the better my professors always said. Although I don't think they thought I would be studying seeds.
My seeds are floating now and I am planning to video them for all to see for the next post.
Travel and adapt to a new environment? Hold on, isn't this what we have done moving to South Bend? Anyway back to the project.
I had to made my salt water (because we don't have any here). In case you want to try your own seed project you need to use approximately 1/2 cup salt to a gallon of water to get to the levels of sea water. Then you need to pick the seeds you want to use for your experiment. Pour them into the water and your experiment is on it's way. Now you need to collect your observations. Are the seeds floating, sinking or falling to pieces? As they soak for a few days are there any changes, odors, slimy coats? And then finally, after 10 days in the water will they grow after you plant them? What about after 15 days or more? In theory, the longer they can soak and then germinate, the further they could travel. Darwin gathered they could travel near 30 miles a day by ocean currents.
TO ALL MY WEST COAST FOLLOWERS How about giving this experiment a try with real ocean water? I would love to see your results. You can email me your results or write them in the comments so they can be featured in the blog. The more data the better my professors always said. Although I don't think they thought I would be studying seeds.
My seeds are floating now and I am planning to video them for all to see for the next post.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Another Response From an Agent
I sent out a copy of my 'green' story Granny Greenfield Has a Farm to an agency back in September. Just received an email back this am (that's right, 7 months later). Again I am getting positive feedback but they didn't think it was right for them to represent. Something similar happened in November when a publishing house picked the book in their top 20 for the year. Even so they didn't publish it. OH...I hope I am getting closer. Both of these places were reading an earlier version of the story and I believe it is stronger now so I just need to keep getting it out there to the right people.
I am set to go to a SCBSI writing conference in May and this story will be reviewed by an editor (one of the speakers) so I hope she can help guide the book in the right direction. I will keep you posted.
Need to stary those seeds soaking. I know today will be the day.
I am set to go to a SCBSI writing conference in May and this story will be reviewed by an editor (one of the speakers) so I hope she can help guide the book in the right direction. I will keep you posted.
Need to stary those seeds soaking. I know today will be the day.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Neologism Galore
In my field of psychology when an adult makes their own words with their own meaning it is not a good sign. But when a five year old decided to make their own it is not only amusing it is creative.
As my family story goes when I was about five I was resting under an apricot tree when along came a helicopter. So it is no stretch that I called it an 'apricopter'. This one I think falls along the amusing line but I don't see a future for this word. 'Lasternight' however, also one of my five year old creations, could be useful. I mean we do say yesterday, so why not 'lasternight'.
My five year old has started to make some of his own and here I see real potential. He is quite fond of big words and started to use gigantic. It soon became 'gigantical' which still means big but magical too. Pretty good isn't it? And the best part of neologisms, the spelling is all up to the maker! I love that.
Would love to here about any neologisms you or your kids have come up with. I could see a story coming out if this.
AS FOR THE SEEDS... we will be starting the soak today and will get back to data collection tomorrow.
As my family story goes when I was about five I was resting under an apricot tree when along came a helicopter. So it is no stretch that I called it an 'apricopter'. This one I think falls along the amusing line but I don't see a future for this word. 'Lasternight' however, also one of my five year old creations, could be useful. I mean we do say yesterday, so why not 'lasternight'.
My five year old has started to make some of his own and here I see real potential. He is quite fond of big words and started to use gigantic. It soon became 'gigantical' which still means big but magical too. Pretty good isn't it? And the best part of neologisms, the spelling is all up to the maker! I love that.
Would love to here about any neologisms you or your kids have come up with. I could see a story coming out if this.
AS FOR THE SEEDS... we will be starting the soak today and will get back to data collection tomorrow.
Friday, April 9, 2010
The first road block
I am not sure this would have happened to Charles Darwin but with out a dedicated lab to keep my floating seeds, this project has been disrupted by some "unknown event" were they ended up on the floor. I thought of picking them up and just putting them back but that didn't seem to be following a proper protocol. I am not pointing fingers, but in this house anything could happen. So instead of getting discouraged I am off to Wal-mart to get more seeds.
The pots I was using may have been a bit small anyway and I want to double check I used the right about of salt to begin with. This is of concern of course so that the water is like salt water and because if you recall, the cabbage seeds were happier on the bottom of the pot than floating on the surface. So if you are interested at all, tune in soon for Cabbage seed project: Take two.
The pots I was using may have been a bit small anyway and I want to double check I used the right about of salt to begin with. This is of concern of course so that the water is like salt water and because if you recall, the cabbage seeds were happier on the bottom of the pot than floating on the surface. So if you are interested at all, tune in soon for Cabbage seed project: Take two.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Day two and three
To my surprise and my pleasure some of the cabbage seeds have come back to the surface of the water to float with the others. This gives me lots of new possibilities to the original story. For example the seeds could land at the bottom of the sea and then eventually make it back up to the surface. Perhaps caught up by an underwater current or taking a ride back up on the back of a turtle. Just two days of observations and the ideas are flowing.
As for the radish seeds, no changes so far. There remain many more of them on the surface, neither falling or rising....so far.
As for the radish seeds, no changes so far. There remain many more of them on the surface, neither falling or rising....so far.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
The Cabbage Research Begins
Ok, so maybe the order of things isn't right but I my Cabbage seed story is stalled so I am finally getting to the research I should have done from the start.
Story? Seeds?
I have written a story about seeds floating from one body of land to another and how they managed to get there despite, despite, despite. This story was inspired by some of the research of Charles Darwin. Darwin soaked seeds and plants with their seeds to see how long they could float in salt water and still germinate and grow into a healthy plant. These soaking seed studies were just some of the things Darwin did prior to publishing his theory of evolution.
So back to my home version of the study. My son and I have picked out two of the plastic pots we previously used to dye Easter Eggs and have put home make salt water in both. We then put the cabbage seeds in the green pot and radish seeds in the pink one. And the project is on. Will they float, will they hold together, will they start to smell funny and grow strange slimie coats? We will find out soon.
April 4
The seeds were dropped in the water around 12 noon and the first quite upsetting observation was that most of the cabbage seeds fell to the bottom of the pot. This is not exactly what I thought would happen. This detail would change my story for sure. The radish seeds were much better. More of them stayed on the water surface. There isn't much more to report at this time. So tune in to find out what will happen to the seeds.
Story? Seeds?
I have written a story about seeds floating from one body of land to another and how they managed to get there despite, despite, despite. This story was inspired by some of the research of Charles Darwin. Darwin soaked seeds and plants with their seeds to see how long they could float in salt water and still germinate and grow into a healthy plant. These soaking seed studies were just some of the things Darwin did prior to publishing his theory of evolution.
So back to my home version of the study. My son and I have picked out two of the plastic pots we previously used to dye Easter Eggs and have put home make salt water in both. We then put the cabbage seeds in the green pot and radish seeds in the pink one. And the project is on. Will they float, will they hold together, will they start to smell funny and grow strange slimie coats? We will find out soon.
April 4
The seeds were dropped in the water around 12 noon and the first quite upsetting observation was that most of the cabbage seeds fell to the bottom of the pot. This is not exactly what I thought would happen. This detail would change my story for sure. The radish seeds were much better. More of them stayed on the water surface. There isn't much more to report at this time. So tune in to find out what will happen to the seeds.
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