Root View Cups

 
Root view cup
 

Root View Cups

Use a clear plastic container to view and explore how plants grow

Ages 5+ ~ 45 min

Looking for a project kids can continue to track and monitor over the next 3-4 weeks? This root view cup project is a fun and simple way for kids to observe how roots grow over time.

Here’s what you’ll need for each child:

  • A clear plastic cup or other clear container (your recycling bin is a great place to look!)

  • Scissors

  • Dark paper

  • Soil

  • Seeds

Instructions:

  1. Start by cutting out a paper sleeve for each cup. The sleeve should block light from reaching the roots. Cut the paper to the height of your container and long enough to wrap around it with a little overlap.

  2. Punch or drill three drainage holes in the bottom of each cup. Any sharp tool will work, but a drill makes this step quick and easy.

  3. Demonstrate how to fill the cups with soil, then give the children time to fill their own.

  4. Show them how to plant seeds right up against the inside edge of the cup — this way, they’ll be able to see the seed and watch the roots grow along the side of the cup.

  5. Demonstrate how deep to plant the seed using a ruler and the instructions on the seed packet. Alternatively, have children measure part of their finger with a ruler (for example, down to their second knuckle is about 1 inch) and use that as a guide to plant the seed at the right depth.

  6. Cover the seed with soil and water gently until the soil feels like a wrung-out sponge — moist, but not soggy.

  7. Finally, show how to wrap the paper sleeve around the cup and tape it to itself (not to the cup) so it can slide on and off for easy observation.

Root View Cup Sleeve

The sleeve is like a curtain to keep the soil nice and dark for the seed, but you can remove the sleeve whenever you want to see how the roots are growing! This sleeve, above, is cut to fit the curve of the cup, but cutting a basic straight sleeve works fine too.

Keep the cups in a warm, sunny place and make your observations as your plant and roots start to grow. When doing this activity with older children, you can track observations in a data table, measure root length or plant height and make predictions about what you might see the next day.

This version shows how to drill a hole, use a package of plastic drinking glasses, and create a template - good for a whole class:

Garden Education - Lessons & Activities, Art in the GardenArts & Crafts