Seeds move
Stage 3 - Science and Technology
Program
'Seeds move' is an incursion program delivered in schools by Longneck Lagoon Environmental Education Centre staff. Stage 3 students explore how plants survive and adapt to their environments through the fascinating process of seed dispersal. Students investigate how seeds move using wind, water, animals, and self-propulsion, and how these strategies help plants avoid competition, ensure species survival, and promote biodiversity. Through hands-on activities and experiments, students act as scientists to deepen their understanding of adaptation, fair testing, and the relationship between plant structures and function.
Duration: 1.5 hours.
Important information
Science and Technology K-6 syllabus (2024)
ST3-SCI-01
Uses evidence to explain how scientific knowledge can be used to develop sustainable practices
Content
Living things may change over millions of years, in response to their environments
- Observe behavioural and structural adaptations of plants and animals, and suggest how these may help them survive in their environments
- Examine and explain how the characteristics of flowers, fruit and seeds are adaptations for reproduction in plants
Students will:
- participate in a seed dispersal demonstration to understand why plants need to move their seeds and explore the main dispersal methods
- examine real-life examples of plant adaptations, analysing how structure and environment influence dispersal success
- work in teams to observe and identify seeds using sorting kits and ID charts, classifying each according to its dispersal mechanism
- conduct a fair test experiment, constructing paper model seeds, testing how far they travel under varying wind conditions, and recording and analysing data to understand fair testing principles
- design a seed, using creative materials and testing how effectively their model disperses through air, water, or animal interaction.
| Student numbers | This incursion can be delivered to multiple classes over one or more days. |
| Learning spaces | This lesson will require a classroom, library or school hall with access to a screen and projector. |