STC Plant Growth and
Development
Lesson 2: What Is Inside a Seed?
Kennewick School District
STC Plant Growth and Development
Lesson 2: What Is Inside a Seed?
Materials list
For each student:
 1 dry bean seed
 2-3 soaked bean seeds
 1 paper towel
 Student notebook
 Activity Sheet 1:
Recording Chart for
Seed Observations
For every 2 students:
 Hand lens
STC Plant Growth and Development
Lesson 2: What Is Inside a Seed?
What did you learn about the dry
bean seed by using your
senses?
©2003 Microsoft Corporation.
STC Plant Growth and Development
Lesson 2: What Is Inside a Seed?
What did you predict would
happen to the dry bean seed after
soaking overnight in water?
©2003 Microsoft Corporation.
STC Plant Growth and Development
Lesson 2: What Is Inside a Seed?
Use your senses (except taste, of
course) to observe the soaked
seeds.
Compare the soaked seed to a dry
seed.
©2003 Microsoft Corporation.
STC Plant Growth and Development
Lesson 2: What Is Inside a Seed?
Record your observations of the
outside of the soaked seed on
Activity Sheet 1, next to
yesterday’s observations of the dry
seed. Be sure to use accurate
describing words.
©2003 Microsoft Corporation.
STC Plant Growth and Development
Lesson 2: What Is Inside a Seed?
How is the soaked bean seed
different from the dry bean seed?
©2003 Microsoft Corporation.
STC Plant Growth and Development
Lesson 2: What Is Inside a Seed?
Now peel off the seed coat.
Gently pry open the two halves
of the seed.
Use your hand lens to
observe the parts of
the seed.
©2003 Microsoft Corporation.
STC Plant Growth and Development
Lesson 2: What Is Inside a Seed?
Take another soaked bean and
observe it closely, inside and
out.
Are the two beans similar?
©2003 Microsoft Corporation.
STC Plant Growth and Development
Lesson 2: What Is Inside a Seed?
Inside a Bean Seed
Copyright 1991 by the National Academy of Sciences.
STC Plant Growth and Development
Lesson 2: What Is Inside a Seed?
Add this vocabulary word and its meaning to your glossary.
cotyledon
Contains the food for the beginning
underground growth of the plant.
STC Plant Growth and Development
Lesson 2: What Is Inside a Seed?
Add this vocabulary word and its meaning to your glossary.
embryo
A baby plant. The tiny, undeveloped
plant that includes all the parts of a
mature plant.
STC Plant Growth and Development
Lesson 2: What Is Inside a Seed?
Add this vocabulary word and its meaning to your glossary.
seed coat
The outside of the seed. It protects
the delicate inside parts of the seed.
STC Plant Growth and Development
Lesson 2: What Is Inside a Seed?
Draw what you see on your
observation sheet. Label the
parts.
Your drawing doesn’t need to be a work of art, but
should be a clear, complete, and accurate record of
the information you have learned about the seed.
©2003 Microsoft Corporation.
STC Plant Growth and Development
Lesson 2: What Is Inside a Seed?
Lesson 2
Activity Sheet 1
Recording Chart for Seed Observations
Directions: In the spaces below, write one or two accurate words to
describe the seed you are observing today.
Dry Bean
Soaked Bean
Color
Shape
Texture
Odor
Size
**Draw the size of your bean in the “Size” section
STC Plant Growth and Development
Lesson 2: What Is Inside a Seed?
Clean up. Put all materials and
supplies where they belong.
Put your activity sheet into your
notebook.
Throw away your seeds and
paper towels.
STC Plant Growth and Development
Lesson 2: What Is Inside a Seed?
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