# Seeds and Seeds

## Overview
In the chapter “Seeds and Seeds,” students explore the fascinating world of seeds – from soaking and sprouting at home to understanding how plants grow, how seeds travel, and the role of seeds in nature and food. Through activities and real-life examples, learners discover the conditions needed for sprouting, plant care, seed dispersal mechanisms, and inspiration from nature like Velcro.

## Key Topics Covered

### 1. Soaking and Sprouting of Seeds
- Gopal soaks chana (gram) for his visiting cousins, accidentally soaking extra.
- His mother uses half to cook and ties the rest in a wet cloth to sprout them.
- **Why Sprouts?** – Sprouted seeds are healthy and recommended by doctors.

**Discussion Prompts:**
- What seeds do you soak before cooking?
- What sprouts do you eat and how are they made?

### 2. Seed Sprouting Experiment
A hands-on activity to test sprouting conditions:
- **Bowl 1**: Chana submerged in water (no air) – do not sprout.
- **Bowl 2**: Chana on wet cloth/cotton (air + moisture) – sprout.
- **Bowl 3**: Dry chana – no sprouting.

**Learning:** Seeds need both air and moisture to sprout.

### 3. Growing Plants from Seeds
- Students plant seeds like mustard, fenugreek, sesame, or coriander in a pot.
- They observe growth over days – tracking height, leaves, and changes.

**Tracking Table Includes:**
- Date planted
- Plant height (cm)
- Number of leaves
- Other observations

**Tip:** Use a thread to measure height and then use a scale.

### 4. Understanding Plant Needs
Students reflect:
- What’s inside a seed?
- How does a big plant come from a tiny seed?
- Why some plants dried or didn’t grow (lack of water, light, etc.)

**Discussion Prompts:**
- Which seeds sprouted fastest or slowest?
- Which seeds didn’t grow and why?


### 5. Seed Dispersal – How Seeds Travel

#### A. Natural Dispersal Methods
- **Flying Seeds**: Some seeds are light and have structures that let them float or fly with the wind.
- **Sticky Seeds**: Some seeds stick to animal fur or clothes. Example: the idea of Velcro came from this!
- **Bursting Pods**: Soyabean and other pods burst open and throw seeds far.
- **Water and Animal Dispersal**: Some float, some are carried by birds, animals, and even humans.

**Why Dispersal Matters**:
- Prevents overcrowding.
- Helps plants grow in new areas.
- Increases chances of survival.

### 6. Seeds and Innovation – The Velcro Story
- In 1948, **George Mestral** got inspired by seeds stuck on his clothes.
- Observed hooks under a microscope.
- Invented **Velcro** – used in clothes, bags, belts, and more.
- A perfect example of **biomimicry** (ideas from nature)!

### 7. So Many Types of Seeds!
Students collect, observe, and classify seeds:
- By **size**: Big and small
- By **texture**: Smooth or rough
- By **use**: Fruit seeds, vegetable seeds, spice seeds
- By **shape**: Flat, round, long, etc.
- By **weight**: Light seeds that can fly

**Activities**:
- Draw seeds and their shapes
- Group seeds into lists
- Play games using seeds

### 8. From Where Did They Come?
- Many plants were brought to India from other places.
- **From South America**: Tomato, potato, chilli
- **From Europe**: Cabbage, pea
- **From Africa**: Coffee, bhindi (okra)

Poem reflection: Celebrates global journey of food plants and how India welcomed them!

---

## New Terms and Definitions

| Term | Simple Definition |
|------------------|-------------------|
| Sprout | A small growth that comes out of a seed when it starts to grow |
| Dispersal | The spreading of seeds to different places |
| Soaking | Putting something in water to make it soft |
| Biomimicry | Getting ideas from nature to solve human problems |
| Velcro | A material with small hooks that stick things together |
| Texture | The feel or surface of something – smooth or rough |
| Cotyledon | The part inside the seed that stores food for the baby plant |
| Pod | The outer covering of some seeds, like soyabean |
| Germination | The process by which a seed begins to grow |
| Seedling | A young plant that grows from a seed |

---

## Practice Questions

### Easy (3)
1. **Why did Gopal’s mother ask him to soak chana?**
**Answer**: To cook them the next day for guests.

2. **Name two seeds that can be sprouted.**
**Answer**: Chana (gram), moong (green gram).

3. **What does a seed need to sprout?**
**Answer**: Water and air.

### Medium (2)
4. **Why didn’t the seeds sprout in Bowl 1 and Bowl 3?**
**Answer**: Bowl 1 had no air (too much water); Bowl 3 had no water (dry).

5. **How did George Mestral get the idea of Velcro?**
**Answer**: He saw seeds sticking to his clothes and copied the tiny hooks using science.

### Difficult (3)
6. **What are the different ways in which seeds travel?**
**Answer**: Flying, sticking to animals, bursting pods, floating in water, and carried by people or animals.

7. **What would happen if seeds did not get dispersed?**
**Answer**: Too many plants would grow in one place, leading to competition and poor growth.

8. **Why can’t we sprout masoor dal (split lentil)?**
**Answer**: Because it's split; the protective covering and food storage needed for sprouting are broken.

### Very Difficult (2)
9. **How is seed dispersal important for the survival of plants?**
**Answer**: It helps seeds reach new places with enough space, water, and light, increasing survival chances.

10. **Write the journey of any one plant that is now grown in India but came from another country.**
**Answer**: Chilli came from South America. Traders brought it to India. Now it's widely used in Indian cooking.

---