September and October are great months to go seed hunting here in the northeastern USA and in many other places around the world! Early fall is the time of year that many plants in our area go to seed. Cool-ology® Kids are investigating why and how seeds disperse- by gravity, wind, animals, expulsion, even by water.
Children are thrilled to discover that coconuts are seeds that float. Put one in a large container of water and test it (a lesson on buoyancy)!
Some plants expel their seeds by mechanical means. Google “Jewel Weed” and see if you can find some in your area. They are REALLY cool. Check out this slow-motion video of the Jewel Weed seed pod in action! Video credit: Noel Hefele
Cool-ology® kids are also examining seed anatomy by dissecting lima beans. We use defrosted frozen beans to discover the tiny embryo inside.
After investigating all of this, students engineer and test their very own “Seed Movers”- seed dispersal mechanisms made from everyday materials found around the house or even in nature.
If your kids are taking Cool-ology® classes, ask them to tell you about the things they learned about seeds. If not, try some or all of these activities at home with your kids- they’ll love them!