1. THE TINY SEED

2. VOCABULARY

3. they grow healthy and strong.
THRIVE:
When living things
thrive
they grow healthy and strong.

4. The bud appeared on the plant.
show up – be seen
The bud appeared on the plant.

5. completely covered in water A plant drowns if you water it too much.

6. carried through air or water The leaf drifted down to the ground.
DRIFTS:
carried through air or water
The leaf drifted down to the ground.

7. There was no rain in the desert.
very dry place
There was no rain in the desert.

8. soft and smooth movement She gently placed the flower on the table.

9. The balloon burst when I grabbed it.
to break open
The balloon burst when I grabbed it.

10. person or thing close to another My neighbor lives next door.

11. PLANT POWER

12. People use plants in many ways
People use plants in many ways. All around us are objects that come from plants.

13. Your T-shirt started as a cotton plant. The cotton
plant has seeds called
bolls.

14. Hot weather makes the
bolls burst open.
When they break open,
a soft fluff of cotton
pops out.

15. The fluff might drift in the air, moving slowly in the wind
The fluff might drift in the air, moving slowly in the wind. People spin the fluff into thread that becomes material.

16. Other plants are used to these plants are found in a
make medicines. Some of
these plants are found in a
dry, hot place like the
desert.

17. The aloe plant has a juice that helps heal cuts. Many people grow
aloe plants.

18. water because they will die.
An aloe plant
drowns easily.
It is important
not to give
them too much
water because they will die.

19. To get the aloe
juice out,
gently break off
a leaf.
Do it carefully so
you don’t hurt
the plant.

20. Some plants are
so big that
we can build
with them.
Many houses
are made from trees.

21. Look at the houses of the
people who live near you.
Does your neighbor have
any wooden house?

22. THE TINY SEED
by Eric Carle

23. A strong wind is blowing. It blows flower seeds high in
It was Autumn.
A strong wind is blowing.
It blows flower seeds high in
the air and carries them far
across the land.

24. smaller than any of the others. Will it be able to keep up with
One of the seeds is tiny,
smaller than any of the others.
Will it be able to keep up with
the others?
And where are they all going?

25. Up, up it goes! It flies too high and the sun’s rays burn it up.
One of the seeds flies
higher than the others.
Up, up it goes! It flies too high
and the sun’s rays burn it up.

26. But the tiny seed sails on
with the others.

27. Another seed lands on a tall and icy mountain. The ice
never melts, and the seed
cannot grow. The rest of the
seeds fly on.

28. But the tiny seed does not go
as fast as the others.

29. Now they are over the ocean. One seed falls into the water
and drowns. The others sail on
with the wind.

30. But the tiny seed does
not go as high as the
others.

31. One seed drifts down onto the desert. It is hot and dry, and the
seed cannot grow.

32. Now the tiny seed is flying very low, but the wind pushes it on
with the others.

33. Finally the wind stops and the seeds fall gently down on the
ground. A bird comes by and
eats one seed.

34. The tiny seed is not eaten.
It is so small that the bird does not see it.

35. Now it is Winter.
After their long trip
the seeds
settle down. They look
just as if they are
going to sleep in the
earth. Snow falls and
covers them like a soft
white blanket.

36. A hungry mouse that also lives in the ground eats a seed for his
lunch. But the tiny seed lies
very still and the mouse does
not see it.

37. Now it is Spring.
After a few months
the snow
has melted. It is
really Spring.
Birds fly by.
The sun shines.
The rain falls.

38. The seeds grow so round and full they start to burst open a little.
Now they are not seeds any
more.
They are plants.

39. First they send
roots down into the
earth. Then their
little stems and
leaves begin to
grow up toward the
sun and the air.

40. There is another plant that grows much faster than the new little
plants. It is a big fat weed.
And it takes all the sunlight and
rain away from one of the small
new plants. And that little plant
dies.

41. The tiny seed hasn’t begun to grow yet. It will be too late! Hurry!
But finally it too starts to grow
into a plant.

42. The warm weather also brings the children out to play. They too
have been waiting for the sun
and spring time.

43. One child doesn’t
see the plants
as he runs along and
– OH!
He breaks one!
Now it cannot
grow any more.

44. The tiny plant that grew from the tiny seed is growing fast,
but its neighbor grows even
faster. Before the tiny plant
has three leaves the other plant
has seven!

45. And look! A bud!
And now even a flower!

46. First there are footsteps. Then a shadow looms over them.
But what is happening?
First there are footsteps.
Then a shadow looms over them.
Then a hand reaches down and
breaks off the flower. A boy has
picked the flower to give to a
friend.

48. It is Summer. Now the tiny plant from the tiny seed is all alone.
It grows on and on.
It doesn’t stop. The sun
shines on it and
the rain waters it.

49. taller. It is taller than
It has many leaves.
It grows taller and
taller. It is taller than
the people. It is taller
than the trees. It is
taller than the
houses.

50. And now a flower
grows on it.
People come from
far and near
to look at this
flower.

51. It is the tallest
flower they
have ever seen.
It is a giant flower.

52. All summer long the birds and bees and butterflies come
visiting. They have never seen
such a big and beautiful flower.

53. Now it is Autumn
again.
The days grow
shorter. The
nights grow cooler.
And the
wind carries yellow
and red leaves
past the flower.

54. Some petals drop
from the giant
flower and they sail
along with the
bright leaves over
the land and down
to the ground.

55. The wind blows harder.
The flower has lost almost
all of its petals. It sways
and bends away from
the wind. But the
wind grows stronger
and shakes the flower.

56. Once more the wind shakes the flower, and this time the flower’s
seed pod opens. Out come many
tiny seeds that quickly
sail far away on
the wind.

58. ERIC CARLE
has illustrated more than 70 books. He wrote most of these books, too. His artwork is called collage. First he paints on paper. Then he cuts the paper into small shapes. He glues the painted paper in layers to make shapes. Eric Carle likes to write and illustrate books about nature.

60. ASSIGNMENT The seed was tiny.
How does being tiny help the seed survive?
Use details from the story to explain your answer.

61. PLANT PARTS

62. A plant is a living thing
A plant is a living thing It uses its many parts to grow from a small seed to a large plant. Each part helps the plant stay healthy.

63. Plants also need sunlight to grow
Plants also need sunlight to grow. They get light from the sun and minerals from the soil. These things help the plant stay alive and grow.

64. ROOTS
A plant grows roots under the ground. The roots hold the plant in place and take in water and minerals.

65. STEM
The stem helps hold the plant up. It moves the food and water from the roots up to the other parts of the plant.

66. LEAVES
The leaves use the sunlight, water, and air to make food for the plant.

67. The flowers make seeds that can grow into new plants.

68. The fruit grows around the seeds and keeps them safe.
Some plants have fruit.
The fruit grows around the seeds and keeps them safe.

69. The seeds can grow into new plants.

71. ASSIGNMENT
Draw a plant and label
its parts.