1. Suggested lesson plan – How do seeds and bulbs grow?
A strategic health initiative from Project HOPE UK
Learning objective
To learn the parts of seeds and bulbs;
To know the conditions needed for seeds and bulbs to grow into plants;
To learn how seeds germinate;
To understand methods of seed dispersal;
To develop experience of working scientifically;
To complete the You Grow-They Grow growing activity.
Resources
downloadable online school resources:
“Plant life cycle” lesson resources, slides 2-7;
Classroom activity sheets “Parts of a seed”, “Seed germination” and “What do seeds need to germinate experiment”.
You Grow-They Grow growing pack
Bean seeds, flower bulb and a scalpel
Introduction
Ask the children if they know why seeds are important and if they can name any types of seeds e.g. sunflower seeds, acorns, conkers etc.
Ask the children what they think seeds need to grow.
Use “Plant life cycle” lesson resources slides 2 and 3 to describe the parts of a seed and a bulb.
Activity
To reinforce learning, take one seed and and cut it in half to show the children the contents.
Peel the tough coating from another seed.
Cut the bulb in half and describe the contents to the pupils.
Download and ask the children to complete the “Parts of a seed” classroom activity either individually or in groups.
Crisps = 525 calories per 100 g

2. Suggested lesson plan – How do seeds and bulbs grow?
A strategic health initiative from Project HOPE UK
Experiment – What do seeds need to grow?
Ask the children where seeds and bulbs grown e.g. in the ground. Using this information, discuss with the children what they think seeds and bulbs need to grow and how this differs from plants.
Using the “What do seeds need to germinate experiment” set up bean seeds to grow in a number of different conditions e.g. with and without light, water, soil, air and warmth.
Ask the children to record their observations after 7 days.
Discuss what the children think the results mean.
If you do not have time to complete the experiment, you could use “Plant life cycle” lesson resources slides 4 and 5 to help with the discussion.
Activity
Discuss the process of germination and growth. Use “Plant life cycle” lesson resources slides 6 to examine the different stages of germination.
Relate these to the results of the seed germination experiment.
Reinforce learning using the “seed germination” classroom activity. Use this activity to ask the children to put the steps of germination in the correct order.
Use “Plant life cycle” lesson resources slide 7 to ask the pupils to think about which plants are grown from seeds and which from bulbs.
Crisps = 525 calories per 100 g

3. Suggested lesson plan – How do seeds and bulbs grow?
A strategic health initiative from Project HOPE UK
You Grow-They Grow activity
Distribute the You Grow-They Grow growing packs to the children. Explain the activity and its relationship to what they have learned about seeds. Describe the activity:
that each child will grow their on vegetable plant(s);
that the plants will be nurtured at home/school;
explain the growth chart/diary and explain how you would like the children to monitor the growth of their plants using their tape measures;
tell the children that they will sell the plants at a plant sale to raise money for You Grow-They Grow (Project Hope UK);
describe how the money will be used;
6) ask the children to think about ideas for the You Grow-They Grow plant sale.
Experimental results
Discuss the pupil’s observations and complete the experimental record.
Link experimental observations to previous learning on the parts of seeds and which conditions are needed for seeds to germinate.
Compare and contrast the findings to the conditions needed for plants to grow.
Crisps = 525 calories per 100 g