OBJECTIVE

Students will be able to identify the stages of the life cycle of a seed, and the sequence of the stages of the life cycle.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

Where do seeds come from?

MATERIALS NEEDED

Seed Life Cycle Puzzle Template, Pencils, Colored Pencils/Crayons, Scissors, Paper Clips

PROCEDURE

Introduction:
Students may be introduced to the seed life cycle puzzle through the game, “Seed Root Flower Fruit,” or through “Seed Yoga.” Review the seed’s life cycle by inviting students to use their bodies (silently and slowly) to imitate how a seed grows from seed to sprout to stem/leaf, to flower to fruit and back to seed. Invite students to choose a plant they are imitating.
Activity:
With a specific plant in mind, ask students to identify six stages of it’s life cycle. Together, write the six stages up on the board. (To simplify, this can be shortened to four stages – seed, root, flower, fruit – and the puzzle template can be adjusted to have four quadrants instead of six).
At their desks/tables, students each are handed a blank puzzle template. First, they write each stage of the cycle in its own section, along the outline of the circle (See Seed Life Cycle.tiff for an example). Next, students illustrate each stage. Finally, they cut out each stage and paper clip the puzzle pieces together to take home.
Wrap up/ Assessment:
As students finish their puzzles, invite them to swap with each other, challenging each other to complete their peers’ puzzles.

FOLLOW UP & EXTENSIONS

Planting Experiments