The Land

On my recent trip to Walt Disney World over the winter break, I took a ride in EPCOT called "Living With The Land."  I've been to Disney World a bunch of times and I always have to go on this ride. You sit in a boat and  take you through this huge green house of all different types of fruits and vegetables that are growing hydroponically. Hydroponically means that these fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes or strawberries, that usually grow in the ground or on a vine, are grown through a hydroponic system. Hydroponics is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without soil. Terrestrial plants may be grown with their roots in the mineral nutrient solution only or in an inert medium, such as perlite, gravel, mineral wool, or coconut husk.(wikipedia). 

There are hundreds of different types of plants grown here. On the ride, the narrator describes how the hydroponic system is one of the most efficient ways to farm. You can tell by the prosperity of the plants. There huge! This is a clip of part of the ride

 

I looked up to see how much more effective hydroponic gardening systems are then regular soil based gardening

http://www.indoor-gardening-guide.com/indoor-hydro/advantages.html

This website lists several advantages

1. Hydroponic systems allow the indoor gardener to have total control of all factors influencing the plant's growth.
2. It is impossible to overfeed a hydroponically grown plant because the roots will not absorb more than the plant can handle.
3. It eliminates weeding time and reduces pest and disease infestations.
4. Growing hydroponically is also better for the environment . Fertilizers are recirculated within the hydroponic system and pesticides and weed killers are not necessary
5. Hydroponically grown vegetables have also been shown to be healthier for you as they typically contain more vitamins and minerals than field grown produce.
6. You can grow more plants in a smaller area because smaller pots are required with hydroponics 

On page 173 of the textbook it describes an experiment where a 5th grade class tries to grow different seeds in soil. I think a hydroponic system could be used to create a similar experiment. It would help to students to learn it is the nutrients in the soil that make it grow, not just the soil itself. I think this system could be used very successfully in an elementary science class