Homeschool Week 2: Seed Exploration & Dispersal
Last week, we learned all about Seed Dispersal! It was so fascinating learning about seeds and how they are dispersed to continue to reproduce. Below, you will see our five day lesson plan with a book and activity each day. You will also find a seed sorting activity with pictures to sort.
Free Download: Seed Dispersal PDF
MONDAY
- Book: A Fruit is a Suitcase for Seeds
- Activity: Dissect & Explore Seeds; Fruit/Vegetable Stamping
- Supplies: Fruits & Vegetables of Choice, Finger Paint Paper, Paint
Fruit Picking.
One of the things I love about Oregon is the farms here. There are so many and a lot of them have U-Pick. This afternoon, we went to the farm and picked fruit to use for our activities today.
Dissect & Explore Seeds.
Fruit & Vegetable Stamping.
Use the same fruits/vegetables to stamp as a process art project. It started out as stamping, but really turned into a finger painting activity. Next time, we'll do this outside. :)
TUESDAY
- Book: From Seed to Plant
- Activity: Plant Seeds from Little for Little Hands
- Supplies: Glass jar, black construction paper & seeds (sunflower, pea & bean)
Plant Bean Seeds.
Today we focused on how people help disperse seeds. After reading our book, we did a science project. We're going to watch the beans sprout throughout the week.
Step 1: Fill the jar with paper towels. Kids can fold them and push them down.
Step 2: Gently water your seed jar to wet the paper towels. Don't flood it.
Step 3: Carefully push seeds down into the paper towels around the edge of the jar, so they can still be seen. Make sure they are firmly held in place.
What to look for:
- You are looking for a root to pop out of the side.
- Next, you are looking for root to push down into the soil.
- Then, you are looking for root hairs.
- Next, you are looking for the seed to push up while the root hairs push down.
- Lastly, you are looking for the shoots to come up!
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| Photo Credit: Little Bins for Little Hands |
WEDNESDAY
- Book: The Dandelion Seed
- Activity: Seed Hunt & Dandelion Blow Craft
- Supplies: Brown Sack & Printable, Dandelions, Paper, Blue Paint
Dandelion Blow Art.
Today we talked about how the wind helps disperse seeds. After reading our book, we went on a nature HUNT to look for seeds - especially seeds that disperse by wind. We put the seeds we found in our brown paper sack. We ended up finding maple seeds and dandelions and enjoyed finding a few extra things - like spider eggs and dried up sunflowers. My four loved brushing the seeds off of the sunflowers.
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| Paint the "sky." |
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Dry. Optional: Use packing tape or hair spray to secure the seeds in place. Our seeds didn't stick and dry to the paint as well as I thought. |
THURSDAY
- Book: Who Will Plant a Tree?
- Activity: Squirrel (Directed Art)
Squirrel Directed Art.
Today's focus was on how squirrel's help disperse seeds by burying acorns in the ground. Most of the acorns are used for food throughout the winter, but some are also forgotten about. These acorns turn into oak trees. Our directed art for this week was also a little challenging. I helped a bit with this project. My four only wanted me to make his and he colored it. My five did great and practiced a lot of drawing today. It was a good reminder to be flexible. You can also try: Squirrel Directed Art from Art Hub. Here's a few of my favorites:
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| My five practiced a lot. |
Sneaky Snacks Squirrel.
If you love board games, the Sneaky Snacks Squirrel goes along great with our theme today. This game is treat for fine motor (the little squirrel tweezer is so cute!), learning how to take turns, being a good sport, and color matching.
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| Along the way, we hammered some acorns and hazelnuts to find the seeds inside. |
FRIDAY
- Book: Who Will Plant a Tree?
- Activity: Animal Dispersal (Poop Experiment)
Animal Dispersal (Poop Experiment).
Yes, I said it. Today we are doing a "poop experiment." My boys couldn't be more thrilled. We are focusing on animal dispersal through digestion. Talk about how animals eat fruit with seeds, the nutrients are absorbed into the body and the seeds pass through the body and dispersed to wherever the animal has walked since eating the fruit. Here's what to do:
- Place a bowl on the table and explain that the bowl is a bear's mouth. The bear eats fish (tear bread and place it in the bowl) and raspberries (place raspberries in the bowl).
- The bear chews the food and it goes into the stomach (place the mashed food onto a paper towel). It also drinks some water (add water to the paper towel)
- The food then goes into the intestines and the nutrients are absorbed into the body (roll the paper towel over the food - roll like a sleeping bag - and squeeze the towel, so the juice squeezes through the cloth, just as nutrients are absorbed into the body).
- The rest of what's in the intestines isn't needed, so the bear poops it out (open up the cloth and reveal the poop - point out how the seeds are still there). The seeds land on the ground and surrounded by other nutrients to grow.
