Parched Plants: Ultimate STEM Challenge

This is Challenge three of the 2017-18 . The competition is open to teams of two to four students aged 11 to 14 from across the UK.  Students can win some fantastic prizes, including an invitation to a celebratory event at the Science Museum, an Ultimate STEM experience day, £500 for their school and Science Museum goodies.

Water is essential for human life. As almost 97 per cent of the Earth’s water is salt water in the oceans and seas, and the majority of our fresh water is tied up in glaciers, ice caps and groundwater, it is important that it is not wasted. Everyone has a responsibility for not wasting water, which is why bp investigates ways to manage water use and reduce the amount of water used in its operations.

The challenge is to design a system to grow salad or herb plants indoors. Students plan and carry out an investigation to measure how crop production varies with water use and find the best design that uses the least water to produce a healthy crop.

For more resources to support this challenge, click here.