SEEDS OF LIFE

ENDURING UNDERSTANDING Seeds are living organisms in a dormant state.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS What do seeds contain? What is germination? What are the parts of a root? What is the cotyledon?

SEEDS

DORMANT We decided seeds were alive, but in a dormant state. What is dormant again?

SEEDS, LIMA BEANS Today we are going to look at lima beans as an example of a typical seed. We will look for evidence that they are alive. (characteristics of life)

WHAT CAN WE DO? What can we do to get more evidence about whether lima beans are living or nonliving?

DISSECT!  You will get 2seeds per pair/group of three. 1 stays dry, 1 gets moistened (get wet)

2 lima beans 1 paper towel 1 hand lenses 2 paper clips 1 mouth? MATERIALS 2 lima beans 1 paper towel 1 hand lenses 2 paper clips 1 mouth?

PROCEDURE Put one seed in mouth Draw or trace the outline of a dry seed Carefully chip the white seed coat off the dry seed with the paper clip Split the seed in half Use the hand lens to observe the interior. Do the same to the soaked seed after 15 minutes.

GERMINATION When seeds start to grow we say they have germinated. Conditions have to be just right for a seed to germinate. It has to have water and oxygen. What survival value is there in producing seeds that are dormant?

READING Open your green Diversity of Life books to page 31. Open your science journal to the next blank page for COMBINATION NOTES! (seriously)

Seed Coat- the protective layer on the outside of the seed WORD BANK Seed Coat- the protective layer on the outside of the seed Cotyledon- composed of starch that provides the plant with food as it starts to grow Dicot- seed with two cotyledons Monocot- seed with one cotyledon

Germination- process when a seed starts to grow WORD BANK Embryo- Baby plant Germination- process when a seed starts to grow