Biology: Plant Reproduction Flowers Seeds and Pollination
How flowers make seeds and how pollination helps plants reproduce
Biology: Plant Reproduction Flowers Seeds and Pollination
How flowers make seeds and how pollination helps plants reproduce
Biology - Grade 4-5
- 1
A flower has petals, stamens, pistils, and sepals. Choose two parts and explain what each part does.
Think about which parts help bring pollinators and which parts help make seeds.
Petals help attract pollinators with color or smell. Stamens make pollen, and the pistil receives pollen so seeds can begin to form. Sepals protect the flower bud before it opens. - 2
What is pollination?
Pollination is the movement of pollen from the stamen of a flower to the pistil of the same flower or another flower. - 3
A bee visits a flower to drink nectar. Pollen sticks to the bee's body. The bee then visits another flower of the same kind. Explain how the bee helps the plant reproduce.
Follow the pollen from the first flower to the second flower.
The bee carries pollen from one flower to another flower. When the pollen reaches the pistil, the plant can begin making seeds. - 4
Why do many flowers have bright colors or sweet smells?
Many flowers have bright colors or sweet smells to attract pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and birds. - 5
Put these steps in order: pollen lands on the pistil, a seed forms, pollen is moved by a pollinator, a flower makes pollen.
Start with the flower part that makes pollen.
The correct order is: a flower makes pollen, pollen is moved by a pollinator, pollen lands on the pistil, and a seed forms. - 6
A student says, 'All plants need bees to reproduce.' Explain why this statement is not correct.
This statement is not correct because some plants are pollinated by wind, water, birds, bats, butterflies, or other insects. Some plants can also self-pollinate. - 7
Look at a seed. Name two things a seed needs in order to sprout and begin growing.
Think about what gardeners give seeds in soil.
A seed usually needs water, the right temperature, and air to sprout. Many seeds also need light after the new plant begins growing. - 8
What is the job of the seed coat?
The seed coat protects the tiny plant inside the seed until conditions are right for it to sprout. - 9
Some seeds have fluffy parts that help them float through the air. How does this help the plant?
Think about a dandelion seed blowing away.
Fluffy parts help seeds travel away from the parent plant by wind. This gives the new plants more space, light, water, and nutrients to grow. - 10
A fruit grows around seeds after a flower is pollinated. Explain one way fruit helps seeds.
Fruit can protect seeds while they develop. Fruit can also help seeds spread when animals eat the fruit and carry the seeds to new places. - 11
Match each pollinator to how it helps: bee, butterfly, bird. Write one sentence for each.
Each animal moves pollen while visiting flowers for nectar.
A bee helps by carrying pollen on its fuzzy body. A butterfly helps by picking up pollen while drinking nectar. A bird helps by carrying pollen on its beak or feathers when it visits flowers. - 12
What is the difference between pollen and a seed?
Pollen is a powdery material made by a flower that helps start seed formation. A seed contains a tiny young plant and stored food that can grow into a new plant. - 13
A plant has small green flowers with no strong smell. It releases a lot of light pollen into the air. What kind of pollination is this plant likely using? Explain your answer.
Plants that use wind do not have to attract bees or butterflies.
This plant is likely using wind pollination because it releases lots of light pollen into the air and does not need bright petals or strong smells to attract animals. - 14
Draw or describe the life cycle of a flowering plant starting with a seed.
A flowering plant life cycle can be described as seed, sprout, young plant, adult plant with flowers, pollination, fruit or seed formation, and new seeds. - 15
Why is seed dispersal important for plant survival?
Think about what happens if too many plants grow in one small space.
Seed dispersal is important because it moves seeds away from the parent plant. This helps new plants avoid crowding and gives them a better chance to get sunlight, water, and nutrients.