Natural Herbicide
Grade Levels:
4-6
Question:
Can you make a natural herbicide?
Possible Hypotheses:
You can/cannot make a natural herbicide.
Materials:
20 leaves from a black walnut tree
4-quart pot
Draining spoon
Water
Procedure:
- Put the leaves in the pot and fill it half-full with water. Have an adult boil the mixture on the stove for 10 minutes.
- Remove the leaves using the draining spoon and boil the rest of the mixture for 20 minutes. This liquid is the herbicide for testing.
- Locate weeds around your home. Each day at dusk pour about two ounces of the herbicide on half of the weeds and the same amount of water on the other half of the weeds. These will be the control weeds.
- Do this for seven days, recording your observations each day.
Analysis and Conclusion:
Did the natural herbicide work? Do research on the black walnut tree to discover its properties. Do you think using natural herbicides is a good idea? Do you think the leaves of other trees would work, too?
Reprinted with the permission of the NEED Project. © 2008 National Energy Education Development Project - All Rights Reserved.
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