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How do seeds travel?�A lesson on seed dispersal

Sarah Green

Educational Technology 470

San Diego State University

Fall 2008

This lesson is designed for a second grade class as the last lesson of a unit focusing on plants. Prior to this lesson, students would have learned the parts and functions of a plant, what plants need to germinate and grow, and what environmental stressors affect plant growth. In the previous lesson, students learned that seeds are found inside of fruits through an investigation. Students also dissected a lima bean seed and discovered that there are baby plants inside of seeds, which is how a new plant grows when the seed is planted in the ground. The purpose of this lesson is for students to investigate why seeds have different properties and characteristics that help them travel. Students will conclude that seeds need to travel to be planted in new places and that they get to new places in different ways. Through this lesson, students will discover how animals, insects, weather, and water help plants travel and thus reproduce. Students will identify different types of seeds and explain how they travel. This lesson meets second grade California Content Standard 2.f –Students know that fruits and flowers are associated with reproduction in plants.

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Review of Last Lesson

Seeds are found inside flowers & fruits.
New plants are inside of seeds.
Seeds are planted & new plants grow.
Review: Kinds of Fruits

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Think/Pair/Share

Think of different ways seeds might travel
Turn to a partner and share your predictions
Share with the class
Let’s find out!

I will use Think/Pair/Share at this point in the presentation to activate students’ prior knowledge. The question posed, what are different ways seeds might travel, will get students thinking of the different kinds of seeds they have seen and ways that these seeds might get around. Sharing with a partner exposes the students to ideas they might not have thought of themselves and gives them the chance to verbally express their own ideas. I would pair English Language Learners with bilingual students so that they are given the opportunity to express their ideas in their own language if necessary. Sharing with the class will give students exposure to multiple ideas and predictions. It will also get the students interested in the topic and eager to discover in what ways seeds travel through the upcoming lesson.

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Seeds look different

Seeds have different characteristics
These characteristics help seeds travel
Seeds travel in many different ways
Seeds travel to become planted & grow

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People plant seeds

Gardeners & farmers plant seeds in the ground
These seeds become new plants, trees, & flowers
People plant fruits & vegetables that we eat
You may have planted seeds yourself!
Find Out: The Job of a Farmer

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Other than people…

Most plants do not rely on people
Animals, wind, and water help seeds travel
Seeds travel to be planted in new places

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Tiny Hitchhikers

Animals’ fur and feathers help seeds travel
Some seeds are sticky and spiky with hooks
They grab on and stick to animals
When the animal travels, the seeds travel with it
Have seeds ever stuck to your clothes?

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Animal Droppings

Animals eat fruit, including the seeds
The seeds are not digested
When the animals leave waste, it contains the seeds
These seeds become new plants

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Seed Burying

Some animals, like squirrels, bury seeds in the ground
They sometimes forget about these seeds
The seeds stay in the ground and become new plants

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Helicopters, Parachuters, and Drifters

Some seeds are shaped like parachutes or helicopters!
They are light and float in the wind
Wind helps the seeds travel through the air
The seeds land and grow in new places
Video of Drifting Seeds

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Floaters�and Boaters

Some seeds float on water!
Water dispersal is important for plants that live near water
Pockets of air allow them to float
Seeds are washed up to the shore
They will begin to grow if conditions are right
Floating seeds

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Pollination in Flowers

Flowers must be pollinated to make new seeds
Pollination is different from other seed dispersal
Insects are attracted to flowers because of color and smell
Insects land on flowers; pollen sticks to their bodies
They transfer the pollen to new flowers
This makes new seeds for the flowers

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Animals that Pollinate

Bees carry out more pollination than any other insect
Hummingbirds use nectar to help pollinate flowers
Small mammals, like bats
Other insects, like butterflies and ants
An In-Depth Look at Pollination

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Once seeds settle…

Traveling seeds land in new places

If the conditions are right, these plants start to grow

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Quiz Time!

Discuss in small groups.

What might help these seeds travel?

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Final Class Discussion

Why is it important for seeds to be able to travel far?
How does environment play a role in seed dispersal?