The Life Cycle of a Plant

1. The Life Cycle of a Plant

2. Today’s Learning Goal • Yesterday, you planted a Wisconsin Fast Plant! Now you are eagerly waiting to observe its life cycle. • To help you build background on the stages of a plant’s growth, you will • read some slides today, • take notes from them on the stages of a plant’s growth, • draw some diagrams, and • possibly view some plant videos.

3. The Life Cycle of a Plant

4. 1. Germination • The seed coat is softened by water. • The seed splits open. • The new plant inside begins to grow up. • The root begins to grow down into the soil.

5. 2. Sprout or Seedling • Stem starts to grow and move through the soil.

6. 3. Plant Growth • The stem grows thicker and stronger. • The plant becomes green with CHLOROPHYLL inside it. • It develops LEAVES, which are “food factories”. • The plant grows taller.

7. 4. Flower buds • Flower buds begin to form at the tips of some stems. • They are important beginnings of new flowers, from which new seeds will form.

8. 5. Flowers • A flower opens its colorful petals up, with important parts in the center to help to create a new seed. • The colors help to attract pollinators like bees, butterflies, and other insects.

9. 6. Pollination • An insect, bird or the wind has to help transfer pollen grains from the plant of one flower to a flower of a different plant. • A new seed begins to grow inside the flower.

10. 7. Fruit or seed pod formation • A fruit or seed pod grows around the seed to protect the seed. • The flower dies and the fruit or seed pod dries up and splits open.

11. 8. Seed dispersal • The seeds fall out of the fruit or seed pod into the soil, or they get carried to a new location by the wind, water or animals. • Some seeds attach to animal fur and travel to new places. • Once they fall on new soil, the life cycle begins again, as the seed goes into the ground and germinates.