The Great Grow Along Science Experiment

A FREE classroom project uniting the scientific method, biomedical research, and nutrition concepts.

Audience: Grades K-12

The Curriculum:

The Great Grow Along brings together the scientific method, biomedical research, and nutrition concepts in a fun and exciting six-week, educational program. Through an animal feeding project, using live lab rats, students witness the effect of nutrition on growth and are challenged to reflect on their own food behaviors. Students also learn the steps of the scientific method; how to set up a valid scientific experiment, collect data, and analyze the results; and how we can learn about our own bodies by studying animals.

The animal feeding project- that lasts 4 weeks- begins during the second module, after detailed instruction on animal care, the experimental procedure, and nutrition basics have been presented. The project applies the scientific method in the feeding of two rats (additional rats can be ordered). Both rats receive the same food; however, the control rat receives milk and the treatment rat receives a sugar water beverage of equal calories. A switch in beverages occurs in the fourth week of the feeding project. This project will dramatically illustrate effects of nutrition during periods of rapid growth.