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Hello,

a bit embarrassed to ask this but I really don't understand the science experiment and how we go about it. I know someone will be able to explain it to this science illiterate brain! There is a list of materials we need and then it says to design 4 seeds....how do I make seeds out of those materials? Or is that part of the challenge to design seeds that are light-weight, waterproof etc? When we hide one in a room, what happens then.....do I send my dd in to try and see if she can find it?

Thanks for your help in advance....

Corrie

Corrie,

Since no one else has answered this for you, I'll give it a go. We haven't done Preparing yet, but I have my guide here so this is just my guess of what to do not having done it. It looks to me like they have given you ideas of materials that can be used to make models of the 4 different seed types. I think you are supposed to figure out how to make one seed of each type from the materials given, then test them to see if they work well as that kind of seed. That's my best guess. If it were me doing the experiment, I would probably use the paper or waxed paper to try to make a parachute-like seed to fly perhaps making it like a maple tree seed pod. I would probably use the waxed paper in a ball or disc shape with tape as the waterproof seed. I would use the rough fabric for the hitchhiker seed. Finally I would make a pretty, yummy looking seed using the markers and paper. I would probably try to make it bigger and noticeable. After making the seeds I would test the 4 seeds as listed in TM in the order given. I would make sure that the water test was last because I wouldn't want to get my other seeds wet that wouldn't do well in water and then not be able to do the other tests with them. I would test all 4 seeds in each test to see how they performed. I think that would give a better understanding of how each seed stands out in its own way. Anyway, that's how I would proceed. HTH!

Thanks so much Patty....your guess is as good as mine! I will give your suggestion a go...thanks so much for taking the time to help me out!

Corrie

Let me know how it goes. I'm thinking I might need to make some notes to help my dc next year.

HI!
This is what we did:
The seed by water - dd made a small folded up piece of waxed paper and tape - to look like a seed - it ended up being like a sunflower seed size
The seed by air- dd made a small seed from the waxed paper again but made a little "propeller" type thing protruding from it - like a maple leaf helicopter.
The seed by hitchhiker - dd made a seed from part of a pipe cleaner and then cut out an animal shape from some felt and stuck the pipe cleaner seed to her "animal."
Eaten seed- she got a colorful M&M or skittle -can't remember which and sent little sis to go find it and eat it.

Hope that helps!

Arstephia,

so did you try each of the seeds in the different settings? Or did you just make one seed for each specific travel method and do it that way only?

Thanks,

Corrie

Corrie,

I don't have my Preparing Guide with me right now, but if I'm remembering correctly, the goal in that particular experiment was for kiddos to design their own types of seeds based on what they had read. They were then meant to test them to see how they traveled. This experiment was purposefully left more vague in order to get the little scientist thinking of how to design and test their ideas. It is one way to get them thinking scientifically. I remember that my son had to sit with the guide for a bit pondering how to do this experiment, which is actually the thinking part we are looking for in this experiment. So, I'd encourage you not to rush in and thoroughly plan "how" to do it for your child, as we do try to leave that thinking up to the child to give them a taste of how to carry out their own experiment sometimes.

Blessings,
Carrie

Well, just like Carrie said, I just let my dd figure things out. What I posted is what she came up with. She understood the 4 types of seeds. It was up to her to come up with how to design it and test it. That is how she came up with the cut out felt animal. She wanted to see if her seed really would travel, and the family dog wasn't going to cooperate. Same with the Skittle. She told her lil sis to pretend she was a bird finding a red berry in a bush and eat it. I LOVED IT! I just made sure she knew what the four types of seeds/distribution were and let her go from there. We have the helicopter seeds in our yard so she used that as a mental model of a wind-transported seed.

Ah ok....I see. Thanks guys.....will help my daughter to process it through on her own then....ta.