1. Plants and the Parable of the Sower
Based on Mark 4
And Virginia science SOL 4.4

2. Seeds
Mark 4:3 Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed.

3. Who eats seed?
As the sower (or farmer) was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
Birds eat plants, insects and seeds. If they eat the seed, the seed can’t grow.

4. What do seeds need to grow?
What conditions are needed for the seeds to sprout and grow?

5. What seeds need
Answer: Seeds need light, warmth, and water to germinate.
Eventually they need more space, minerals and sunlight.

6. What the parable means
Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.
What did Satan say to Eve to take away God’s word?
What does Satan say to people today to take away God’s word?

7. Rocky Soil
Some seed fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.

8. Why do plants need roots?
But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
Why do plants need roots?

9. Roots
Roots anchor plants in the soil. When wind, running water and other natural occurrences sweep things away, plants can stay in place because of their roots.

10. Roots
Roots also absorb water and essential minerals through their millions of root hairs.

11. Roots
A third function of roots is to store food for the plant and animals called herbivores that eat plants. Can you think of some of the roots we eat?

12. Roots in Jesus
In the parable of the sewer, Jesus explained O seed sown on rocky soil stands for people who hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
What are some troubles of persecutions that cause people to stop believing in and obeying Jesus?

13. Thorns and weeds
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain.

14. Plants need space
Plants need space to grow. Weeds, thorns and other harmful plants can crowd them and take the water and minerals they need. The plant never produces flowers, fruits or more seeds.

15. Jesus said…
People, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.

16. What are thorns for people?
What do some people worry about?
How does wealth and money trick us into not following Jesus?
What things do some people want more than Jesus?

17. Fruit
Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times.
Adult plants produce fruit and more seeds.

18. Fruit Fruits provide food for animals.
Fruits protect new seeds until they can fall to the ground and grow new plants.
Did you know tomatoes are fruits?

19. How do Christians make fruit?
Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.

20. Let’s review! What do plants need to grow?
What do roots do for plants?
Why do we need fruit and seed?
What is the best kind of soil for growing?
What do Christians need to grow?
How does a Christian get roots?
How does a Christian make fruit?