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Science Y3/Y4 – Plants – week 2

THE SEED

Truth to Teach (Source)
To instil into the children the sense of wonder at God’s creation of different seeds which grow
into such a range of plants.

To establish that a seed is something that can grow into a plant.

To study the Parable of the Sower to compare spiritual conditions needed for the growth of
‘spiritual seeds’.

To investigate the conditions necessary for seeds to grow.

Way to Work (Means)
1. Review the lesson from Week 1.

2. Hand around various seeds for the children to observe using magnifiers. Observe their

colour, weight, shape, size, etc. Let the children suggest definitions for a seed. Some
classes may draw a variety of seeds or tape them onto paper.

3. Read Matthew 13:1-23. Discuss the passage briefly, especially the conditions needed for
the growth of the seed mentioned in the Parable. Ask how easily God’s truths grow in us.
Is our soil prepared?

4. Show pictures of seedlings growing and discuss which conditions the children feel are
necessary for seeds to grow. (Light, air, warmth, water, etc) Talk briefly about plant
reproduction.

5. Divide the class into four groups to set up a variety of experiments to investigate
conditions needed for the growth of seeds. Talk about the necessity of setting up a
control experiment with what the children see as ideal conditions, then the need to leave
different sets of seeds without light, water, warmth, etc. Talk about the importance of
using the same seeds for each experiment to make the experiment fair. Some children
may wish to plant a variety of other seeds to see which grow.

Equipment required: Petri dishes or saucers or pots, soil or blotting paper or cotton
wool, seeds, small shovels, or spoons, jugs of water, access to a
fridge, black paper, labels, pens.

6. Once the children have set up their experiments, let them write up and/or draw pictures
of their experiments, leaving room for results to be added the next time.

7. End the lesson by praying that the ‘soil’ of our hearts will be receptive to God’s word, so
that his life can grow in us.

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