Once a flower makes seeds, the seeds need to move away from the parent plant. If seeds just drop under the parent plant, all the new plants will crowd each other. They need space, sunlight, and water to grow. So plants have found clever ways to send their seeds traveling.
Some seeds travel by wind. Dandelion seeds have fluffy parachutes that float in the breeze. Maple seeds have little wings that spin as they fall. Wind seeds are light and small so they can fly far.
Some seeds travel by animals. Burrs have tiny hooks that catch on animal fur. The animal walks around with the seed stuck to it. Other seeds are inside yummy fruits. An animal eats the fruit and drops the seed far away.
Some seeds travel by water. Coconuts can float across the ocean. Some seeds have spongy pockets full of air that help them float. When they wash up on a beach, they can grow into new plants. And some seeds just pop! A seed pod dries out and bursts, throwing the seeds far and wide.
1. Why do seeds need to move away from the parent plant?
2. Name one way seeds travel by wind. Give an example.
3. How do burrs travel by animals?
4. How does a coconut travel? Where might it end up?
Write a definition or draw a picture for each word.
| Seed | Wind | Animal | Water | Popping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dandelion seed | ⚪ | ⚪ | ⚪ | ⚪ |
| Coconut | ⚪ | ⚪ | ⚪ | ⚪ |
| Bur from a burr plant | ⚪ | ⚪ | ⚪ | ⚪ |
| Maple seed (helicopter) | ⚪ | ⚪ | ⚪ | ⚪ |
| Apple seed inside a fruit | ⚪ | ⚪ | ⚪ | ⚪ |
| Cocklebur with hooks | ⚪ | ⚪ | ⚪ | ⚪ |
| Pea pod seed | ⚪ | ⚪ | ⚪ | ⚪ |
| Willow cotton seed | ⚪ | ⚪ | ⚪ | ⚪ |
1. Seeds need to move away from the parent plant.
2. Dandelion seeds have fluffy parachutes.
3. All seeds travel by the wind.
4. Burrs have hooks that catch on fur.
5. Coconuts can travel across the ocean.
6. Seeds that pop need an animal to help them.
| Seed | Match to Method |
|---|---|
| Dandelion | ________________________ |
| Coconut | ________________________ |
| Bur | ________________________ |
| Pea pod | ________________________ |
Methods: Wind / Water / Animal / Popping
Word Bank: wind animal water hooks parachute fruit
1. Dandelion seeds float on the ____________________.
2. An ____________________ carries a bur on its fur.
3. Coconuts float across the ____________________.
4. Burrs have tiny ____________________ that stick to fur.
5. A dandelion seed looks like a tiny ____________________.
6. Apple seeds are inside an ____________________.
Imagine: You can design a seed with its own way of traveling. Draw your seed and label how it moves.
My seed travels by: ____________________
It can travel far because:
This week I learned about flowers and seeds...
The coolest thing about seeds is...
Rate your week (circle one for each):
I understood pollination: 😊 / 🙂 / 😕
I liked the flower dissection: 😊 / 🙂 / 😕
I feel ready for the next topic: 😊 / 🙂 / 😕