Seed Germination

Calvin Harris                  Bethune Elementary
308 W. 145TH Street            3030 W. Arthington
Riverdale IL 60627             Chicago IL 60612
(708)841-7822                  (312)534-6890

Objective:

     The main objective of the Mini-teach is to show students that water and air
are essential to the germination process of plant life and that this process can
be demonstrated by using any different number of growth chambers.

Materials Needed:

                   plastic bag         magic tape
                   stapler/staples     masking tape
                   paper towels        fresh-dry lima beans
                   plastic knives      water-soaked lima beans
                   clothes pins

Strategy:

 1.  Make some physical observations of the soaked seeds and the dry seeds, but
     be sure you soak the seeds for observation at least 24 hours.
 2.  Discuss some of the variations when you cut open the soaked seed and when
     you try to cut open the dry seed.
 3.  Take a sheet of paper towel and fold it in half and take that half and 
     fold it in half to make a perfect square.                           
 4.  Place dry seed on the paper towel securing it with a piece of magic tape.
 5.  Place a paper towel in a 7" X 8" zip lock plastic bag.  Be sure to secure  
     the paper towel inside the plastic bag using your stapler.  Staple only the
     two top ends of the paper towel onto the plastic bag.
 6.  Moisten your paper towel thoroughly.
 7.  Place the bag in a warm spot such as against the window.  Using a clothes
     pin, hang it up on a string of wire roped along the window with the seed
     facing outward toward the sun.
 8.  Examine the seed package and note how many days must pass before the seed
     germinates.  On the day that the seed begins to germinate, remove the bag
     from its warm spot to see if the first small roots have broken through
     the seed coat.  Wait three more days and change the position of the 
     plastic bag by rotating the bag 90 degrees clockwise.
 9.  Examine the seed package and note if gravity has had any adverse effect 
     on the directional change in the stem and root growth.
 10. Don't try to save the seedling from the germination test because it will
     die after planting since its tiny, delicate root has been seriously
     damaged.
 11. Keep this method in mind if your project calls for applying a chemical 
     solution that may affect the speed of germination or if you have to measure 
     root growth in the seedling.


Performance Assessment:

     At the conclusion of the Mini-teach, students will be able to answer the
following questions:
 1.  Why is air an important element for seed germination?
 2.  Why is water an important element for seed germination?
 3.  What happens to a water soaked seed?
 4.  Is the direction of the stem and/or root affected when the growth chamber
     is rotated?
 5.  Why can't a dry seed germinate?
 6.  How long can a dry seed survive while in its dormant state?
 7.  How long can a soaked seed survive while it is germinating?
 8.  Will the soaked seed germinate faster if exposed to sun light or artificial
     room light?
 9.  What is a growth chamber?
 10. What will happen to a germinating seed if it is removed from its growth 
     chamber? 

Conclusion:

     The students will understand that water, air, and sunlight are important to 
successful seed germination.