---
title: "Plant & animal reproduction"
description: "Describe the life process of reproduction in some plants and animals, including sexual and asexual reproduction in plants"
canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/plant-and-animal-reproduction-mt_yNWt3GQBNp
source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/plant-and-animal-reproduction-mt_yNWt3GQBNp.md
retrieved: 2026-11-12
---

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# Plant & animal reproduction

Describe the life process of reproduction in some plants and animals, including sexual and asexual reproduction in plants

Subject: Science · Area: Ecosystems & Habitats · Ages 9 to 10
Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/plant-and-animal-reproduction-mt_yNWt3GQBNp

## Ready when they can

- Describe sexual reproduction in flowering plants through pollination, fertilisation and seed development
- Explain how strawberry runners, additional bulbs and rooted cuttings can produce new plants asexually
- Compare development in laid eggs with live birth in mammals such as cats, without assuming that birth method determines parental care

## Lesson: How plants and animals make more of their kind

Pollination moves pollen to a flower's stigma. A pollen grain can grow a tube towards an ovule, which contains an egg cell. A male cell from the pollen travels through the tube and joins the egg cell. This joining is fertilisation. The ovule can then develop into a seed. Joining male and egg cells is sexual reproduction. These cells can come from the same plant or from different plants.

*(drawing: Pollen landing is pollination. Joining the male and egg cells is fertilisation. Seed development can follow.)*

Asexual reproduction makes a new plant from one parent without male and egg cells joining. A strawberry runner is a spreading stem. Roots and shoots can grow at its joints and form new plants. Tulips and onions can form additional bulbs that grow into separate plants. An old bulb sprouting again is the same plant regrowing; additional bulbs can produce more plants.

**Example.** With an adult's help, Mia takes a coleus stem cutting that includes a leaf joint. She puts it in moist soil. If roots and shoots develop, the cutting can become a separate plant. This is asexual reproduction: no male and egg cells join. The new plant usually shares the parent's inherited traits. Its size and health also depend on growing conditions.

Birds lay eggs, and many frogs lay eggs in water. Young develop inside these laid eggs and then hatch. Most mammals, including cats, dogs and elephants, give birth to live young that developed inside the mother. Platypuses and echidnas are mammals that lay eggs.

Egg-laying does not tell you how much care parents give. Hens warm eggs and care for chicks. Compare each animal's details: laid eggs or live birth, the number reported and the care observed. A count of eggs is not a count of young that survive. Two examples cannot prove a rule for every animal in their groups.

**Recap.** Fertilisation joins male and egg cells. Runners, additional bulbs and cuttings can produce plants asexually. Animals may hatch from laid eggs or be born live; parental care varies.

*The plant and animal reproduction lesson, questions and flashcards were written for this dataset.*

## Practice

8 questions on this page, each with its working shown.

## Needs first

- [Animal life cycles](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/animal-life-cycles-mt_A1Xfu5p5KT)
- [Pollination & Seed Dispersal](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/pollination-and-seed-dispersal-mt_WNBHZ1d94L)

## Opens up

- [Plant Reproduction](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/plant-reproduction-mt_ck57CDFGet)