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Science
Standard:
Plants depend on animals for pollination or to move their seeds around. (2-LS2-2)
Objectives:
I can form hypotheses about seed dispersal based on observations of physical characteristics.
I can test my hypothesis to figure out how certain seeds are dispersed.
Assessments:
Generating a list of possible tests during discussion
Partner work and cooperation
Treatment of classroom materials
Activity sheet where notes and hypotheses are recorded
Participation in testing
Differentiation:
Group discussion before work begins
Modeling of procedures with visual and examples of responses
Student generated list of tests
Partner work (with familiar partners from Monday and Tuesday’s work)
Graphic organizer
Tactile, hands-on learning with real, native examples (some very familiar and some less-so)
Visual representations of seeds on the board, all instructions read-aloud
Connection to prior learning and experiences on the wilderness trail
Procedures:
 Gather in the front of the room. Explain to students that we will be scientists conducting research today.
We already know a lot of methods for seed dispersal and we are going to use the information we have to
make observations about seeds, form hypotheses about dispersal and test our hypotheses.
 First, we are going to read and test our knowledge of seed dispersal methods. As I read the FOSS book
chapter, I will ask students to let me know what method of dispersal is being described, and record it on
the board. Water will be missing; this will be added after we read.
 Do you think seeds might travel in more than one way? How can we figure this out? Ideas? We can look
at the physical characteristics of seeds to help us figure out how they are dispersed…that will help us
make a guess, or hypothesis. This is what we’re going to be doing this morning.
 How could we test this in our classroom? Get kids to generate a list of possible tests and write them in
next to each seed dispersal method on the board.
 We are going to spend some time doing this so that we can figure out how some common, local plants
get dispersed. All of the plants we’ll be examining and testing were found right on our very own
wilderness trail. This will help us better understand how the plants at Caroline move from place to
place.
 Project the activity sheet and model THOROUGHLY. Model note taking during observation and go over
the meaning of hypothesis (have kids explain this). Can you do a diagram to help explain the physical
characteristics you see? Yes!
 Once students are finished observing (give time frame… maybe 7 minutes?) they will go on to test their
hypotheses. Every group will have a chance to test for water wind and animal dispersal (though we
can’t test for animal poop exactly, we can break apart seeds, and consider their size, weight and texture
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to help inform us about this). Project the other side of the activity sheet. This is where the outcome of
each test will be recorded. Then, you’ll write whether or not your hypothesis was true. When we begin
testing, we will rotate between stations and spend about 5 minutes at each spot.
Call up the first pair, and have them model how to get right to work, carry their materials carefully, and
use materials safely and gently. Call up remaining groups one at a time to get their seeds, activity sheets
and eye-spies.
When observation time is up, have 3 groups go to water testing, 3 go to wind, and 3 go to animal.
Remind them to CAREFULLY carry their seeds from one place to the next to avoid any blowing out.
When students are finished, reconvene at the front to discuss findings. Did we all find the same
information? If not, why might this have happened? Did you find that some seeds travel in multiple
ways? What about their physical characteristics played a role in how they dispersed? How did their
looks/size/texture affect dispersal? Turn to the person next to you and tell them what surprised you the
most. Can we compare the two seeds with hooks/hairs? What was the same and what was different? Did
they behave the same way in each test?
These will be kept in green folders for future use. The information about physical characteristics and
dispersal will be helpful when you begin making models, especially if you decide to make a seed
dispersal model for the celebration of learning.
Plant
Physical Characteristics
__________
_________________________________
Queen Anne’s
Lace
Goldenrod
Wild Rose
Burdock
What is your hypothesis? How
do you think each seed gets
dispersed?
Wind
Water
Poop
Hitching
a ride
Winter
storage
Plant
Queen
Anne’s
Lace
Goldenrod
Wild Rose
Burdock
Water Test
Wind Test
Animal Test
Was my hypothesis
right?