Life Cycles of Seed Plants

How They Grow and Adapt

Parts of a Seed
 Life Cycles and Habitats

• Every plant and animal has a pattern of

growth and development called a life cycle.
• They grow within a habitat for which their
needs can be met.
• A habitat is a place where an organism or
groups of organisms live and obtain
the air, food, water, shelter or space,
or light needed to survive.
there.
 Stages of Growth
in Seed Plants---Seed
• After pollination (the spreading of pollen
from flower to flower) occurs, seeds are
produced and may be stored in fruits.
• Seeds contain tiny undeveloped plants and
enough food for growth to start.
• Seeds need water and warmth to
germinate (begin to grow).
 Stages of Growth
in Seed Plants---Seedling
• Seedlings produce the parts of the plant that will be
needed for the adult plant to survive in its habitat.
• Roots begin to grow and take in nutrients and
water from the habitat.
• The stem starts to grow towards light and the first
leaves form on the stem.
• Later, more leaves will form that help the
plant make its own food.
 Stages of Growth
in Seed Plants---Mature Plant
• Mature plants have the same structures (for
example roots, stems, and leaves) as seedlings, but
in addition they develop flowers or cones, which
produce seeds.
 Seed Dispersal

• Most plants produce a large number of seeds

because most seeds do not survive.
• In order to ensure that seeds will survive,
they must be carried away (dispersed) from
the parent plant.
• Some seeds have hooks on them that allow
them to attach to animal fur or clothes.
• These are sometimes called hitchhikers.
Examples include beggar’s lice and burs.

Attach
• Some seeds are able to float in water.
Examples-coconut, cranberry, and sweet gum

Water
 Wind

• Some seeds are light and have wings or thin

hairs that allow them to be carried away by
wind. Examples-dandelion, thistle, and milk weed
 Eaten by Animals

• Some seeds are eaten by animals and

deposited in areas away from the parent
plants. Examples-kiwi, strawberry, and
tomato
Time to Label and Take Notes

petal
bud
leaf
stem
root
 Adaptations

• Plants have adaptations that allow them to

survive the conditions within habitats in
which they live.
• An adaptation is a characteristic that
improves the organism’s ability to survive.
 Roots

• Roots take in water and nutrients from the

habitat.
• They may also hold the plant in place and
store food and water.
• Each variety of plant will survive where its
roots size, length, and spread are adapted to
the habitat.
 Examples of
Root Adaptations
• Water lilies have long roots that can take in nutrients
from the muddy bottoms of ponds or lakes.
• Cacti have roots that spread out close to the surface
for living in dry habitats.
• Carrots and dandelions have a large, thick root that
is longer than its other roots, which helps the plants
survive by reaching far underground to find
water and to firmly anchor the plants.
 Stems

• Stems move and store water and nutrients in

the plant.
• Stems also provide support and protection
for the plant.
 Examples of
Stem Adaptations
• Vines have stems that can climb and stick to various
surfaces to ensure that the leaves are exposed to light.
• Corn and sunflowers have stems that grow thick and
strong but remain green and flexible so that they can
grow toward the sun.
• Trees develop woody stems to support their size and
provide protection during their long life cycles.
• Cacti have thick stems that store water when
the habitat does not provide it.
• Some stems have thorns that provide protection.
 Leaves
• Leaves produce food for plants in the presence of light.
• Each variety of plant will survive where its leaf size,
texture, thickness, and shape are adapted to the habitat.
 Examples of
Leaf Adaptations
• Water lilies develop wide leaves that allow them to float
on the water to capture sunlight to make food.
• Evergreen trees have leaves that are thin, waxy needles to
protect them from freezing and losing water.
 Fruit
• Fruits are formed around the seed to protect it.
Examples of Fruit Adaptation
• Some fruits are moist and fleshy like tomatoes, grapes,
and peaches, which attracts animals that can eat them.
This helps to disperse the seeds.
• Other fruits are dry and/or hard like coconuts, walnuts,
or pea pods.
 Seeds
• Some seeds begin to grow as soon as conditions allow for
germination.
 Examples of
Seed Adaptations
• Seeds have adaptations that allow them to be dispersed
and also to have enough food for the plant until it begins
making its own food.
 Plants Respond
• Seed dispersal
• Color
Flowers come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors.
Petals are colored and scented to attract insects and other creatures for the purposes
of pollination.
The coloration of parts of some plants (fruits for example berries, or flower petals)
makes them attractive to some animals (for example birds or bees).

• Response to light
A plant needs sunlight or some other light source to survive.
It uses the light for the energy it needs to make its food.
A plant always turns its leaves and bends its stems toward the light.
 1

Behavioral and Physical

Adaptations
of Plants and Animals
Beginning With the End in Mind
Essential Question
Can you explain how physical
and behavioral adaptations
allow organisms to survive
(including seed dispersal, color,
and response to light for
plants)?
 Freshwater

• This habitat is made up of water

and is surrounded by grass, trees and
usually some wooded area. There
may be cattail plants, algae, or lily
pads. Animals there may include
bass fish, dragonflies, and frogs.
 Ocean

• This habitat is made up of salt

water and makes up most of the
Earth’s surface. Plants may include
seaweed and plankton. Animals in
this habitat are stingrays, sharks, and
dolphins.
 Desert

• This habitat is made up of dry, flat

sandy areas or sand dunes. Water
sources usually come from plants
storing water such as cactus. Most of
the animals are small. Examples are
snakes, roadrunners, and scorpions.
 Arctic
• This habitat is made up of snow and
ice. Most of the animals burrow in the
snow or hide in caves. The animals are
adapted to live in cold weather. For
instance the polar bear has lots of
blubber. In spite of the cold climate
there are some plants. One example is
the forget-me-not flower.
 Temperate Forest
• This habitat is made up of lots of
trees. Water sources include rivers
and streams. Animals find shelter in
the trees and under rocks. Examples
of animals in this habitat are deer,
bear, owls, insects, and rabbits.
 Rain Forest
• This habitat is very wet all year
long and is full of tall leafy trees.
There is very little greenery on the
floor of this habitat due to the
canopies the trees create. Most of
the animals are very small and
require little space. Animals include
chameleons, monkeys, colorful
toads/frogs, and birds.
 Grasslands
• This habitat is dry and warm;
however, there is a lot of grass and
usually several trees. Animals find
water from water holes and rivers.
Examples of animals in this habitat
include giraffes, lions, and prairie
dogs.
 Other Examples of Habitats
Larger Areas
• grazing animals may need lots of area to get enough food,
birds fly from place to place to get food, or large trees will
grow in areas where enough water is available for their
growth
Smaller Parts of a Larger Environment
• squirrels may make their nests in one tree in a forest, some
small insects may live under a fallen log in the forest, orchid
flowers live by hanging on trees found only in warm, wet
areas, and water lilies live in ponds in the shallow water
What is an adaptation?
• Plants and animals have special
traits or characteristics that allow
them to survive in their particular
habitats. These special traits or
characteristics, called adaptations,
are necessary for a plant or animal
to survive if its surroundings
change.
 Special Adaptations

Some animals have special

adaptations for living in their
particular habitat.
In a habitat that is… there are animals…
cold with blubber or thick fur for
warmth.
made of water with special structures that
allow them to live as air-
breathing animals in the
water.
limited with food supply with long necks like giraffes
to obtain food or special
storage structures like camels
for food and water.
very hot that are nocturnal and may
seek food at night or seek
shelter in the shade during
the day.
changes in sunlight
Animals in the areas
or temperature
may have to move to
another location for
fires food or shelter.

hurricanes
Changes Plants that normally
grow there would not
landslides in the
find the conditions
Environments for their growth
volcanoes available anymore.

earthquakes Other animals or

plants could also move
into a habitat taking
droughts up needed space and
food.
floods

diseases If plants or animals

cannot adapt to
changes in the
erosion environment, then
extinction can occur.
clearing land to build homes, buildings, or farmland
Physical and Behavioral Adaptations

• Physical adaptations can be a body structure

that an organism has that allows it to meet its
needs in its habitat.

• Behavioral adaptations can be an activity or

action that an organism has that allows it to
survive in its habitat.
 Camouflage Within the Habitats

• Each type of habitat has animals that may use

camouflage as an adaptation for survival.
• a color or pattern that allows an animal to
blend into its environment and protects it
from being seen by its enemies or allows it to
sneak up more easily on their food
 Movement

• The movement of animals over the

same route in the same season
each year is called migration.

• This behavior allows animals to

take advantage of resources (like
food or water) in one location
when they run low in another
location.
Lotus Diagram on Locomotion

hop slither run

leap Animal walk

Locomotion
Movements

swim fly crawl

 Defense
• Some animals have special adaptations to
protect themselves from being hurt, killed, or
eaten.
• These special defense mechanisms include
physical adaptations such as quills and
claws.
• Also include behavioral adaptations such as
taking flight, tricking (mimicry, playing dead),
spraying, or fighting.
 Food Obtainment
Animals have special structures used for
getting food, for example the beaks of birds,
mouths of insects, teeth or claws that are
shaped in different ways depending on the
type of food they eat.
 Hibernation
• A resting state that helps animals survive winter.
• During hibernation, the animal’s body processes, like
breathing, slow down, and they survive on stored food
or fat.
• Many animals, for example insects, birds, reptiles and
some mammals, eat a lot of food in the autumn
months to store up fat.
• Then they burrow into the ground or curl up under
leaves, or hide themselves in dens, safe from the
winter cold and enemies.
• When the temperature rises in the spring, the animal
wakes up and leaves its hiding place.
 2

Life Cycles of
Animals
Beginning With the End in
Mind

Essential Question: How

can you illustrate the life
cycle of various animals and
summarize how they grow?
The stages of
growth that
are part of
the life
cycles are
not the
same for all
animals.
It is essential to know:
• Some animals give birth to baby
animals that look like small adults.
As the babies grow, they change in
size. Other changes might be color,
shape, or type of covering.
• For example, horses give birth to
babies that look like small horses.
Chickens lay eggs that hatch babies
that look like small chickens.
• Some animals begin as an egg and
then undergo changes in the their
life cycle. These changes may be in
appearance, color, shape, or growth
of new structures. These changes in
form are called metamorphosis.
• For example, in a beetle the stages
of metamorphosis are called egg,
larva, pupa, and adult.
• In a grasshopper, the stages of
metamorphosis are egg, young
(nymph), and adult.
 Life Cycles
Two Content Layout withExamples
Animal Family Stages of Development

Table
mammal young – adult dog, squirrel, human, whale

reptile egg – young – adult snake, turtle, lizard, alligator

• First bullet point
here young – adult rattlesnake (live birth)

• Second
amphibian bullet
eggpoint
– young – adult frog, toad, salamander
here
insect egg – larva – pupa – adult butterfly, beetle, housefly,
• Third bullet point mosquito
here egg – young – adult grasshopper, cockroach,
praying mantis
bird egg – young – adult chicken, robin, hawk, duck

fish young – adult guppies (live birth), goldfish

(live birth)
egg – young – adult minnows (egg), catfish (egg)
 3

Food Chains
Beginning With the End in
Mind
Essential Question: How can
you summarize the
organization of simple food
chains (including the roles of
producers, consumers, and
decomposers)?
It is essential to know When scientists
that all organisms describe the way that
need energy to energy is passed from
survive. Energy gives one organism to
the organism its another they use a
ability to move and model called a food
do the things it needs chain. A food chain
to survive. In most uses arrows to show
habitats, the Sun the direction in which
provides the initial energy is passed and
energy which is usually contains no
passed from plants to more than six
animals. organisms.

Why energy?
 An organism
Any green (usually an An organism (for
plant, which animal) that examples, worms,
uses sunlight to obtains its mold, or
make food for energy by mushrooms) that
energy. eating other obtains its energy
Producers are organisms by feeding on and
the first (plants breaking down
organisms listed and/or dead plants and
on a food chain, animals. *often
animals).
understanding not listed in a
that the Sun food chain even
provides the though they are
initial energy for always the final
link.
the plants.
Consumers
Producers Decomposers

Food chains have three types of organisms.

The role of each can be described by how it obtains its energy.
 MOTION
Moves

Beginning With the End in Mind

Essential Question: How can I identify the
position of an object relative to a reference point
by using position terms?
 Distance
 Distance is the length between two locations or
positions.
 The distance of a specific object to another object
can be measured using meter tapes, sticks, or
rulers.
 This distance can be recorded in centimeters,
meters, or kilometers.
 Using Position Terms
Is it above? Is it over?
Is it below? Is it under?
Is it inside of? Is it to the left?
Is it underneath? Is it to the right?
Is it on top of? Is it beneath?
Is it next to?
 What is Direction?

direction - the path or course along which

something is moving

term directions - up, down, left, right, north,

south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast,
southwest
 What is Speed?
speed - how fast an object moves
Faster objects move a greater distance than slower
objects in a certain period of time.
For example, if a toy car moves a greater distance
than another toy car in one minute, then its speed
is greater.
 How Does It Move?

Move Quickly Move Slowly

How can the objects move at different speeds?

 Gravity
The pull of gravity is everywhere.
Earth’s gravity pulls objects toward the center of
Earth.
The pull of gravity holds things down on Earth.
Things fall to Earth because they are pulled
straight down by Earth’s gravity.
No matter whether an object is dropped or
thrown, it will always fall toward Earth’s surface.
 Force
The strength of a push or pull and the amount of
mass of the object can affect the motion of an
object at rest.
The stronger the push or pull, the faster the
object would move.
The weaker the push or pull, the slower the
object would move.
Mass is how much matter is in an object.
If the strength of the push or pull is the same, an
object of greater mass would move slower than an
object of lesser mass.