A Special Activity for Kids: Inside a Seed
‘Wear a Bean’
Materials needed:
- Small plastic ‘ziploc’ sack, the size of a coin envelope (can use smallest size ‘ziploc’ sack if that is all that is available)
- 2 sheets moistened paper towel, folded in half
- 1 large lima bean
- Piece of yarn or string
Process:
- Place bean on paper towel, fold towel over bean & place in place sack, closing sack.
- Punch a hole on either side of top of bag, insert yarn or string and tie around the child’s neck for the day, taking off the sack from around the neck each night and leaving flat on a table.
- Each day, open the sack, remove bean, blow on it to introduce carbon dioxide and replace the ‘bean necklace’ around child’s neck. The warmth of the body stimulates germination.
Notice:
- Bean increases in size after several days as water is drawn into the seed.
- Seed coat softens.
- Using your fingers, carefully scrape off the seed coat & separate the seed halves.
- It’s fun to notice the first emergence of a baby ‘root’, stem and later, the first seedling leaves.
