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Seed Starting

Investigating Seeds, Making a Plant Pot, Planting Seeds

Supporting materials available here: http://www.uri.edu/cels/ceoc/EducationResources.html

Lesson 1: Seed Diversity and Germination

This lesson displays and illustrates the enormous variation in plant seeds. Students examine seed parts and functions.

Although this information in this document has been funded in part by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under assistance agreement number 96157901 to the New England Environmental Education Alliance, it may not necessarily reflect the views of the Agency and no official endorsement should be inferred.

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Tips for teaching the lesson: Free seeds can be obtained for educational purposes each year through the URI Seed Sort Program. Visit www.uri.edu/cels/ceoc for an order form, typically available in February or March. Seed starting handouts can be downloaded from: http://www.uri.edu/cels/ceoc/EducationResources.html

Materials for the lesson:Four different varieties of one genus of seeds per student (such as four different types of sunflower seeds), one germinated seed of the genus per student, magnifying glasses, white plastic/foam plates (one per student), seed starting handouts

Name: Seed Diversity Topic: Food Literacy

Subject: Life Science Grade Level: K-4Objective(s): Student will be able to (SWBAT) describe the seed parts and functions and observe the variation in seeds.State Standard(s): LS1 (K-4) - INQ+POC –1 Sort/classify different living things using similar and different characteristics. Describe why organisms belong to each group or cite evidence about how they are alike or not alike.LS1 (K-4) SAE -2 Identify the basic needs of plants and animals in order to stay alive. (i.e., water, air, food, space).LS1 (K-4) FAF –4 Identify and explain how the physical structures of an organism (plants or animals) allow it to survive in its habitat/environment (e.g., roots for water; nose to smell fire).LS1 (K-4) POC –3 Predict, sequence or compare the life stages of organisms – plants and animals (e.g., put images of life stages of an organism in order, predict the next stage in sequence, compare two organisms).

Time Action Assessment Materials

5-10 min.Hand out a variety of seeds of a single genus (ie: sunflower seeds) and one plate to each student.

Seeds, plate, magnifying glasses

Although this information in this document has been funded in part by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under assistance agreement number 96157901 to the New England Environmental Education Alliance, it may not necessarily reflect the views of the Agency and no official endorsement should be inferred.

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Have the students:Compare and contrast the seeds they are holding, using magnifying glasses.

5-10 min. Then have the share their findings with students beside them. Have them compare their findings as a class.

What are the similarities and differences?Where did the seeds come from?

10-15 min. Follow up observation of dormant seeds with the observation of germinated seeds. Discuss seed parts with appropriate vocabulary.

Seed starting handouts, Germinated seeds

Lesson 2: Seed Starting and Pot Making

Students will create seed pots from recycled planters and start seeds to observe the growing process in the classroom, home or school garden.

Although this information in this document has been funded in part by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under assistance agreement number 96157901 to the New England Environmental Education Alliance, it may not necessarily reflect the views of the Agency and no official endorsement should be inferred.

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Tips for teaching the lesson: Free seeds can be obtained for educational purposes each year through the URI Seed Sort Program. Visit www.uri.edu/cels/ceoc for an order form, typically available in February or March. Seed starting handouts can be downloaded from: http://www.uri.edu/cels/ceoc/EducationResources.html

Materials for the lesson:4”newspaper strips, small vegetable can (approximately 3.5” deep, 2.5”round), paper/drafting tape, enough soil less planting medium to fill each students pot almost full, two planting seeds per student, instruction sheets, waterproof pen.

Name: Seed Starting and Pot Making Topic: Food Literacy

Subject: Life Science Grade Level: K-4Objective(s): Student will be able to (SWBAT) describe the necessary conditions for seed growth, examine and discuss the importance of seeds to humans, manufacture a plant pot from recycled materials, directly observe the process of seed startingState Standard(s): LS1 (K-4) SAE -2 Identify the basic needs of plants and animals in order to stay alive. (i.e., water, air, food, space).LS1 (K-4) FAF –4 Identify and explain how the physical structures of an organism (plants or animals) allow it to survive in its habitat/environment (e.g., roots for water; nose to smell fire).LS1 (K-4) POC –3 Predict, sequence or compare the life stages of organisms – plants and animals (e.g., put images of life stages of an organism in order, predict the next stage in sequence, compare two organisms).

Time Action Assessment Materials10 min Making newspaper plant pots:

1. Assist students in placing the newspaper Why are we using newspaper? Which

Small vegetable can

Although this information in this document has been funded in part by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under assistance agreement number 96157901 to the New England Environmental Education Alliance, it may not necessarily reflect the views of the Agency and no official endorsement should be inferred.

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strips along the rim of the can and wrap the newspaper around the can.

2. Tape the seam with paper tape the long way on the seam.

3. There will be an approximately 1” overhang of paper on the other end of the can.

4. Fold down the overhanging end of paper like gift-wrapping.

5. Tape the fold down with paper tape. Slide the can out to reveal your pot.

materials are recycled? Newspaper can be planted directly into the ground where it will degrade into the soil.

(approximately 3.5” deep, 2.5”round).Cut newspaper strips approximately 4”x the long side of the paper

2-3 min. Planting Seeds:Fill pots ¼” from the pot top with soil less mix.Plant two seeds (of the genus that they observed) in each pot. Plant seeds side by side, not on top of each other).

Soil less potting mix, seeds

2-3 min. Put the pot in a zip-loc bag. Fold instruction sheet in four with writing to the inside. Write their name on the instructions. Put the instructions into the bag, name facing out. Zip the pot, soil, seeds, and instructions in the bag. Do no water.

Instruction sheets, pen

3-5 min. Instruct the students to find the two seeds and repeat the planting steps if their pot should spill before they get their pot to its final destination. Pots should be placed on a plastic plate or lid when they arrive at their final

What do plants need to survive? How will we care for our seedlings? When is it safe to plant our seedlings outside in RI

Waterproof pen

Although this information in this document has been funded in part by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under assistance agreement number 96157901 to the New England Environmental Education Alliance, it may not necessarily reflect the views of the Agency and no official endorsement should be inferred.

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destination and watered until the pots turn dark grey. Do not let the pots sit in standing water. When the pot turns white again, it is time to water the pot again. The plant should be transplanted when the plan is about 6” tall.

(after the danger of frost, around May 15)?

Acknowledgements

Grateful acknowledgement of the following for their insight, expertise, and support in creating this curriculum:

Melissa PaceVanessa Venturini

of the URI Outreach Center.

Although this information in this document has been funded in part by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under assistance agreement number 96157901 to the New England Environmental Education Alliance, it may not necessarily reflect the views of the Agency and no official endorsement should be inferred.