Explore: Growing Seeds and Bulbs

Materials

• Bean seeds, grass seeds, and onion bulbs planted in Week 1
• “Our Plants” chart

Key Science Concepts

• Plants grow from seeds.
• Different plants grow from different seeds and bulbs.
• Plants have different parts: roots, stems, leaves, and fruit. 

Vocabulary

Encourage children to use vocabulary related to plants, such as leaves, stems, roots, and seeds, and science process words such as observe, describe, compare, and predict.

Directions

Tell children they are going to take a closer look at what they’ve grown.

1. Have children describe the beans growing in the cups and sandwich bags. Say:
   • Look for the plant with the longest root, the hairiest root, the greenest stem.
   • How many bean plants have grown leaves? Find the plant with the biggest leaves. Find the plant with the most leaves.
   • Now that some of the bean plants growing in the cups are above the soil, what do you think it looks like below the soil? Why?

2. Compare the grass plants growing in the cups and the sandwich bags. Ask:
   • What looks different and what looks the same?
   • Have children look at the roots of the grass with their magnifying glasses. How are they similar and different from the roots of the bean plant? 
   • Propose the idea of giving the grass a “haircut.” Ask, Do you think the cut grass will grow again? Why or why not? How about a bean?

3. Have children examine the onions and point out the growing roots. Ask: How do you think a bulb is the same as a seed? How is it different?

Continue to have children take photos for the “Our Plants” chart. Using the chart, count how many days the beans, grass, and onions have been growing.