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Teacher resources

What is Tomatosphere?

Tomatosphere is an educational outreach project that reaches over 13 700 classrooms across Canada and the United States. It is estimated that by the end of 2012, there will be close to 14 500 classes involved. In 2012, teachers of students in grades 2-10 will receive two packages of Heinz tomato seeds, with 40 seeds in each package, labeled "S" and "T" One package of seeds is the control group - Heinz 9478 F1 seeds; The second set of seeds - also Heinz H9478 – has been "primed." For details about this process, click on the box to the right – “Seed Treatment for 2012”.

Purpose

Tomatosphere has a dual-purpose: to educate and inspire young students and to open the door for extended space exploration, eventually leading to Mars.

The students' findings will address the question of how we supply space exploration missions with life support requirements - food, water, oxygen and the need to consume carbon dioxide exhaled by the members of the crew. Currently, space-mission vehicles are able to carry just enough of these requirements to service the crew for short missions. Stays at the International Space Station are refreshed on a regular visit by supplies from Earth such as the Russian Progress and Soyuz flights. These flights will be critical until the resumption of US flights; American shuttle missions ended in July of 2011. Tomatosphere had 600 000 tomato seeds on the final shuttle; they are currently in storage on the International Space Station. It is hoped that they will return to Earth in 2013. The trip to Mars, the closest planet to Earth, qualifies as "long term space travel" as it may take in excess of two years.

In our quest to travel deeper into space for extended periods, we need to find ways to expand life support provisions in the limited room available in space vehicles. A plant-based life support system may provide part of the solution. Through photosynthesis, plants use light energy to consume carbon dioxide exhaled by humans and return oxygen to the air that is needed for survival. One of the most popular and valuable plants for space applications is the tomato. Tomatoes provide wholesome nourishment and purified water through transpiration from their leaves.

The priming process — which will be used in 2011 and 2012 — is a new venture for Tomaotosphere. The process may be of value in determining which seeds are candidates for long-term space voyages. The process has never been applied to space travel, so students will be involved in real science research. This research will help to determine which types of seeds have the highest potential for germination and growth in space. The number of plants that can be grown and the number of people who can be supported for extended time periods, is limited. When a seed — and the plant that grows from it — is assigned to a space mission, it must germinate quickly and successfully and continue to grow healthy, strong and with an abundance of fruit. Seeds that don't germinate, plants that are weak and plants that do not grow properly are not contributing to the mission. Weak plants may also become sick and contaminate the controlled environment system.

Students will compare the rates of germination. They will also compare two other critical elements related to priming – the amount of time before the first germination takes place compared to the control group and the interval between the germination of the first seed and the last seed to germinate. Students will learn how to conduct a scientific experiment and hopefully will be inspired to pursue further education in the areas of science and technology.

Curriculum focus areas

Grades 2-4: Students focus on plants and their growth patterns.

Grades 5-7: The emphasis is on human needs, weather and space.

Grades 8-10: Students will start with the seeds and complete their studies with an application of the benefits of space exploration, research and application to life on Earth.

How will the project proceed?

Students will observe the tomatoes during their seedling germination and growth. The scope of the experiment will depend on the teacher; there are extension ideas that involve many aspects related to plants, space and space travel, and its application to life on Earth. However, the project focuses on the critical element of rate of germination as described above, and for students in senior grades, observations on plant growth and vigour. All results will be sent electronically to the Tomatosphere website (submit results component). The collective results will be shared with other participants involved in the project.

During the summer, the Canadian Space Agency offers a teacher conference, usually during the second week of August in Montreal. This conference is an absolutely fantastic professional development opportunity for teachers. The cost is minimal ($25) for the three days. Teachers cover this cost plus transportation, accommodation and meals. Even so, it is a GREAT bargain. For educators from outside greater Montreal who plan on attending the conference, there are a number of subsidies available to help defray some of your cost of attending this conference.

Teachers bring home many student related activities as well as being motivated by a wonderful team of individuals including our Canadian astronauts. Watch for details about the 2012 conference.