Australia's Science Forum

A teacher wants to do a plant prac with placing one pinecone in water overnight and another in a warm, dry area overnight and then compare them. It is not pinecone season! I don't want to buy any... so do any of you have a recommendation for something else we could use that would offer the same/similar outcome?

What is the difference you are trying to show?

I just looked on YouTube and it's cool! They open and close. No idea what else would do this - good luck!

I know you said you didn't want to buy any, but Bunnings sell them.

Marama T wrote: ↑08 Aug 2023, 11:33 I just looked on YouTube and it's cool! They open and close. No idea what else would do this - good luck!

Yeah it does look like fun. Our school is prep-12 so I've just asked the primary teachers if any of them have any pine cones stashed away in their store rooms for art/craft. The teacher said it isn't worth buying them. They are looking at a few different plants and interesting things. They are looking at ferns and I'm guessing the spores will all fall out onto the paper overnight. Also seaweed, moss, normal weeds... so the pine cones aren't critical.

Could send out an email around your staff see if anyone has some. I know I have some in my christmas decorations I bring in.

I usually go and scavenge under pine trees, I haven't done this prac but it sounds cool so I will scavenge tonight and hopefully try it out.