1. Part III: Seed Soak An important part of being a scientist is asking questions about the things you are observing and trying to set-up opportunities that will help you answer your questions. What could be causing the seeds to appear swollen? If the seeds are soaking up water, how can we find out how much water the seeds are holding?

2. Part III: Seed Soak As scientists, we are very interested in learning more about “swollen seeds” so these are some tools we used to help us investigate. Balance Dry Lima Beans Gram Cubes How did the scientists use these materials to measure and compare seeds? Dry Seeds vs. Soaked Seeds

3. Part III: Data Collection We compared the mass of dry seeds to the mass of soaked seeds. Yesterday we recorded the mass of 5 lima beans in grams. We soaked the same 5 beans in water over night and compared their mass in grams. Remember… Scientists should keep accurate records so be sure to make detailed sketch of what the beans looked like before and after they are soaked.

4. Part III: Comparing our Lima Beans We gently weighed the dry lima beans and recorded our results. How much water did the beans soak up? Was their mass in grams different? Why do you think the beans soaked up so much water? Mass of Dry SeedsMass of Soaked Seeds

5. Part III: Looking Closer We took a really close look at our lima beans to see if we could determine why they were soaking up water and swelling. 1.We removed the thin outer coating on the seed. 2.We opened the two halves of the seed. 3.We used a hand lens to examine the inside surfaces of the seed. 4.We recorded an observation in our notebooks and included a detailed drawing with labels. Word Wall: Seed Coat- The thin white shell that comes off of the seed. Cotyledons- The two halves of the seed. This part of the seed stores food for the young plant. Embryo- The developing “baby plant.”

7. Part III: Looking Closer Word Wall: Seed Coat- The thin white shell that comes off of the seed. Cotyledons- The two halves of the seed. This part of the seed stores food for the young plant. Embryo- The developing “baby plant.”

8. Seed Soak Continued How does water affect seeds? Seeds change in the presence of water. They absorb water which makes them swell and begin to sprout (grow). Is a seed alive? How can you tell? A seed is an organism, a living thing. Each seed contains the embryo plant and cotyledon that stores food and water.