How Seeds Move

SOLs/Foundation Blocks
Oral Language: 1.1
The student will continue to
demonstrate growth in the
use or oral language
( c) participate in a variety of
oral language activities
including echo reading.
(e) express ideas orally in
complete sentences
Science: 1.4
The student will investigate
and understand plants
(b) basic parts of plant (the
seeds)
Science 1.1
The student will
demonstrate an
understanding of scientific
reasoning, logic, and nature
of science
(j) Simple investigations and
experiments are conducted
to answer questions.
Math: 1.9
The student will use
nonstandard units to
measure length

Objective(s)
Students will echo read
after the teacher reads the
page. The students will be
asked questions
concerning the text and will
be asked to answer in
complete sentences, not
just one word phrases.

The students will do an

experiment relating to
seeds and become seed
movers. They will learn
more about the job of the
seed during this process
The students will be doing
a seed experiment with
cotton balls and different
sized straws. The students
will be investigating how
seeds move and the
amount of wind needed to
move seeds
Students will measure the
distance their seed
traveled by using unifix
cubes

Assessment of Objective(s)
This assessment is an informal observation of
students participation while reading the big book
Seeds Get Around. All students should be echo
reading each page. If not every students is
participating the teacher could quickly pull the
popsicle stick of that child as a reminder. The
students will also answer questions in complete
sentences about the book. If the students are not
successful in answering in complete sentences
when asked, they would not meet this English
objective
For this assessment the students as an exit pass
would have to be able to tell the teacher the job of
the seed. For a more advanced student the
teacher could ask questions regarding the seed
experiment.
As students are doing this observation the teacher
will go up to the students and ask them to explain
what they have learned. The goal is for the
students to explain that the harder the wind the
farther my seed will travel. The students could
also measure the distance using unfix cubes. If
students are able to explain that the harder you
blow the farther the seed will travel.
If students are able to accurately record their data
and correctly count the number of unifix cubes
they would meet this objective.

Materials
Cotton balls, three different sized straws, unifix cubes, data sheet to record and smartboard document data
sheet. The teacher also needs a smartboard to show the lesson. The teacher also should have the book,
Seeds Get Around.
Optimal Students/Seating Arrangement for the Lesson
The optimal seating for this arrangement is for the students to sit in self space in front of a teaching chair
where the book will be read. The students also need to have desks where some will be doing the experiment.
Some students will also be spread around the classroom. Each group needs a decent amount of space to do
this activity.
Lesson Sequence
Introduction (10 minutes)
The teacher will explain to the students that they are going to be scientists today but before they begin their
experiment we are going to read a book together. The introduction will be the teacher reading the book with the
students, asking the students questions, and then summarizing about the importance of seeds. The teacher
will use this time to get the students thinking hard about how seeds are planted. Who is responsible for all
these wonderful plants all around you will be a question the students will have to be thinking about. After the
book the teacher should ask the students to return to their seats to learn about the experiment that they will be
doing shortly.

What you will do/say

Today we are going to read the book, Seeds Get Around by Nancy White
The teacher might need assistance holding the book, the student who has a
job that day such as the secretary could be asked to help
As the teacher is reading the book she needs to keep making the connection
that seeds can be planted in many ways, but today we are going to talk about
the natural way , which is by wind
Once the book is finished the teacher might call on a student to ask, how do
seeds move, I want to hear some different idea
you could say, one way the book talked about seeds moving was with
humans
Once the teacher has asked questions concerning what happened in the book
and has involved the class she can begin to talk about the activity planted for
today
just like in the book you learned that seeds can travel because of the wind
blowing. Today you are going to be the wind and make your own seeds travel.
You get to be experimenters today and make guesses and then at the end
see if your guesses were correct
Go ahead and head back to your seat, but come up and get your data sheet
and we will talk about what we are going to do in a few minutes. When you
get to your desk write your name and the date

What the student(s) do/say

Students should answer the

question using a compete
sentence the teacher can
model

Students at this time should

return to their desks and wait
patiently for the instructions
to begin.

Procedures (15 minutes)

The teacher will go over the directions for the experiment, making sure to explain clearly what is expected of
the student. The teacher should also emphasis that the breath represents wind and the cotton balls seeds. The
teacher can also demonstrate a trial of the experiment, that way the varieties of breaths are shown. The
teacher can also demonstrate the laying out of the unifix cubes. Depending on how well the students grasp this
activity, they may or may not get to experiment with all three sizes of straws. Before the students are turned
lose the teacher also needs to get the students to predict which straw they think will cause the cotton ball to
travel the farthest and also which size breath? Once all students have had a chance to do at least two of the
three trials the teacher can stop and have the students figure out which straw caused the seed to go the
furthest. At this time the teacher should go around to the groups and make sure each partner is accurately
recording their data and stay on tasks. Students need to understand that in order to continue to do these fun
activities they have to show that they can handle it.
What you will do/say
What the student(s) do/say
Now that you are all back at your desks I am going to show you the data
It is likely that a student
sheet you will be using to record our data
might ask what is data, For
that student I would say
Data is what we write down for our results from our experiment
On this sheet that is provided you and your partner will be recording your
own data
Before I let you go you need some direction on what and how you are going
to do this activity
First we are going to write down together the order of how I want you to test
your wind. We will be using there different sized straws the smallest one is a
coffee stirrer, the other is a straw you might get from McDonalds or Wendys.
The largest straw will have a bigger opening. So you will each be getting your
own straws because it is very important that we keep our germs to ourselves.
I want you to write these three words as you see me doing up on the board
The word small goes in this blank, the word medium goes in this blank, and
the word large goes in the last blank.

As scientists we also should make a prediction about what we think is going

to happen. On your paper I want you to predict or think about which straw you
would use to get the greatest distance. Also write down which straw and the
size of the breath in that spot now I should see no one talking with a neighbor
because this prediction is your own and its important that you make your own
guess and are not using the guess your partner has.
It is your responsibility to make sure only your straw makes its way into your
mouth. If for some reason your straw rolls beside you and your partner and
you cannot figure out whose straw is whose, please just quietly raise your
hand and I will help solve that issue. We do not have a lot of straws, so it is
important that you keep our straws on your own tissue.
We talked about how seed move by reading our book, Seeds Get Around,
today you are going to be wind and these cotton balls will represent our
seeds
To double check my students are paying attention I would call on a student
who might not have been giving me eye contact and said, now what is the
cotton ball again or why are we using straws
Before we begin our experiments I wanted to demonstrate for you what I
would like for you to do. I am going to start with my first straw which is,
(gesturing to board have the students complete the sentence)
Thats right I want to start with the first straw on my paper. So I have three
different trials to do. The first time I blow through my straw I am going to do a
small breath or blow. I would do that at this time. See how my seed traveled a
small distance. Now I am going to use my unifix cubes to measure how far my
seed traveled when using a small breath. You will record the amount of cubes
used in the space beside small breath and under the picture of the unifix
cubes. I will also show you a medium breath or blow. Notice how my seed
was able to travel a little farther. This time my seed traveled _______ units as
opposed to _________ units. Lets predict how far my seed will go if I do my
biggest breath?
Remember that the number should be increasing, so both your answer are
but we are estimating how far we think it will go
Do the last demonstration with the large breath. Now I want you and your
partner that I assign to you to go to an area in our room where you think you
would have enough space to do this activity. I will let you choose for now, but
if I see that you are too close to another group you will be moved
Once each group is in place, pass out the unifix cubes in a baggie.
Ok go ahead and dump out your unifix cubes in a pile so that you and your
partner can both use them to measure the distances. Also I am coming
around with your three different straws please lay them flat on your tissue that
I am also passing out. If I see anyone not following these instructions you will
lose the privilege to do this experiment. You will still get to watch, but you will
not have a chance to blow into your straws
Everyone should have everything now, so get out your first straw which is
your smallest straw and begin your experiment. Remember you are first doing
the small breath then making the breathe a little stronger and then the last
breath is the strongest. Make sure that you are using the unifix cubes to
determine how far your seed traveled. Write down each trial in the appropriate
place
If you have any questions I will be around, just raise your hand and I will help
you anyway I can
At this time the students should be able to start the experiment and be able to
calculate the data on their sheets. The teacher should be going around to
make sure each student is writing down and using the unifix cubes to
measure the distance

Small
I think it will go 10 cubes I
think it will go 100 cubes

Once all the students are finished have them throw away their straws and
tissues. The students also need to clean up the unifix cubes and put them
back in the bag they were in. Lastly the students need to put their cotton balls
back in one pile and return to their original seats with their data sheets.
Closure (7 minutes)
During the closure the teacher should make sure that each student has recorded their prediction and their
results. Now it is time to make a conclusion about this whole activity. Students can take turns sharing their
furthest distance. It will be a fun competition to see which student caused the seed to go the furthest. At the
end of the lesson the students need to draw a conclusion about this experiment and record which straw and
which size breath caused the greatest distance. By the end of the lesson the teacher needs to remind the
student that they were seed movers. They created the wind to move the seeds. The harder the wind blows the
farther the seeds will be scattered from where they take off from.
What you will do/say
What the student(s) do/say
Boys and girls you did a great job cleaning up your area and returning back
to your seats with your papers
Now we are going to finish our data sheets and talk about our findings
thorough doing this seed experiment
I would like for some of you to raise your hand and share with the class the
Students should be raising
highest number of unifix cubes you used to measure your seeds distance
their hands to share the
largest number of unifix
cubes they used.
Wow you guys got some great data. I have written up these answers on the
board. Double check to make sure on your paper that you do not have a
higher number written down. If you do please raise your hand to share.
It looks like ____ was the highest number we have.
Who had this number? (Insert childs name had _____ unifix cubes. Can you The goal is for the student to
please share with the class which straw you were using and what size breath
say the big straw with a big
you used?
breath.
That is right the largest straw combined with the biggest breath would make
the seed travel the furthest distance:
Now on your paper look at the second question where it says record. I want
you to write down which straw you used to go the furthest distance when
doing your own experiment. Also write down how many unifix cubes you used
to measure that distance. Remember that not everyones will be the same
because there is no way you all could have the same amount of breath in
each of your three trials
Now the last question is a conclusion question and I would like to record the
furthest distance between everyones results. We have already figured out
that (inset childs name ) had a big breath and his or her seed traveled ___
unifix cubes. So for our conclusion please write that the big straw went
_________ unifix cubes
Now go back to your prediction and re-read it and talk with the person next to
you or the other person at your table if you beginning prediction was correct.
Please raise your hand if your prediction matches your conclusion
Very good, so lets review what we learned today
First can someone tell me again what our cotton ball represented?
the seed
Right our cotton ball represented our seeds for our plants and what why did
to blow seeds, to blow
we use the straws
cotton balls, to move seeds,
to move cotton balls
thats right with the straw we were able to move our seeds a certain distance
Now raise your hand and tell me what we figure out from doing this
The bigger the straw and
experiment?
the harder you blow the
father the seed will travel
excellent, I think this helps us to realize one way seeds can be moved and

then planted. Think about a forest you see many trees all randomly scattered
in one area sometimes a large and sometimes a small area. At some time
many many years ago there was a huge wind that carried those seeds to that
spot where a forest now is
Why do you need seeds?
You are right, in order to have new plants growing these seeds must be
planted and given, What do you think a seeds needs in order to grow?
Those are all good answers because the seed wont grow without having
water, a space to grow, air to grow, sunlight, and soil.

To grow new plants, to grow

new flowers
water, soil, dirt, wind, space,
air,

Modifications for children at different learning levels

For students who might have aids or need a little more adapted lesson, the teacher could do the activity with
the student. The teacher or the aid could be this students partner. The aid could be the wind and lay out the
blocks and the student could count the block and write the number. This lesson could also be shortened
depending the class. For students who might need a little more assistance you might only want to use the most
familiar straw the middle one to allow the students to see the average distances. Partners are used in this
lesson to also provide extra help to students who might need it. For example the teacher would pair a student
who might be in a lower math group with a student in a higher math group. The peer support is very important.
For students who need a challenge you could let them graph their results if time permitted. For example they
could create a graph with the unifix cubes and that way they could see visually that the larger straw combined
with the bigger breath created the furthest distance. For students who are ELL the teacher can provide more
support visually by demonstrating what you would like accomplished. If the teacher recognizes that the student
does not understand what they are supposed to do the teacher can model and help the students lay out the
unifix cubes. If the teacher counts out loud this will help the students begin to hear and learn the numbers. A
number line would also be beneficial if the teacher already ready knows she has students who need a more
concrete measuring system in place.
Reflections