In conventional gardening, plants are grown in soil. In hydroponic gardening, plants are grown in a soilless medium or nutrient solution. NASA researchers are experimenting with hydroponics for use in long-term space explorations. Agricultural engineers use hydroponics as a high yield alternative food production source to feed our planet's growing population. Hooked on 'Ponics is designed to increase student understanding of the scientific process and introduce students to hydroponic gardening principles.

Students will grow basil plants from seed using both hydroponics and conventional soil techniques (using a TerraAqua system) under varing environmental conditions of light, temperature, nutrition and altitude. After six weeks students evaluate the growth rates of the basil plants and determine which environmental conditions yielded the best results.

Students will use the Hydroponics vs. Soil Log Sheet to record weekly growth and environmental data. Partner schools will email data to St. Bernard's School on a weekly basis. Students will photograph their plants each week. Students will chart their data and keep a log of their research noting any differences between hydroponically grown basil verses soil grown basil and note any disease(s) that occurred and the measure(s) used to correct the disease(s).

At the end of the six weeks students will email photographs of their hydroponic and soil grown plants in JPEG or GIF format to St. Bernard's School. All data and photos will be posted on St. Bernard's web site. Each school may then evaluate the growth rates of the plants and determine which environmental conditions of light, temperature, nutrition and altitude produced the most basil.

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