Life Cycle of a Plant
How living things grow, live, and die
2nd grade Science
Core Content
SC-04-3.4.3
 Students will compare a variety of life cycles of
plants and animals in order to classify and make
inferences about an organism.
 Plants and animals have life cycles that include the
beginning of life, growth and development,
reproduction and death. The details of a life cycle
are different for different organisms. Models of
organisms’ life cycles should be used to classify
and make inferences about an organism.
Vocabulary
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Life Cycle – a series of stages that a plant passes through from
seed, seedling, mature plant, and death.
Reproduce – the process by which a plant makes more seeds.
Seed coat – covers the outside of the seed to protect the tiny
plant.
Germinate – when a seed begins to grow because it has soaked
up enough water and sunlight.
Flower – the reproductive structure of the plant.
Pollination – happens when pollen is moved from a stamen to
a pistil. The flower then begins to make fruit and seeds.
Dormant – the stage where the seed is alive, but not growing.
Usually in winter.
Stage 1
•Most plants begin their life cycle with a seed.
•A tiny plant and seed food is inside every seed.
•A seed coat covers the outside of the seed and
protects the tiny plant inside.
Stage 2
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When the seed gets enough
warmth and moisture, it
germinates or sprouts.
The seed soaks up water,
and the seed coats splits
open.
The seed sprouts.
A root grows down into the
soil and a little shoot grows
up toward the sunlight
Stage 3
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As the roots grow, a
stem will also appear.
The bean uses the food
in the seed to grow.
Leaves will grow on the
stem and the plant will
stretch toward the light.
At this stage, the plant is
called a seedling and it
can use photosynthesis
to make its own food.
Stage 4
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The plant will begin to
develop flowers.
The flower’s function is
to reproduce to make
new seeds.
Stage 5
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After pollination, the
flower will turn into a
pod with the seeds
inside.
Many plants also
develop fruit, which
covers and protects the
seed.
When the seed has fully
developed, the cycle
begins again.
Bean Seed Life Cycle
The Life Cycle of a Plant
Use the life cycle diagram sheet. Draw
what happens during each of the five
stages of a plant’s life cycle. Be sure to
explain what happens during each stage.