Designed for the exploration of biological and ecological concepts, the Greenhouse Sense and Control Kit includes everything students need to design, build, program, and study their very own greenhouse.
See the Product Description for this item's included accessories.
Product Summary
Designed for the exploration of biological and ecological concepts, the Greenhouse Sense and Control Kit includes everything students need to design, build, program, and study their very own greenhouse. This kit allows ultimate customization, enabling students to study dozens of interactions between plants and environmental factors, while learning about the role programming plays in modern agriculture and plant studies. The Accessory Kit includes connectors, stoppers, and tubing with 3-way flow control drip-irrigation ends.
Ready-to-use Activities
The Greenhouse Sense & Control Kit is supported by five digital, student activities that can be edited to fit your course needs. Each activity focuses on a key concept in biology or environmental science and includes extensions to engineering and design practices.
Student Activities:
- Program a Sunny Day for Plants
- Code a Cooling Breeze for a Greenhouse
- Program Perfectly Timed Rain
- Optimize Water Movement in a Greenhouse
- Program a Greenhouse Sense and Control System
Powering Creativity with the //control.Node
The //control.Node serves as the Greenhouse's control center, providing both power to the accessories and storage for students’ code. Equipped with an accelerometer, a rechargeable battery, and multiple accessory ports, the //control.Node acts as an all-in-one control device, enabling connections to any PASCO sensor or STEM Sense project.
When plugged into the //control.Node, the accessories are fully programmable, enabling students to mix and match parts, monitor conditions, automate watering, and study the effects of different conditions within the greenhouse. Students can also use the //control.Node's rechargeable battery to run their programs autonomously over weekends and use the data to improve their greenhouse conditions the following week.
//control.Node Features:
- Onboard accelerometer
- Speaker
- Sensor Port
- Two Power Output Channels for Stepper Motors and Power Output Board
- Two Servo Ports for Regular Servos and Continuous Rotation Servos
- Rechargeable Li-ion Battery
- Bluetooth (BLE) connectivity
- USB port for charging and connectivity
- Executes programs with or without a wired connection
PASCO Software
The Greenhouse Sense and Control Kit is programmed using Blockly, a block-based code available in both SPARKvue and PASCO Capstone software. Blockly makes it easy for students to master the basics of programming, without having to worry about their syntax. Rather than overwhelming students with options, Blockly focuses on building coding literacy through a library of customizable, drag-and-drop coding blocks.
As they combine coding blocks, students are provided with visual feedback that let’s them know whether two coding blocks are compatible. After mastering the basics, students can go on to create their own programs, complete with custom conditions, commands, data displays, and more. With Blockly and STEM Sense, students can pursue all types of investigations, ranging from single-day experiments to semester-long studies.
Plug-and-Play with PASCO Sensors
Blockly integrates seamlessly with all PASCO sensors and software, enabling students to program data collection parameters, code custom displays, and make data-based decisions to improve their STEM Sense project. Students can even use real-time data from PASCO sensors as a code input to create data-driven feedback loops, autonomous systems, and more.
Teaching Advantage
- Completely integrated solution: Access both data and code from SPARKvue or PASCO Capstone software.
- Give students total control of experimental variables, both biotic and abiotic.
Built for Student Use
- Support deeper investigations into biological concepts, including nutrient needs, plant competition, light cycles, and more.
Designed for use with
- Blockly coding in SPARKvue or PASCO Capstone software.
- Other environmental monitors like the Wireless Weather Sensor (PS-3209), CO₂ Sensor (PS-3208), or Oxygen Gas Sensor (PS-3217).
What's Included
Data Collection Software
This product requires PASCO software for data collection and analysis. We recommend the following option(s). For more information on which is right for your classroom, see our Software Comparison: SPARKvue vs. Capstone »
Connectivity Options
This product can connect directly to your computer or device with the following technologies. No Interface required. See the following guide for details regarding device compatibility: Wireless Bluetooth Product Compatibility »
- Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)
- Universal Serial Bus (USB)
Product Guides & Articles
AP Biology Lab Manual Overview
PASCO’s award-winning teacher guide, Advanced Biology Through Inquiry Teacher Lab Manual, includes eighteen guided inquiry labs that cover AP Biology concepts such as osmosis and diffusion, evolution, energetics, and system interactions.
Experiment Library Collections
Greenhouse Sense and Control Kit
The Greenhouse Sense & Control Kit is supported by student activities that can be edited to fit your course needs. Each activity builds students' computational thinking skills through Blockly programming and includes opportunities to focus on biology or environmental science concepts. Every investigation includes extensions that enhance engineering and design practices.
View CollectionSupport Documents
Manuals | ||
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Greenhouse Sensor Product Guide | English - 481.57 KB | |
Grow light Product Guide | English - 217.56 KB | |
Power Output Board Product Guide | English - 203.48 KB | |
USB Fan Product Guide | English - 880.53 KB | |
//control.Node Manual | English - 361.86 KB | |
Eco Chamber Manual | English - 82.12 KB | |
Safety Sheets | ||
Lithium Battery Safety Data Sheet | English - 305.73 KB |