Parts of a Plant Seeds

Objectives
Science
K.10 A sort plants and animals into groups based on physical characteristics such as color, size,
body covering, or leaf shape
K.10 B identify parts of plants such as roots, stem, and leaves and parts of animals such as head,
eyes, and limbs
K.10 D observe changes that are part of a simple life cycle of a plant: seed, seedling, plant,
flower, and fruit
ELAR
(b) (10) Reading/Comprehension of Informational Text/Expository Text. Students analyze, make
inferences and draw conclusions about expository text, and provide evidence from text to support
their understanding. Students are expected to:
(A) identify the topic and details in expository text heard or read, referring to the words and/or
illustrations;
(B) retell important facts in a text, heard or read
Materials
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Student journals/pencils
Hand lenses
A Seed is Sleepy by Dianna Hutts Aston (or any other book about seeds)
Clear tape (optional)
Plastic bags for collecting seeds (optional)

Engage

Read aloud A Seed is Sleepy by Dianna Hutts Aston; suggest students listen for
information in the book that would help them identify seeds in the outdoor classroom.
Review expectations of working in the outdoor classroom.

Explore

Ask students to think about some of the information from the book (seeds come in
different shapes and sizes, they are produced by pollinated flowers, and can be found
inside the fruit of a plant).
Tell students that they will be able to go on a seed hunt, collecting different seeds they
find in the outdoor classroom. (Set clear expectations for where students can explore and
model how to gently remove 1-2 seeds from a plant without causing it any harm).

Give students time to move around the outdoor classroom, collecting different types of
seeds. If they find fruits (such as berries or pods), encourage them to open them to look
for the seeds inside.
Gather students in a central location and ask them if they know of a scientific tool that
would help them to see their tiny seeds more closely (a magnifying glass).
Demonstrate how to properly use a hand lens by holding it close to the eye and pulling
the object (seed) close until it comes into focus.
Pass out a hand lens to each student and let them observe their seeds more closely.
Suggest they record any observations they might make about their seeds in their science
journal.
If they are small and relatively flat, tape students seeds into their science journals or
bring them inside to explore more thoroughly at a later time.

Explain

Provide more information to students about the different parts of a seed (seed coat,
embryo, endosperm, etc.) using books or videos. Consider rereading A Seed is Sleepy (or
other seed book read before students explored for seeds).

Elaborate

Using the seeds collected previously or after collecting more, have students dissect their
seeds looking for the different parts that they learned about from books or videos.
Students may tape seeds into their journals and label the different parts. (Larger seeds
will work best for this).

Evaluate

Provide students with pictures of various types of plants and their parts, and ask them to
identify the seeds on each plant.