Case 3 - Introduction to the Concept

The goals of the third week are:

• To have a general knowledge of seeds and their importance to sustaining plant life.

• Understand the importance of seeds in the food chain.

• Understand the requirements needed for seen germination.

• Understand and appreciate the variety of forms found in seeds, and relate those forms to survivability.

• To introduce and be able to distinguish nonflowering plants that produced seed-like structures (mushrooms, ferns).

The objectives for the third week are for the students to:

• Recognize and understand seed structure and the requirements needed for seed growth.

• Describe the environmental factors necessary for successful germination of seed.

• Recognize the importance of seeds as they are used for food.

There are five main concepts for this week:

• Seeds have the ability to remain viable over a long period of time, thus allowing them to germinate and grow only when proper conditions present themselves.

• Some seeds have special structures that enable them to move from one place to another, thus assuring distribution.

• Seeds have different shapes, sizes, colors, and patterns.

• Seeds have special requirements that must be met to achieve germination.

• Seeds are composed of specific parts.