Lesson plan

Seeds

Summary
Look at real seeds (outdoors or in) then design wind blown seeds using tissue paper, feathers and other materials. Build a model helicopter seed.
Science content
Biology: Features, Adaptations of Living Things (K, 1, 3, 7)
Biology: Life Cycles (2)
Procedure

Discussion to introduce seeds. Ideas to bring up:
Fall is the time when many plants make seeds. Seeds have protective coatings that allow them to survive the colder winter. They commonly germinate into a plant when the warmer weather returns in the Spring.
Seeds are made to spread a plant to new places. The seeds are dispersed to new places where they have their own water and nutrients without competing with the parent plant.

Optional: Seed hunt activity outdoors.

Apple dissection (not flower).
Open apple. What are these? [Seeds.]
Seeds make a new plant.

I'll give you each a bean seed to loook at closely.
Seed study, both bean and dandelion.

When a seed is made by a plant, it is best if it lands in the soil away from the parent plant, so that it has its own space to grow.
Review ways that seeds disperse with photos from the Resource book (How a Plant Grows).

You'll make your own models of seeds.
Wind blown seed design activity. You'll design seeds that can catch a wind - wings, parachute, or other structures that make the seed wide but light.
Helicopter seed models instead for Ks and lower primaries.

Notes

Assist Ks individially as necessary. Allow time for Ks and they will stay engaged.

Grades taught
Gr K
Gr 1
Gr 2
Gr 4
Gr 5