Theme: Agronomy

Learners:

Sophomores in high school Plant and Soils Science class

Have taken Biology 1 and Introduction to Agriculture

No students with learning disabilities

Students are mainly Caucasian with a few African Americans and Hispanics

All students speak English as their primary language

Environment

Each student has a computer and headphones

Classroom: Computer lab

Mixed of males and females, total of 20 students

Objectives

Given the steps in seed germination, students will be able to rearrange them in the correct order with
100% accuracy.

Given a diagram of a seed, students will be able to label the parts of the seed with 100% accuracy.

Given a definition related to seeds or seed germination, students will be able to correctly select the
appropriate term with 100% accuracy.

Standards

PSS- 5.9 Explain the functions and components of seeds and fruits

PSS- 2.4 Demonstrate sowing techniques and provide favorable conditions for seed germination

PSS- 1.3 Compare, contrast, and classify agricultural plants according to the hierarchical classification
system, life cycles, plant use and as monocotyledons or dicotyledons

Seeds and Germination

Elizabeth Brown

What is a seed?

Why do plants need seeds?

To make more
plants!

Why do we need seeds?

Food!

2 Types of Seeds

Seed Dormancy

Main
Menu
Seed Germination

Apply Your
Knowledge

Its Alive!!!
Seeds are not dead, just
dormant!
Can seeds be dormant forever
What is the point of dormancy

Can seeds be dormant forever?

No!
Some seeds, especially those from tropical plants, can
only remain dormant for a couple of days or weeks
before they stop being viable
Others, like weed seeds, can last hundreds of years
and still be viable
What is the point of dormancy?

What is the point of dormancy?

Dormancy maintains the seed during times
when a plant could not successfully grow such
as a time of severe cold or drought.

2 Types of Seeds

Click
here to
explore
monocot
seeds

Click
here to
explore
dicot
seeds

Monocotyledons
Plants with one
seed leaf
Grasses, corns,
lilies, etc.

Corn Seedling

Calla Lily
Seedling
Grass Seedling

Monocotyledons
Seed Coat

Protects seed from

the environment

Monocotyledons
Embryonic Axis
Plumule- first true
leaf
Epicotyl- future stem
Radicle- first true
root

Monocotyledons
Endosperm
Food source for the
seed since it cannot
yet do
photosynthesis

Dicotyledons

Plants with two

seed leaves
Beans, roses,
melons, etc.

Watermelon Seedling

Rose Seedling
Soybean Seedling

Dicotyledons
Seed Coat

Protects seed from

the environment

Dicotyledons
Embryonic Axis
Plumule- first true
leaves
Hypocotyl- will
become the stem
Radicle- first root

Dicotyledons
Cotyledons
Seed leaves used for
food storage since
seeds cannot
photosynthesize

Seed Germination

Germination- the
process of a seed
sprouting into a
seedling

Before a seed can germinate, it

needs

Germination
Step 1: Uptake of water: imbibition
Water initiates germination

Germination
Step 2: Utilization of stored
resources from cotyledons or
endosperm

Germination
Step 3: Expansion and growth of
seedling underground
Seed shell bursts and the radicle and
epicotyl peak out
Radicle grows down
HOW
Epicotyl grows up

How does a seed know which way is

up and which way is down?
Gravitropism!
Gravitropism is a
response to gravity that
the plants use to tell
the directions. Even if
you plant a seed upside
down, it will grow in the
right direction.

Germination
Step 4: Development of seedling
Eventually, the epicotyl will reach the top
of the soil and the plumule(s) will open
up. The seedling will start photosynthesis
and grow into a full plant.

QUIZ TIME!

Quiz time!
That was a lot of information! Lets review. Click on the
following steps in the correct order of germination. What
is step 1?

Utilization of stored resources

Development of seedling
Imbibition (uptake of water)
Expansion and growth of seedling underground

Try again! Development of seedling is

not the correct answer.

Try again! Expansion and growth is

not the correct answer.

Try again! Utilization of stored

resources is not the correct answer.

Yay! You answered correctly! The first

step in germination is imbibition.

Quiz time!

What is step 2?

Utilization of stored resources

Development of seedling
Imbibition (uptake of water)
Expansion and growth of seedling underground

Try again! Development of seedling is

not the correct answer.

Try again! Expansion and growth is

not the correct answer.

Try again! Imbibition is not the

correct answer.

Yay! You answered correctly! The

second step in germination is
utilization of stored resources.

Quiz time!

What is step 3?

Utilization of stored resources

Development of seedling
Imbibition (uptake of water)
Expansion and growth of seedling underground

Try again! Utilization of stored

resources is not the correct answer.

Try again! Development of seedling is

not the correct answer.

Try again! Imbibition is not the

correct answer.

Yay! You answered correctly! The

third step in germination is expansion
and growth.

Quiz time!

What is step 4?

Utilization of stored resources

Development of seedling
Imbibition (uptake of water)
Expansion and growth of seedling underground

Try again! Expansion and growth is

not the correct answer.

Try again! Utilization of stored

resources is not the correct answer.

Try again! Imbibition is not the

correct answer.

Yay! You answered correctly! The

fourth step in germination is
development of seedling.

Dicot Seed
Which part of this dicot seed is the arrow pointing to?
Seed coat
Embryonic Axis
Endosperm
Cotyledon

Try again! The seed coat is on the

outside of the seed.

Try again! The embryonic axis looks

like a baby plant inside the seed.

Try again! Monocots have

endosperm, not dicots.

Yay! You answered correctly! The

arrow was pointing to a cotyledon.

Dicot Seed
Which part of this dicot seed is the arrow pointing to?
Seed coat
Embryonic Axis
Endosperm
Cotyledon

Try again! The seed coat is on the

outside of the seed.

Try again! The cotyledon is the big

space for food storage.

Try again! Monocots have

endosperm, not dicots.

Yay! You answered correctly! The

arrow was pointing to the embryonic
axis.

Dicot Seed
Which part of this dicot seed is the arrow pointing to?
Seed coat
Embryonic Axis
Endosperm
Cotyledon

Try again! The cotyledon is the big

space for food storage.

Try again! The embryonic axis looks

like a baby plant inside the seed.

Try again! Monocots have

endosperm, not dicots.

Yay! You answered correctly! The

arrow was pointing to the seed coat.

Monocot Seed
Which part of this monocot seed is the arrow pointing
to?
Seed coat
Embryonic Axis
Endosperm
Cotyledon

Try again! Dicots have cotyledons,

not monocots.

Try again! The embryonic axis looks

like a baby plant inside the seed.

Try again! Endosperm is the big

space in the seed for food storage.

Yay! You answered correctly! The

arrow was pointing to the seed coat.

Monocot Seed
Which part of this monocot seed is the arrow pointing
to?
Seed coat
Embryonic Axis
Endosperm
Cotyledon

Try again! Dicots have cotyledons,

not monocots.

Try again! The embryonic axis looks

like a baby plant inside the seed.

Try again! The seed coat is on the

outside of the seed.

Yay! You answered correctly! The

arrow was pointing to the endosperm.

Monocot Seed
Which part of this monocot seed is the arrow pointing
to?
Seed coat
Embryonic Axis
Endosperm
Cotyledon

Try again! Dicots have cotyledons,

not monocots.

Try again! The seed coat is on the

outside of the seed.

Try again! Endosperm is the big

space in the seed for food storage.

Yay! You answered correctly! The

arrow was pointing to the embryonic
axis.

Application

Why is it important to learn about seeds? How will a knowledge of how

seeds grow be useful in your future? Your response should be a
minimum of 10 sentences long. When you are done, print this and the
next slide with 2 slides on the same page.

Congratulations! You have

completed this lesson!

Print this certificate with your short essay and

turn it in to receive a grade for this assignment.