Rocket peers into the bean window. "Something white is sticking out! Is it a worm?"
Raven leans in. "What do you notice? Which way is it growing?"
Nova hovers above the cup. "Seeds have a plan," she says. "What does a plant need first, a drink or a view?"
Rocket laughs. "A drink! So the root comes first!"
First, water and oxygen go in through the seed coat.
The seed swells as the embryo's cells start to grow bigger.
Then the seed coat breaks open.
A root pops out first. Its science name is the radicle.
Next comes the shoot, which holds the young stem and leaves.
In many plants, the seed leaves are the first parts you see above the soil.
Seed leaves often look different from the leaves that grow later.
The later leaves are called true leaves.
| Statement | True or false? |
|---|---|
| The shoot always comes out before the root. | ? |
| A seed swells when it takes in water. | ? |
| Seed leaves can look different from true leaves. | ? |
Wonderful watching! Tomorrow we test an idea: do beans care how warm it is?