Germinating bean seed

Germinating bean seed

Online interactive
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Working with Students
Further Resources
This task is about how a bean seed grows into a plant.

Question Change answer

Put the pictures of a bean seed growing in the right order.
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Question

germinating bean seed
 
 
Look carefully at the pictures.
What starts growing first?

    • The leaves

    • The flowers

    • The roots.

Task administration: 
This task is completed online and has auto-marking displayed to students.
 
One trial teacher used this task as a quick check of students' knowledge of germination before beginning teaching.
She found through the task and discussion with students that they knew more than she had thought. This information was used to plan for activities that were appropriate for extending her students.
Copyright: 

Drawings made by NZCER (c) Ministry of Education

Levels:
1, 2
Curriculum info: 
Science, Knowledge, Living World
Keywords: 
Life processes, germination, seeds
Description of task: 
Task: Sequence drawings of a bean seedling to show order of events during germination. Assessment focus: germination.
Curriculum Links: 
Science capabilities
The capabilities focus is brought about by the conversations you have and the questions you ask. 
 
Capability: Gather and interpret data
This resource provides opportunities to discuss how careful observations lead to inferences in science. 
 
Capability: Interpret representations
This resource provides opportunities to discuss diagrams that represent science understandings
Science capabilities: 
Gather and interpret data, Interpret representations
Making Better Sense: 
Life Cycle
Answers/responses: 
Correct order
germinating-bean-seed-answers.png
What starts growing first? Roots
Diagnostic and formative information: 

Most Year 3 students were able to complete this task accurately, even when they had no background knowledge of growing seeds. Some students may be applying logical thinking (a useful skill in science) to complete the sequence rather than actually "knowing".

To find out what cues students are using ask them to give reasons for selecting the order they have.

Next steps: 

The following activities relate to Capability 1: Gather and Interpret data

Observation

Get students to look carefully at the pictures in sequence and describe what happens to the seed.

Inference

Ask:

  • Why do you think the roots grow before the stem and leaves?
  • What do you think may have happened to the bean seed?
  • Do you think all seeds grow in this order? Why do you think this (what evidence do you have?)
  • How could we find out?

The following activity relates to Capability 1, and Capability 2: Use Evidence

Investigating

Grow a bean seed (or other seeds) in a clear container so students can see the germination process.  (You could use Activity 1, page 15 in Section 3 of the BSC booklet, Flowers, fruits, and seeds.)

Does the evidence they collect confirm or disconfirm their ideas?

Ministry of Education (2002). Building Science Concepts,  Book 25, Flowers, Fruits, and Seeds.Wellington: Learning Media.