Soil Experiment Growing Pinto Beans
When God created the world He made everything just right.
Think about these things:
If Earth were just a little closer to the sun we would burn up and water would vaporize
If the earth did not tilt on its axis there would not be seasons and things could not grow.
If there were just a little more of certain gases or a little less of others in our atmosphere we could not breath.
If our soil had just a little more or a little less of some chemicals plants could not grow.
This project (adapted from TryScience.org) will show what would happen if there was just a little more salt in soil.
God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:10-12 NIV
There is a lot going on in creation. On of the main things is God making everything ‘good’ and the land is good because it can produce vegetation. But what if it were just a little bit different? Let’s see.
Objective: We are going to see what would happen to plants if God created soil with just a little more salt. This will show His wisdom and care over us.
What We Need:
- 2 plastic or paper cups
- Cotton balls
- 10 pinto beans, Navy beans, lima beans (or similar type)
- Table Salt
- Clear plastic wrap
What We Do
1. Cover the bottom of two cups with cotton balls
2. Sprinkle some salt over the bottom of one cup. Label this cup ’salt added’.
3. Place five beans in each cup. It helps if you place the seeds with their grooved side upwards.
4. Wet the cotton in both cups and put in a light place.
5. Keep the seeds moist - you can cover the cups with clear plastic wrap to prevent the seeds from drying out.
6. Within four or five days, the seeds should begin to grow.
Talk About It
Which beans grew first?
After the beans sprouted, what happened to each group?
What was the only difference in the two cups?
Grow Closer to God
What if God had made the soil on Earth with a little more salt?
What if He changed another chemical in the air, water or soil?
If God can figure out how to make the world and make it good, what can He do when you need things?
Family Time
Spend some time talking about the great things God does for us.
Spend time praying, thinking specifically about the many things God had done that we usually don’t even think about (like making soil just right). Thank Him for His care.
