Students ask whether fruit ripens faster in sunlight or shade. Have students start with six pieces of fruit. They can choose to use six of the same fruit, such as apples, or three different fruits such as an apple, peach and banana. Place three fruit in prominent sun and three in shade. Check to make sure all fruit is whole, without blemishes and not yet ripe. Theorize what will happen in the different locations regarding ripening. Document any changes each day and after a week, and summarize the findings. If using different fruit, document whether what is true for one type of fruit is true for all.
Students start with the questions, "In which location does fruit ripen faster--in the refrigerator or on the counter?" Set six whole fruit on paper towels on small individual plates. Place three on a kitchen counter, but not in direct sunlight. Set three in the center portion of the refrigerator. Before starting the project, document the condition of each fruit. Take pictures. Each day, document each fruit both those on the counter and in the refrigerator. Test ripening by sight and touch. Soft places indicate ripeness. Brown spots indicates a fruit is overripe. After three days, slice open one of the fruits from each location. Taste for ripeness and readiness to eat. Slice one each on the 6th day to test for readiness to eat. Document at what point the fruit is ripe and when it starts to go bad. Summarize findings.
A bowl crowds fruit together with little air circulation. An open hanging basket allows air to circulate around the fruit, even though they are crowded together. Ask students to answer the question, "Does circulating air make a difference in how fast fruit ripens?" Use three bowls and three open hanging baskets. Use three types of fruit, six of each. Place three each of the fruit in bowls and three each in the hanging baskets. Do not mix different types. Document and photograph the condition of the fruit when you begin the project. Hang the baskets where they receive air. Place the bowls on a counter that does not receive full sunlight. Check each basket every day. Check to see if crowding the fruit produces bad spots. After five days, check fruit. Document which have ripened and which have not. Check whether placement in the basket and bowls played a part in the ripening either positive or negative. Summarize findings with a chart.
Check the production of ethylene. This is a hydrocarbon gas that makes fruits ripen. Place two apples, two pears and two bananas in a paper bag. Fold over the top of the bag and fasten closed. Place an equal amount of the same fruit on the counter on separate plates and in shade. The students answer the question, "Does placing fruit in a paper bag hasten the ripening process?" The students document the condition of the fruit when the project begins. Check fruit again in five days. The students decide if fruit enclosed in the paper bag forced more ethylene production, causing fruit to ripen more quickly.