1. To study, applying the science methodology, the influence that mineral salts exert upon plants in their growth and development.
2. To learn how to observe, give hypothesis and draw out conclusions.
3. To know and interpret the natural enviroment and the phenomena associated.
4. To use several sources of information critically.
5. To make written reports in digital format from the data and the conclusions obtained.
6. To design practical laboratory experience and use tools and techniques for checking.
7. To apply the theoretical knowledge of chemical formulation in order to obtain different mineral salts.
8. To learn how to work in groups, collaborate in the planning and performance of groupworks.

With this method proposal, the learners have achieved:

1. Conclusions related to the influence that some mineral salts exert on the vegetal growth.
2. The searching for information in libraries, the Internet, associations, etc.
3. The working out of a digital written report on the experience as a whole, including possible problems that may have arisen as well as the solutions that were proposed, hypothesis and final conclusions
4. Development of the work in groups.
5. Design of a practical laboratory experience and handling of the appropriate instruments.

The methodology proposed is based on applying the scientific method to the study of the influence of different mineral salts on vegetal growth and development. Once the objectives were presented, the work in groups was proposed as well as the experience design.

The design can be summarized into five sections as follows:

1. Search for information about the different bioelements essential for the vegetal growth and development.
2. Development of the activity:
   • Sowing of seeds in good conditions of water, light and temperature.
   • Once germinated, each plant was submitted to a mineral solution from which an essential element for its development (ferrum, manganese, magnesium, ...) has been elliminated. Next, each of them will be compared with a plant developed in an optimum mineral solution.
3. Making hypothesis. Hypothesis confirmation.
4. Final conclusion of the observation and experimentation work.
5. Problems arisen and solutions proposed.

School laboratory. Computer room. Tecnhical assesment by a conservatory company of the region.

On evaluating the experience, in some learners' opinions:

“It has been an attractive and entertaining work, in which we have learnt and studied in a practical and amusing way”

“It has sometimes been hard because of the problems we faced to get the seeds germinated. It means having to start again and again several times”

“It seemed very interesting to us the possibility of consulting our doubts and problems to an expert but, at the same time, we were disappointed as we could not get a reply due to technical problems”