Seed Travel Inquiry Lesson
June 19, 2009
Teaching Science: Dr. Vincent
1.
Background:
Using this learning cycle inquiry lesson students will be exposed to the concept of all living things
(plants) having structures that enable them to function in unique and specific ways to survive, specifically the unique ways in which seeds move from one place to another. In this lesson students will investigate three types of seed travel.
The teacher should have an understanding of what children this age can do and enjoy, an understanding of science process skills and content knowledge and sufficient assessment skills. The teacher should be familiar with how a plant is included into the plant kingdom. For an organism to be included into the plant kingdom, it must be composed of cells and manufacture its own nutrients through photosynthesis. Not all plants produce seeds. A seed is a plant embryo surrounded by a protective coat. The protective coat prevents the seed from drying out. When conditions are too hot or too dry, the seed will remain inactive. When conditions are favorable the seed will begin to sprout, or germinate. There are two groups of plants that bear seeds, gymnosperms and angiosperms.
Gymnosperms produce seed in cones, such as pine and cedar. Angiosperms produce flowers instead of cones. (Tocci) There are many types of seed dispersal. Seeds can be carried by wind, water or animals.
Some plants have explosive devices to disperse seeds and some are ingested by animals and then deposited.
The content and process standards for this lesson are located in the OK State Department of
Education PASS for 3 rd grade Life Science.

Process S
Process S
Process S
Process S
Grade 3
Standard 1: Observe and Measure - Observing is the first action taken by the learner to acquire new information about an object, organism, or event. Opportunities for observation are developed through the use of a variety of scientific tools. Measurement allows observations to be
quantified. The student will accomplish these objectives to meet this process standard.
1. Observe and measure objects, organisms, and/or events using developmentally appropriate Systems International (SI) units (i.e., meters, centimeters, grams, and degrees Celsius).
2. Compare and contrast similar and/or different characteristics in a given set of simple objects, familiar organisms, and/or observable events.
Standard 2: Classify - Classifying establishes order. Objects, organisms, and events are classified based on similarities, differences, and interrelationships. The student will accomplish these
objectives to meet this process standard.
1.
Classify a set of simple objects, familiar organisms, and/or observable events by observable properties.
Standard 3: Experiment and Inquiry - Experimenting is a method of discovering information. It requires making observations and measurements to test ideas. Inquiry can be defined as the skills necessary to carry out the process of scientific or systemic thinking. In order for inquiry to occur, students must have the opportunity to ask a question, formulate a procedure, and observe
phenomena. The student will accomplish these objectives to meet this process standard.
*1. Ask a question about objects, organisms, or events in the environment.
2. Plan and conduct a simple investigation.
Standard 4: Interpret and Communicate - Interpreting is the process of recognizing patterns in collected data by making inferences, predictions, or conclusions. Communicating is the process of describing, recording, and reporting experimental procedures and results to others.
Communication may be oral, written, or mathematical and includes organizing ideas, using appropriate vocabulary, graphs, other visual representations, and mathematical equations. The
student will accomplish these objectives to meet this process standard.
1.
Interpret tables, pictorial, and/or simple bar graphs
*3. Communicate the results of a simple investigation using drawings, tables, graphs, and/or written and oral language.
Grade 3

Standard 2: Characteristics and Basic Needs of Organisms and Environments - All living things have structures that enable them to function in unique and specific ways to obtain food, reproduce, and survive. The student will engage in investigations that integrate the process standards and lead to the discovery of the following objectives
2.
Each plant or animal has different structures that serve different functions in growth and survival (i.e., the way it moves, type of food it needs, and where it lives).
3.
All animals depend on plants. Some animals eat plants for food. Other animals eat animals that eat the plants.
Throughout this lesson students will be gaining science knowledge, enhancing basic and integrated skills and fostering healthy attitudes regarding science. Students will be using the following process skills during this inquiry lesson; observation, measurement, classification, prediction, inquiry, interpretation and communication. Students will also be using the following integrated skills; making graphs and interpreting data. The content skills students will be learning in this inquiry lesson is the characteristics unique to plants that enable them to move from one place to another and that all animals depend on plants for survival.
Student Objectives:

The student will illustrate and diagram three seeds.

The student will analyze and classify a variety of seeds.

The student will prepare a chart indicating how they classified their seeds.

The student will measure the distance of a flying dandelion seed.

The student will predict and compare a difference in distance between two sizes of dandelion seeds.

The student will present their data orally.

The student will compose a written paragraph about a seed’s journey from the seed’s perspective.


This student will understand three types of seed travel (dispersal) by the end of this investigation.

The student will appreciate that plants have structures that serve different functions in growth and survival, specifically in the way that plants move.

The student will comprehend that all animals depend on plants.
2.
Organization of lesson:
This learning cycle inquiry lesson will be using the five phase inquiry method to help students gain knowledge and process skills to learn about seeds and how they travel from one place to another.
During the engage phase students will observe a collection of seeds while the teacher asks thought provoking questions to promote discussion of what students know and would like to know regarding seeds. Students will be using observation skills to form their own questions regarding seeds. The teacher will use this discussion to narrow the investigation to seed travel. For the explore phase of the lesson the students will be put into groups to examine and classify their own set of seeds and a container of water. Students will not be instructed on what to do with the water. They will also be given a chart to classify their seeds into groups by how they might travel. Once students have classified their seeds they will interpret and communicate their data to the class in the explain phase. The teacher will also show a video on seed dispersal after a thorough discussion of each group’s findings. During the expand phase the students will be asked to make a prediction based on their observations about the dandelion seed. The students will conduct an investigation on the dandelion seed to see if parachute size and seed size effects the distance (measurement) the seed will travel by fan breeze. Through observation, classification, interpretation, communication and measurement students will gain an understanding of the unique characteristics seeds must have to travel from one place to another.

Several assessments will be made throughout the lesson including charts and diagrams, a drawing of the dandelion seed, answers to questions from the teacher and peers and one paragraph explaining the journey of a seed written from the seed’s perspective.
The 5-E lesson plan:
The teacher will show the students a collection of seeds (coconut, squash, pine cone, milk weed pod, avocado, burdock, etc.) and allow the students to touch them. (Safety issue: Advise students not to put seeds in their mouth and to keep their hands away from their face and mouth during this investigation.) While students are observing the seeds ask them several questions to captivate their attention and create interest in the lesson. Use this time to draw out misconceptions regarding seeds.
Students should be attentive and answering questions during this phase. Some questions might include:

What do we now about seeds?

Where do seeds come from?

Do we need seeds?

Why do we need seeds?

What about animals that eat other animals, do they need plants?

How do seeds get from one place to another? (content standard 2:3)

How do weeds get into our gardens? (content standard 2:2)


What are some different ways that plants can get their seeds to new places? (Bricker)
(content standard 2:2)
This last question would end the engage phase and begin the explore phase.
At the beginning of this phase the teacher will separate students into groups and distribute a cup of seeds and a bowl of water to each group. Instruct students to observe their seeds and think about how those seeds might travel. Do not tell the students what to do with the water. Let students use their own knowledge and methods to test the seeds to see if they will float or sink. Hand out a chart to each group for classifying their seeds by how they might travel and diagramming one seed from each category. Give students enough time to fully explore each seed, collect data and interpret their findings.
Move around the room to each group and listen to the students’ conversations. Ask questions to guide them and give them advice on testing their seeds if they are struggling with what to do. Encourage students to listen to the ideas of each member of the group. Students should be working cooperatively, responding to guidance and making connections to the science concept. Some questions might include:
Teacher questions:

How could you test your seeds? (process standard 3:2)

Can you compare two seeds that you think might travel in the same way? (process standard 1:2)

Can you classify which seeds travel by wind, water or people and animals? (process standard 2:1)

Which seeds sink and which seeds float? (process standard 2:1)

Student questions:

Can all of the seeds be in all of the travel categories?

Where do seeds come from?

Do all plants have seeds?

Can we take the seeds outside to see if the wind will carry them?
At the beginning of the explain phase have each group come to the front of the class and present their data. Make a large wall chart to record each group’s findings. While the students are presenting their data ask them questions about why they put a certain seed in a certain travel category.
For instance ask the group why they put the watermelon seed in the travel by water category. Let the students explain their reasoning and what test they performed on the seed to make their decision.
Discuss the seeds that fit into more than one travel category.
Student questions:

Can we test the seeds you showed us at the beginning of the class?

Can we go outside and get more seeds?
Teacher questions:

How do you think seeds travel?

Is there other ways seeds travel that we did not explore?

Can you think of a seed that travels by wind, water or animal that is not in this classroom?


How can we use our data to explain seed travel to someone else? (process standard 4:1)
Using this last question lead the students to the concept, help students name or identify the concept.
Once the concept has been established show the seed dispersal video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbQ1jWl3AOM
During this phase the students will be investigating the dandelion seed more closely. Hand out two dandelion seeds of differing sizes, one large and one small. Have students observe each seed, draw each seed and make a prediction about the seeds regarding how they will travel in wind.
Student questions:

Will the size of the seed at the bottom make it go faster or slower?

Will the size of the parachute on the top make it go farther?

Does one seed have more tufts of hair than the other?
Teacher questions:

Do you think the size of the parachute will affect how far the seed will travel? (process standard 3:1)

Can you predict which seed will travel farther by the wind?
Allow students to conduct an investigation with their dandelion seeds. Set a small fan, dark colored rug and measuring tape at the front of the room. Each group will test both of their dandelion seeds by drop each of them in front of the fan and measuring the distance each seed traveled. Give each group enough time to measure and record their data. Have students write their data on the board while

another group is investigating. After all the groups have recorded their data evaluate their findings.
Discuss all the possible reasons (variables) why the dandelion seeds traveled the way they did. Students should be actively engaged in answering questions and confirming the science concept.
Evaluate:
This phase is continual throughout the learning cycle. During the engage phase the teacher should be noting student responses to questions and discussion and addressing any misconceptions students might have. In the explore phase the teacher should be noting how the students conducted their investigations, collected their data and how they responded to questions. The teacher should also make sure all students are participating and collaborating and making sure students stay on task. During the explain stage students will be presenting their data and evaluations can be made by analyzing their data and collection techniques. During the expand phase the teacher can evaluate the process skill of measurement. To incorporate language arts into the lesson, require the students to write a paragraph explaining the journey of a single seed from the seed’s perspective and draw a picture to illustrate the paragraph. This paragraph and the travel category chart can be the formal assessments of this learning cycle.
Bricker, Mary. "Plants on the Move." Science and Children February 2009: 24-28.
Tocci, Salvatore. Plant Projects for Young Scientists. New York: Franklin Watts, 2000.