How Seeds and Bulbs Grow

Science · Organisms & Life Processes · ages 6-7

Name ______________________ Date ____________

The leaves open before the root appears.
Circle one: True False
What does a seed do first when it starts to grow?
- Open its leaves
- Soak up water
- Grow a flower
Which is a good way to keep track of how your plant grows?
- Look at it once and guess the rest
- Cover it up so no light gets in
- Draw a picture in a diary each day
A tulip bulb already has food stored inside it. What can it do because of that?
- Never grow into a plant
- Grow a strong shoot quickly using its stored food
- Only grow if you plant ten bulbs together
Look at the stages. What comes right after the root?
- Shoot
- Flower
- Fruit
Mia drew her seedling in her diary on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. How many drawings are in her diary?
Answer: ______________
Zara looked at her plant only once, on the last day, and tried to describe how it grew. What did she miss?
- The in-between stages, like when the root and shoot first appeared
- Nothing, one look tells the whole story
- She should have looked even less often
Ben says his bulb grew a root first, just like a seed does. Is that how bulbs usually start?
- No, bulbs never grow roots at all
- No, the shoot always comes up before any roots
- Yes, a bulb grows roots first too. Its stored food helps the shoot grow fast

Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

False · The root appears first. Leaves are one of the last things to open.
Soak up water · A seed needs water first. That wakes it up and starts the growing.
Draw a picture in a diary each day · A quick daily drawing shows you every stage of the plant's growth.
Grow a strong shoot quickly using its stored food · The stored food is like a lunch box. It helps the bulb grow a strong shoot quickly.
Shoot · After the root grows, a shoot pushes up toward the light.
4 · Count the days she drew a picture: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday makes 4.
The in-between stages, like when the root and shoot first appeared · Checking only once means you miss the stages in between, like exactly when the root or shoot appeared.
Yes, a bulb grows roots first too. Its stored food helps the shoot grow fast · Ben is right. A planted bulb grows roots from its bottom first, just like a seed. The stored food only helps the shoot grow fast after.