Seeds are tiny packages that contain a baby plant and food to help it start growing. When a seed gets water, warmth, and air, it begins to sprout — this is called germination. A root pushes down and a stem pushes up, and a new plant begins.
Plant bean seeds in clear cups with wet paper towels so children can watch the root and stem emerge. Compare different types of seeds (sunflower, bean, corn). Draw the stages of a seed sprouting.
Have you ever held a bean seed in your hand? It looks small and dry and not alive at all. But inside that tiny seed is everything needed to make a whole new plant. A seed is like a little suitcase packed for a trip — it contains a baby plant and a supply of food to get it started.
When you put a seed in wet soil, something amazing begins. The seed soaks up water and starts to swell. The outer shell, called the seed coat, cracks open. A tiny root pushes out and grows downward into the soil. This root anchors the new plant and starts drinking up water. This whole process of a seed starting to grow is called germination.
After the root is established, a tiny stem pushes upward through the soil toward the light. Soon a little green shoot breaks through the surface, and the first small leaves unfold. These leaves start catching sunlight so the plant can begin making its own food. The stored food inside the seed is used up by now — the plant is on its own.
Seeds are tough travelers. They can wait a long time for the right conditions. A seed on dry ground might sit for weeks or months until rain comes. Some seeds can survive for years! But once they get water, warmth, and air, germination begins and a new plant is on its way.