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Explore how a tiny seed turns into a tall plant through specific stages of growth.
Did you know that a giant oak tree, taller than your house, started its life as a tiny seed small enough to fit in your pocket?
Every plant starts as a seed. Inside that seed is a tiny baby plant called an embryo. To stay safe, the seed has a hard outer shell called a seed coat. Think of the seed coat like a warm winter jacket that protects the baby plant until it is ready to grow. The seed also has a little bit of stored food inside to help it start its journey. As long as the seed stays dry and cool, it can wait a long time before it begins to grow.
Quick Check
What is the name of the hard outer shell that protects the baby plant?
Answer
The seed coat.
When a seed gets enough water and warmth from the soil, it wakes up! This is called germination. First, a tiny root grows down into the ground to find more water. Then, a small green part called a sprout pushes up through the dirt to find the light. At this stage, the plant is very fragile and needs just the right amount of water—not too much, and not too little!
Follow these steps to start a plant: 1. Place bean seed in a cup of dirt. 2. Push it down centimeters deep. 3. Add small spoonful of water. 4. Place it near a sunny window.
Quick Check
Which part of the plant grows first: the root or the sprout?
Answer
The root grows first, going down into the soil.
As the sprout grows, it becomes a seedling. Now it needs two main things to grow big: sunlight and water. The leaves act like tiny solar panels. They soak up the sun's energy to make food for the plant. Without light, the plant would turn yellow and weak. The roots keep drinking water from the soil, acting like a straw to pull the water up to the leaves and the stem.
Imagine you have two plants: 1. Plant A gets hours of sunlight. 2. Plant B is kept in a dark closet for hours. After one week, Plant A will be green and tall, while Plant B will be wilting because it couldn't make food!
Quick Check
What do leaves use sunlight for?
Answer
Leaves use sunlight to make food for the plant.
Once the plant is an adult, it grows flowers. These flowers aren't just pretty; they have a very important job! Flowers make new seeds. These seeds might fall to the ground, or they might be carried away by the wind or animals. When those seeds find a new spot in the dirt, the whole cycle starts all over again. This is called a life cycle because it goes around and around in a circle.
Can you put these steps in the right order? 1. A flower grows and makes seeds. 2. A seed is planted in the soil. 3. A sprout pushes up toward the sun. 4. The seed germinates and grows a root. Correct Order: .
What is the very first thing that grows out of a seed?
Which of these does a plant need to make its own food?
The life cycle of a plant happens over and over again.
Review Tomorrow
Tomorrow, try to explain to a friend what the 'seed coat' does and why the plant needs it.
Practice Activity
Go outside and look for a flower. Can you find where the seeds are hiding inside the flower?