Activity: Yo Seeds, Wake Up! - FAITC

Activity: Yo Seeds, Wake Up!Grades K-4BackgroundYou can hold 100 radishes in one hand, 1,000 carrots in the other, and a wildflower gardenin your front pocket — for within every seed lives a tiny plant, or embryo, complete with aleaf, stem, and root parts. The seed coat protects the embryo while a temporary food sourcenourishes it, either as an endosperm packed around the young plant or stored in specialleaves called cotyledons. Most seeds are either monocots, having one cotyledon, or dicots,with two. Seeds remain inactive until conditions are right for them to begin to grow, orgerminate.Time:Groundwork: 30 minutesExploration: 40 minutes set up (foreach of 3 weeks)Making connections: OngoingMateria1s: Seeds [cold season: radish (will besmall, but can plant afterwards),sunflower (can plant, but may bedamaged in a frost), warm season:bean]Plastic bagsPaper towelsRefrigeratorWorksheetBook: Frog and Toad TogetherStandards At- A -G1anceFlorida Standards Met:SC.K.L.14.3, SC.K.P.8.1, SC.1.N.1.1,SC.2.N.1.1, SC.3.N.1.1, SC.4.N.1.1,SC.1.N.1.2, SC.1.N.1.3, SC.3.N.1.3,SC.1.N.1.4, SC.1.L.14.1, SC.1.L.14.3,SC.2.N.1.5, SC.2.L.16.1, SC.2.L.17.1,SC.3.N.1.3, SC.3.N.1.6, SC.3.N.1.7,SC.3.P.8.3, SC.3.L.14.1, SC.3.L.14.2,SC.4.N.1.2, SC.4.N.1.3, SC.4.N.1.4,SC.4.N.1.5, SC.4.N.1.6, SC.4.N.1.7,SC.4.P.8.1, SC.4.L.16.1, SC.5.N.1.1,SC.5.N.1.2, SC.5.N.1.5, SC.5.N.1.6,SC.6.N.1.3, SC.6.N.1.4, SC.6.N.1.5,SC.6.L.15.1, SC.7.N.1.3, LAFS.4.RI.3.7,LAFS.K.W.1.2, LAFS.1.W.1.2,LAFS.1.W.3.7, LAFS.1.W.3.8, LAFS.2.W.1.2,LAFS.2.W.1.7, LAFS.2.W.1.8, LAFS.3.W.1.2,LAFS.3.W.3.8, LAFS.4.W.1.2, LAFS.4.W.3.8,LAFS.K.SL.2.5, LAFS.1.SL.1.1,MAFS.K.MD.1.2, MAFS.1.OA.1.1,MAFS.1.MD.3.4Next Generation Science Standards:K-LS1-1, K-ESS3-1, 1-LS1-1, 2-LS2-1,3-LS1-1, 3-LS3-2, 4-LS1-170All seeds require oxygen, water, and theproper temperature range in order to germinate. Some seeds require light; others requirefirst leavesdarkness. Oxygen and moisture, initiallytaken through the seed coat and later by thecotyledonroot, help the seed get energy from its foodseed coathypocotylsupply. Different types of seeds have specifictemperature requirements and preferencesfor germination. Some require warmertemperatures — 70-to-75 degrees Fahrenheitis ideal for tomatoes — and others germinatebetter in cool temperatures — 40-to-65 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal for lettuce. Many seedsalso require the proper light conditions to germinate. Some require light to germinate andothers are inhibited from germinating by light.DicotyledonWhen a seed is exposed to proper conditions for germination, water is taken in throughthe seed coat. The embryo’s cells begin to enlarge and the seed coat breaks open. The rootemerges first, followed by the shoot, which contains the stem and leaves.The way we plant seeds is very important. If seeds are planted too deeply, the young plantscan use up their food resources before they ever reach light and begin to make their ownfood. If planted in soil that’s too dry, seeds may not obtain the necessary moisture to germinate. Soaking-wet soil, on the other hand, may prevent seeds from getting oxygen, or maycause them to rot.DiscussionObjective: To predict what factors will affect seeds’ sprouting.Pass some seeds around the classroom. Ask: Do youthink these seeds are alive? Why or why not? Howcould we find out if they’re alive? If they are alive, orcould be, what do you think will make them start togrow? Explain that when seeds begin to grow, we callit ‘sprouting’ or ‘germinating’.a. As a class, brainstorm a list of factors studentsthink seeds need to sprout.b. List these on a class chart.2. Read the story called “The Garden” in Frog and ToadTogether. After reading the story, add to the class chartToad’s ideas about how to “wake up” seeds. Discusssome of Toad’s ideas. Ask: “Do you think yellingmight wake seeds up? Were Toad’s ideas the same as ordifferent from yours?”1.Gardening for Grades: Chapter 3, Curricu1um

leaves called cotyledons. Most seeds are either monocots, having one cotyledon, or dicots, with two. Seeds remain inactive until conditions are right for them to begin to grow, or germinate. All seeds require oxygen, water, and the proper temperature range in order to germi