1. The Life Cycle of a Plant

2. Today’s Learning Goal
Earlier this week, you planted a Wisconsin Fast Plant! Now you are eagerly waiting to observe its life cycle.
To help you build background on the stages of a plant’s growth, you will
read some slides today,
take notes from them on the stages of a plant’s growth,
draw some diagrams, and
possibly view some plant videos.

3. Your instructions
Make a heading in your notebook for The Life Cycle of a Plant.
Read each slide carefully.
For each slide, write down
The heading (like 1. Germination)
Copy the information down for that part of the life cycle.
When you are done with writing the notes, follow the directions on the other slides.

4. The Life Cycle of a Plant

5. 1. Germination The seed coat is softened by water.
The seed splits open.
The new plant inside (the embryo) begins to grow up.
The root begins to grow down into the soil.

6. 2. Sprout or Seedling
A small shoot pushes up through the soil, beginning the plant’s growth.
The stem and “seed leaves” turn green as CHLOROPHYLL (a green chemical) begins to form. Chlorophyll is one of the things needed for a plant to make its own food.

7. 3. Plant Growth The stem grows thicker and stronger.
The plant becomes green with CHLOROPHYLL inside it.
It develops LEAVES, which are “food factories”. They make food for the plant by the process of PHOTOSYNTHESIS.
The plant grows taller.

8. 4. Flower buds Flower buds begin to form at the tips of some stems.
They are important beginnings of new flowers, from which new seeds will form.

9. 5. Flowers
A flower opens its colorful petals up, with important parts in the center to help to create a new seed.
The colors help to attract pollinators like bees, butterflies, and other insects.

10. 6. Pollination
An insect, bird or the wind has to help transfer pollen grains from the plant of one flower to a flower of a different plant.
The flower is then fertilized and a new seed begins to grow inside the flower.

11. 7. Fruit or seed pod formation
A fruit or seed pod grows around the seed to protect the seed.
The flower dies and the fruit or seed pod dries up and splits open, releasing the seeds.

12. 8. Seed dispersal
The seeds fall out of the fruit or seed pod into the soil, or they get carried to a new location by the wind, water or animals.
Some seeds have hooks, burrs, or sticky surfaces to help them attach to animal fur, to travel to new places..
Once they fall on new soil, the life cycle begins again, as the seed goes into the ground and germinates.