This model explains the process of photosynthesis—how plants make their food using sunlight, carbon dioxide, water, and chlorophyll. The model will have:
- A rotating plant base
- An LED “Sun”
- Labeled parts like roots, leaves, CO₂, water, oxygen, etc.
Materials Required:
- Cardboard base or rotating disc (lazy Susan / spinner / CD base with ball bearing)
- Artificial or cardboard plant model
- 9V battery + battery clip + switch
- Yellow LED (to act as Sun)
- Wires, tape, glue gun
- Plastic straw (for CO₂ and oxygen labels)
- Cotton (optional, for clouds)
- Toothpicks or skewers (to hold labels)
- Color paper and sketch pens
- Scissors, Fevicol or glue
Video Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Make the Rotatable Base:
- Use a rotating disc (e.g., a lazy Susan, toy spinner, or CD with a ball bearing base).
- Attach a circular cardboard sheet on top as your stage.
2. Create the Plant:
- Make a plant using green paper or artificial leaves, and fix it upright at the center of the base.
- Add roots with brown wool or pipe cleaners, and leaves and a stem from cardboard or real parts.
3. Setup the LED Sun:
- Fix a yellow LED above the plant using a straw or stick, pointing down toward the plant.
- Connect the LED to a 9V battery with a switch to turn it ON/OFF.
- Decorate the LED with a yellow paper circle labeled “Sun.”
4. Add Labeled Parts:
- Use toothpicks/skewers and paper flags to label:
- Sunlight
- Carbon dioxide (CO₂) – use straws from air labeled with CO₂
- Water (H₂O) – arrows from the ground/roots
- Oxygen (O₂) – arrows leaving the leaves
- Glucose (Food) – inside the leaf area
5. Add Rotating Mechanism:
- When the base rotates, the plant turns slowly, allowing all parts to be seen.
- You can spin manually or use a slow DC motor if desired.