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How Seeds Travel
Seeds:
Different types of plants have different types of seeds.
Seeds need to spread away from the parent plant to be sure to have space to grow and access to sunshine. If they try to grow too close, the bigger plants can block out the sun and not allow it enough room to grow.
Dispersal- Spreading or scattering
Germination- The process by which a plant grows
from a seed.
Seed- Part of plant containing beginning of new plant
Reproduction- process by which a living
thing creates a new organism like it.
Animals help seeds travel
Squirrels bury acorns (oak tree seeds) but don’t always remember where, so they might grow into a tree.
Bears eat berries that are full of seeds. They pass through the digestive system and are spread through the bear’s scat.
How do you think these seeds spread?
What characteristic makes you think that?
Wind help seeds travel
These are milkweed seeds. The brown part is the seed. The white part catches the wind and the seed travels like a parachute.
These maple seeds have “wings” that help them fly like helicopters!
How do you think these seeds spread?
What characteristic makes you think that?
“Hitchhikers” help seeds travel
Some seeds have little “hooks” or other parts that help them hitch a ride on fur or clothing.
These seeds attach to socks or an animal. They are carried someplace else where they fall off and grow.
How do you think these seeds spread?
What characteristic makes you think that?
Bursting open help seeds travel
Witch hazel has seeds that “explode.
‘
As the seed pod dries, a slight touch can cause the pod to contract and expel the seed..
How do you think these seeds spread?
What characteristic makes you think that?
Some plants are considered “invasive.” They have traveled to a new area and out compete native plants for resources..
Sometimes people help spread the seeds of invasive plants without knowing.
Hikers need to check their clothing for hitchhikers.
Interesting Fact:
Did you know the engineer who invented Velcro was inspired by hitchhiker seeds?
Invasive aquatic plants can hitchhike on boats and be introduced to new waters.
Let’s pause a few minutes and get up and move around.
If possible, go outside and see how many seeds you can find.
If you can’t go outside, can you find any seeds in your house?
Use the link in the chat to log into NearPod. Type in your name, pick an avatar, and let’s get ready to climb and show what we learned in this lesson.
Can you name some ways seeds travel?
How do seeds depend on the environment to spread and grow?
What is something people can do to prevent invasive species moving in?
Congratulations!
You know how seeds travel and why it is important!