1. Science Embryology / Structures of Life Lesson 1, day 2: Seed Search
Materials needed:
-tray covered with paper towels for each group
-2 different types of fruit for each group to investigate
(seeded grape for each group and a pepper, acorn
squash, small pumpkin, tomato, and corn as the
second fruit – cut the large fruits in half and wrap in
plastic wrap ahead of time)
-plastic knives and spoons for each group
-paper towels for hands for each group
-one of each fruit cut open on a tray: nectarine, apple,
avocado, green bean, kiwi, plum
-fruits word search
-half of a strawberry for each pair or group

2. Where does life begin for a plant?
Think about it!
Where does life begin for a plant?
Yesterday, I asked you to ponder this question…*
Can someone remind us?
Where does life begin for a plant? (in the seed)
That led us to investigate the answer to this big question…

3. Where are seeds found in plants?
The BIG Question:
Where are seeds found in plants?
Can someone remind us?
There is a scientific name for the…

4. the structure where seeds develop in a flowering plant
fruit
the structure where seeds develop in a flowering plant
…structure where seeds develop in a flowering plant.
What do you call that part of the plant? *
Yesterday, we observed a green bean / sugar snap pea.
Today, we are going to observe a variety of different fruits.
As you observe your fruits, I want you to think about the answer to this question…

5. Do all fruits have the same kind and number of seeds?
The BIG Question:
Do all fruits have the same kind and number of seeds?
Can someone read it?
Here are the fruits that we are going to investigate today…

6. I want you to make some predictions: (show questions on easel)
kiwi
acorn squash
pumpkin
tomato
plum
grape
apple
I want you to make some predictions:
(show questions on easel)
-Will they all have the same number of seeds?
-Which will have the largest seed?
-Which will have the smallest seed?
-Which will have the most seeds?
I will be bringing your group two different fruits to investigate.
Here is what I would like you…
green bean
corn
nectarine
pepper
avocado

7. Things to do: Write the name of the fruit you are observing.
Carefully cut open the fruit and count
the number of seeds inside of it. If there
are too many seeds to count, make an
estimate.
…to do.
Can someone read * number 1?
Can someone read * number 2?
I already cut open some of the fruits that would be too difficult for you to cut with a plastic knife. You may need to use a spoon to get out your seeds. Some of the fruits will be messier than others. I am giving you a tray to use. Keep all of the mess on the tray.
Can someone read * number 3?
Can someone read * number 4?
We learned the definition of the word…
3. Draw a picture of the seeds.
4. List the properties of the seeds.

8. a characteristic of an object
property
a characteristic of an object
…property yesterday.
What do I mean by the properties of the seed? What is a property? * *
We need a place to record our observations. Find page 3 in your science binder and flip it over on the back.
something that you can observe including size, shape, color, texture, smell, and other features

9. Comparing Seeds
Write a 4 in the bottom corner.
Write a title at the top of the page. I wrote…*
There is a place for you to write the name of each of your fruits and the number of seeds each one contains.
There is also a place for you to draw a picture of your seeds and to list the properties of your seeds.
Remember, these are your… 4

10. Things to do: Write the name of the fruit you are observing.
Carefully cut open the fruit and count
the number of seeds inside of it. If there
are too many seeds to count, make an
estimate.
…things to do.
When you are done, I would like you to follow the clean up list on the easel:
-Put your plastic knife and spoon in the container on the back table.
-Throw away the fruit and seeds and use paper towels to clean off your tray and desks.
-Work on the word search until everyone is ready.
(get supplies)
Before you start taking your seeds out, I’d like everyone to take a gallery walk to see the inside of all the fruits. Unwrap your fruit and look at the seeds.
(have students rotate between groups and then give them time to complete the steps)
3. Draw a picture of the seeds.
4. List the properties of the seeds.

11. Do all fruits have the same kind and number of seeds?
The BIG Question:
By observing your fruits today, you should now have a good idea of the answer to my big question.
Do all fruits have the same kind and number of seeds?
Let’s see if we can answer the questions on our easel.
Which fruit had the largest seed? (avocado)
What fruit had the smallest seed? (kiwi)
Let’s share the number of seeds we found in our…
Do all fruits have the same kind and number of seeds?

12. Which of our fruits had the most seeds? (kiwi)
acorn squash
pumpkin
tomato
…fruits. (have each group share – teacher asks how many were in plum, nectarine, and avocado and then shares number in kiwi and green bean)
Which of our fruits had the most seeds? (kiwi)
Let’s see if we can make some conclusions about the size of the seeds compared to the number of seeds.
If there are a large number of seeds in a fruit, what size do the seeds tend to be? (small)
If the seed is very large, how many seeds are usually inside the fruit? (one)
What do you think is the purpose of the fruit? In other words, why does the seed need the fruit? (the fruit protects the seed)
I have one more fruit that I would like you to observe. There is something different about this fruit. (pass out half of a strawberry to each group/pair)
plum
grape
apple
green bean
corn
nectarine
pepper
avocado

13. Where are seeds found in fruits?
Think about the question we have been investigating.
Observe the outside and inside of your strawberry.
What is different about the * strawberry?
Where are the seeds found in the strawberry?
Let’s add an entry to our…

14. Five Functions of Living Things1
Living vs. Nonliving 2
Observing a Fruit 3
Comparing Seeds 4
…Table of Contents to show what we put in our notebooks today.
Here is what I wrote…* page…*
Let’s add a new fact to our…

15. * All living things are organisms.
* Life for a plant begins in a
seed.
* A seed is an organism (a living
thing).
* Seeds develop in the part of
a plant called the fruit.
…big ideas page.
Remember our big question for today was…

16. Do all fruits have the same kind and number of seeds?
The BIG Question:
Do all fruits have the same kind and number of seeds?
…Do all fruits have the same kind and number of seeds?
What did we conclude?
So let’s write…

17. * All living things are organisms.
* Life for a plant begins in a
seed.
* A seed is an organism (a living
thing).
* Seeds develop in the part of
a plant called the fruit.
* Different kinds of fruit have
…Different kinds of fruit have different kinds and numbers of seeds.
Let’s end today by reading a page in our Structures of Life book.
All living things have observable structures or parts. Right now we are learning about the observable structures of plants.
Let’s read page 1. (show pictures of maple and creeping thistle seed on next page to go along with page in book)
different kinds and numbers
of seeds.

18. Maple Seed Creeping Thistle Seed
Here you can see the wings of the maple seed.
Here * you can see the hairlike tufts on the creeping thistle.