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Grow It 3-5 / Week 07 / Grow It Day
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Week 07 · Seeds on the Move

Grow It Day

Grow It Day: Slow Fall Seed Challenge
// How seeds travel to new places
⏱ about 15 min

Grow It Day: Slow Fall Seed Challenge

The family gathers at the kitchen table with paper and paper clips.

Rocket holds up his first paper seed. "This one will float forever!"

Raven smiles. "What do you notice when we drop it twice?"

Nova hovers above the stairs. "Count the seconds each time," she says. "Numbers can settle an argument."

Everyone grabs a design and gets ready to drop.

  1. Seeds travel by wind, water, animals, bursting pods and gravity.
  2. Seeds that travel away from the parent plant have a better chance to grow.
  3. Dandelions have parachutes. Maple seeds have papery wings.
  4. Engineers name criteria and constraints, sketch many designs and compare them.
◇ SLOW FALL SEED CHALLENGE
A grown-up cuts a paper strip as long as a hand and two fingers wide.
A grown-up cuts a slit down the top half to make two wings.
Fold one wing forward and one wing back.
Clip a paper clip to the bottom.
One person drops it from the same spot each time, arm held high.
Another person counts the seconds until it lands.
Drop it three times. Write each time in the table.
Now change one thing, like longer wings. Test again.
Safety first
A grown-up does all the cutting with scissors.
Drop seeds from the floor with your arm up. Never stand on chairs.
Keep paper clips away from little kids and pets.
DesignDrop 1 (seconds)Drop 2 (seconds)Drop 3 (seconds)
Short wings
Long wings
Family idea
For a grown-up
Ask: which design met the criteria best? How do you know?
Ask: what one change would you try next?
CHALLENGE CHECK
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Why do we drop each design three times?
Why change only one thing between designs?
Which design part works like a maple wing? Type one word.
WHY THIS EXERCISEThe paper wings catch air, like a samara.

What a challenge! Next week we look at traits, and why no two bean plants are exactly alike.

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