Pedagogical Activity Guide

Title
Water Use in Fabric Garden Containers
Course
Sec. 1 Science and Technology

Summary

This activity involves quantitative evaluations of water retention by different sizes of fabric garden containers.
Controlled amounts of water are added to soil-filled garden containers and then the containers’ mass is
measured at regular intervals do determine the rate of water loss.

Curriculum Connections:

ST: Scientific Method

- Understand the main steps in the scientific method process.
- Know how to create graphs by hand and understand when to use each type of graph.

ST: Material World

- Be able to determine mass, volume and density.

Materials Required

- Sets of various sizes of fabric garden containers.

For example:
5 x 5 gallon (approximately 19 L) containers
5 x 10 gallon (approximately 38 L) containers
5 x 20 gallon (approximately 76 L) containers
- Soil (sufficient to fill all containers to 75% of their volume)
For example:
0.75 x (5 x 19 + 5 x 38 + 5 x 76) = approximately 500 L
- Weight scales x 2 (bodyweight or at least 300 lb maximum)
- Platform to support container across the two weight scales
For example: 50 cm x 50 cm plywood sheet or two 2”x4”x50 cm
- Metersticks
- Garden trowels
- Work gloves
- Water container with marked volumes

Location and Scheduling

This experiment must be done outdoors in an area sufficient to place all the containers – ideally in a row
perpendicular to the sun’s path, ensuring control of the exposure to direct sunlight. The surface of the
location must permit drainage. A water source should be close by.

The experiment should be carried out over several rain-free days with the least variation in temperature.

Procedure
1) Test for maximum water capacity (a few days at least before the start of the experiment)
- place the container outdoors on a concrete or paved surface
- add water to the smallest container in 1 L increments
- wait a few minutes
- repeat until water is observed flowing out of the container
- the total volume of water added prior to this observation establishes the maximum to be added to
all containers.

2) Record the diameter and height of each type of container.

3) Fill the containers with soil up to 75% of their height. Use meterstick to ensure constant height.

4) Record the mass of each container (dry state)

5) Fill the containers with the volume of water established in step 1.

6) Record the mass of each container (wet state) at constant times over several days, ideally until
on average the weights become constant.

Analysis

1) Plot average (mean) mass versus time graphs for each type of container

2) Scale the weight data of each container type by volume so that all data sets are based on the
same volume. For example, if 19 L, 38 L and 76 L containers were used, multiply the 19 L
weights by 4 and the 38 L weights by 2. Plot average (mean) mass, scaled by volume, versus
time graphs for each type of container

3) Scale the weight data of each container type by height so that all data sets are based on
the same height. Plot average (mean) mass, scaled by height, versus time graphs
for each type of container

4) Scale the weight data of each container type by surface area so that all data sets are based on
the same surface area. Plot average (mean) mass, scaled by surface area, versus time graphs
for each type of container

Discussion Questions

1) Compare the 4 graphs. Which graph shows the most predictable trend.

2) Which quantity – volume, height or surface area – would be more important to growing plants.

3) Based on the results of this experiment, which type of container would retain water most
efficiently?