• Home
  • Contact Me
  • About
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Pinterest

Freely Educate

  • All posts
  • by grade
    • college
    • high school
    • middle school
    • elementary
    • preschool-kindergarten
  • by interest
    • Charlotte Mason
    • creatively homeschool
    • curriculum
    • faith
    • for the teacher
    • good deals
    • kids activities & games
    • practical skills
    • printables
    • thoughts from my homeschool
  • by subject
    • art
    • assessment
    • computer
    • geography
    • grammar
    • history
      • civics
    • languages
    • literature
    • math
    • music
    • nature studies
    • physical education
    • reading & writing
      • audiobooks
      • e-readers
    • science
    • spelling
    • typing
    • virtual tours
    • writing
You are here: Home / by interest / An Extremely Simple Biology Lesson : Growing Green Onions from the Grocery Store

An Extremely Simple Biology Lesson : Growing Green Onions from the Grocery Store

by interest· creatively homeschool· practical skills

8 Apr

A Simple Biology Lesson - Grow Green Onions from the Grocery StoreWe bought green onions from the grocery store recently, and after eating their stalks, I absentmindedly placed the root of one into a small pot of water.

This little act created quite a string of conversations in our homeschooling house, so I thought I’d photograph the little plants and share them with you, though it’s such a simple idea, you likely don’t need a tutorial on it!

Since I had placed the green onion roots into a glass jar, their roots were visible. And since I had added them on different days (as I used the tops), they grew at different rates. The kids and I discussed plant life, root systems, wee ecosystems…it’s a mini-biology lesson, for the price of … free!

Growing Green Onions from the Grocery Store

Step One: 

Buy green onions from the grocery store,  making sure they have roots attached.

Step Two: Enjoy those onion tops! Cut them as you normally would, use the tops, and keep the roots for this project.

 

Step Three: Place the roots into a glass of water or straight into a pot of soil. I’ve done both methods, and putting the roots into soil gives faster results, honestly. But sometimes you can’t get to a pot of soil, like when you’re cooking with green onions in the evening. Don’t go out into the dark to find a pot of soil – just plop those roots into water; they’ll be fine for a while. The taller one here is about 5 days old.

For learning purposes, growing the onions in water allows you to see and study the roots. Here are our onions at various stages: immediately after being cut, one day after being cut, and 4-5 days after being cut:

The same trio, transplanted from water to soil:

Here they are, about two weeks later, maybe three (the trio above is in the clay pot on the right).  I am now able to cut the green onion tops and use them in cooking, without removing the roots at all.  They’re quite happy in dappled sunlight next to my rather jubilant mint!

Share this post:

  • Pinterest
  • Email
  • Print

Related

2 Comments

want to be notified of new posts?

Previous Post: « Free Phonics Games: Teach Your Monster to Read
Next Post: Make Your Own Quizzes for Math, Vocabulary, & Geography (for free!) »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. VelvetMarmoset says

    February 24, 2021 at 10:41 AM

    Here’s a tangential question — what is the adorable little glass container you used? I love all things glass and want it! Is it a tealight holder?

    Reply
    • Lori Seaborg says

      March 2, 2021 at 12:30 AM

      Yes, that’s right! It’s a glass tealight holder. I can’t remember where I purchased it, maybe Walmart or Michaels.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Freely Educate is written for those, like our family, who don't want the box. There are many places for "box-thinkers" to go. This place is for those who think outside the box. I hope to give you affirmation and advice on bravely choosing to educate creatively and individually. - Lori Seaborg
about our homeschooling journey

Want to know about new posts?

No more than once a week, I'll send you an email of what was published.

Most Popular (updated daily)

a free worksheet: anatomy of the hand
Free! Scott Foresman Grammar & Writing Curriculum for Elementary Grades
Over 800 Free College Courses from Leading Universities
Free College STEM Programs from MIT
Free Chemistry Lesson Plans Using Legos
Free College Courses that Transfer to a University
Free Baby, Toddler, and Preschool Lesson Plans & Curriculum (with daily schedules)
Free College Course on Classic Children's Literature
Free Physical Education Curriculum
Free Animation Lessons (& Math Lessons through Animation!) for 5th-12th

Freely Educate

Free Nature Illustration Course: Begins February 21, 2023

Art Study: Adolphe Millot’s Butterflies (Papillons). Free Coloring Pages and Original Art to Download

  • Home
  • Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Me

More Posts

hello, there!


Our family has been homeschooling for over a decade. I hope to encourage you that there is no obstacle to a beautiful education - you really can do it. And you and the child can both enjoy the journey! - Lori Seaborg, America's Gulf Coast | more About Us

Copyright © 2023 · Lori Seaborg