The Life Cycle of a Plant

Your instructions Make a heading in your notebook for The Life Cycle of a Plant. Read each slide together. For each slide, write down The numbered heading (like 1. Germination) Copy the information down for that part of the life cycle. When you are finished, close this presentation and view the two websites on the class webpage.

1. Germination The seed coat is softened by water. The seed splits open. The new plant inside (the embryo) begins to grow up. The root begins to grow down into the soil.

2. Sprout or Seedling A small shoot pushes up through the soil, beginning the plant’s growth. The stem and “seed leaves” turn green as CHLOROPHYLL (a green chemical) begins to form. Chlorophyll is one the things needed for a plant to make its own food.

3. Plant Growth The stem grows thicker and stronger. The plant becomes green with CHLOROPHYLL inside it. It develops LEAVES, which are “food factories”. They make food for the plant by the process of PHOTOSYNTHESIS. The plant grows taller.

4. Flower buds Flower buds begin to form at the tips of some stems. They are important beginnings of new flowers, from which new seeds will form.

5. Flowers A flower opens its colorful petals up, with important parts in the center to help to create a new seed.

6. Pollination An insect, bird or the wind has to help transfer pollen grains from the plant of one flower to a flower on a different plant. The flower is then fertilized and a new seed begins to grow inside the flower.

7. Fruit or seed pod formation A fruit or seed pod grows around the seed to protect the seed. The flower dies and the fruit or seed pod dries up and splits open, releasing the seeds.

8. Seed dispersal The seeds fall out of the fruit or seed pod into the soil, or gets carried to a new location by the wind, water or animals. Some seeds have hooks, burrs, or sticky surfaces to help them travel. Once they fall on new soil, the life cycle begins again, as the seed goes into the ground and germinates.