THE THE TINY TINY SEEDSEED

VOCABULARYVOCABULARY

THRIVETHRIVE::

When living things When living things

thrivethrive

they grow healthy and they grow healthy and strong.strong.

APPEARAPPEAR::

show up – be seenshow up – be seen

The bud The bud appearedappeared on the on the plant.plant.

DROWNSDROWNS::

completely covered in watercompletely covered in water

A plant A plant drownsdrowns if you water if you water it too much.it too much.

DRIFTSDRIFTS::

carried through air or watercarried through air or water

The leaf The leaf drifteddrifted down to the down to the ground.ground.

DESERTDESERT::

very dry placevery dry place

There was no rain in the There was no rain in the desertdesert..

GENTLYGENTLY::

soft and smooth movementsoft and smooth movement

She She gentlygently placed the flower placed the flower on the table.on the table.

BURSTBURST::

to break opento break open

The balloon The balloon burstburst when I when I grabbed it.grabbed it.

NEIGHBORNEIGHBOR::

person or thing close to person or thing close to anotheranother

My My neighborneighbor lives next door. lives next door.

PLANT POWERPLANT POWER

People use plants in many People use plants in many ways. All around us are ways. All around us are objects that come from objects that come from

plants.plants.

Your T-shirt started as aYour T-shirt started as a

cotton plant. The cottoncotton plant. The cotton

plant has seeds calledplant has seeds called

bolls.bolls.

Hot weather makes the Hot weather makes the

bolls bolls burstburst open. open.

When they break open, When they break open,

a soft fluff of cotton a soft fluff of cotton

pops out.pops out.

The fluff might The fluff might drift drift in the in the air, moving slowly in the air, moving slowly in the

wind. People spin the wind. People spin the fluff into thread that fluff into thread that

becomes material.becomes material.

Other plants are used toOther plants are used to

make medicines. Some ofmake medicines. Some of

these plants are found in athese plants are found in a

dry, hot place like thedry, hot place like the

desertdesert..

The aloe plant has a juice The aloe plant has a juice that helps heal cuts. that helps heal cuts.

Many people grow Many people grow

aloe plants.aloe plants.

An aloe plantAn aloe plant

drowns drowns easily. easily.

It is importantIt is important

not to givenot to give

them too muchthem too much

water because water because they will die.they will die.

To get the aloeTo get the aloe juice out,juice out,

gentlygently break off break off a leaf. a leaf.

Do it carefully soDo it carefully so you don’t hurtyou don’t hurt

the plant.the plant.

Some plants areSome plants are

so big that so big that

we can buildwe can build

with them.with them.

Many housesMany houses

are made from are made from

trees.trees.

Look at the houses of theLook at the houses of the

people who live near you.people who live near you.

Does your Does your neighbor neighbor have have

any wooden house?any wooden house?

THE TINY THE TINY SEEDSEED

by Eric Carleby Eric Carle

It was Autumn. It was Autumn.

A strong wind is blowing. A strong wind is blowing.

It blows flower seeds high inIt blows flower seeds high in

the air and carries them farthe air and carries them far

across the land.across the land.

One of the seeds is tiny,One of the seeds is tiny,

smaller than any of the others.smaller than any of the others.

Will it be able to keep up withWill it be able to keep up with

the others?the others?

And where are they all going?And where are they all going?

One of the seeds flies One of the seeds flies

higher than the others. higher than the others.

Up, up it goes! It flies too highUp, up it goes! It flies too high

and the sun’s rays burn it up.and the sun’s rays burn it up.

But the tiny seed sails onBut the tiny seed sails on

with the others.with the others.

Another seed lands on a tallAnother seed lands on a tall

and icy mountain. The iceand icy mountain. The ice

never melts, and the seednever melts, and the seed

cannot grow. The rest of thecannot grow. The rest of the

seeds fly on.seeds fly on.

But the tiny seed does not goBut the tiny seed does not go

as fast as the others.as fast as the others.

Now they are over the ocean. Now they are over the ocean.

One seed falls into the water One seed falls into the water

and drowns. The others sail onand drowns. The others sail on

with the wind.with the wind.

But the tiny seed does But the tiny seed does

not go as high as the not go as high as the

others.others.

One seed drifts down onto theOne seed drifts down onto the

desert. It is hot and dry, and thedesert. It is hot and dry, and the

seed cannot grow.seed cannot grow.

Now the tiny seed is flying veryNow the tiny seed is flying very

low, but the wind pushes it onlow, but the wind pushes it on

with the others.with the others.

Finally the wind stops and theFinally the wind stops and the

seeds fall gently down on theseeds fall gently down on the

ground. A bird comes by andground. A bird comes by and

eats one seed.eats one seed.

The tiny seed is not eaten. The tiny seed is not eaten.

It is so small that the bird does It is so small that the bird does not see it.not see it.

Now it is Winter.Now it is Winter.After their long trip After their long trip

the seedsthe seeds settle down. They looksettle down. They look

just as if they arejust as if they are going to sleep in thegoing to sleep in the

earth. Snow falls andearth. Snow falls and covers them like a softcovers them like a soft

white blanket.white blanket.

A hungry mouse that also lives inA hungry mouse that also lives in

the ground eats a seed for histhe ground eats a seed for his

lunch. But the tiny seed lies lunch. But the tiny seed lies

very still and the mouse does very still and the mouse does

not see it.not see it.

Now it is Spring.Now it is Spring.After a few monthsAfter a few months

the snow the snow has melted. It ishas melted. It is

really Spring.really Spring. Birds fly by. Birds fly by.

The sun shines.The sun shines. The rain falls.The rain falls.

The seeds grow so round and full The seeds grow so round and full

they start to burst open a little.they start to burst open a little.

Now they are not seeds anyNow they are not seeds any

more. more.

They are plants.They are plants.

First they sendFirst they send

roots down into theroots down into the

earth. Then theirearth. Then their

little stems andlittle stems and

leaves begin toleaves begin to

grow up toward thegrow up toward the

sun and the air.sun and the air.

There is another plant that growsThere is another plant that grows

much faster than the new littlemuch faster than the new little

plants. It is a big fat weed. plants. It is a big fat weed.

And it takes all the sunlight andAnd it takes all the sunlight and

rain away from one of the smallrain away from one of the small

new plants. And that little plantnew plants. And that little plant

dies.dies.

The tiny seed hasn’t begun toThe tiny seed hasn’t begun to

grow yet. It will be too late!grow yet. It will be too late!

Hurry!Hurry!

But finally it too starts to growBut finally it too starts to grow

into a plant.into a plant.

The warm weather also brings The warm weather also brings

the children out to play. They toothe children out to play. They too

have been waiting for the sun have been waiting for the sun

and spring time.and spring time.

One child doesn’tOne child doesn’t

see the plantssee the plants

as he runs along andas he runs along and

– – OH! OH!

He breaks one! He breaks one!

Now it cannotNow it cannot

grow any more.grow any more.

The tiny plant that grew from The tiny plant that grew from

the tiny seed is growing fast, the tiny seed is growing fast,

but its neighbor grows evenbut its neighbor grows even

faster. Before the tiny plant faster. Before the tiny plant

has three leaves the other planthas three leaves the other plant

has seven!has seven!

And look! A bud! And look! A bud!

And now even a flower!And now even a flower!

But what is happening? But what is happening?

First there are footsteps. First there are footsteps.

Then a shadow looms over them.Then a shadow looms over them.

Then a hand reaches down andThen a hand reaches down and

breaks off the flower. A boy hasbreaks off the flower. A boy has

picked the flower to give to apicked the flower to give to a

friend.friend.

It is Summer. Now the tiny plantIt is Summer. Now the tiny plant

from the tiny seed is all alone. from the tiny seed is all alone.

It grows on and on.It grows on and on.

It doesn’t stop. The sunIt doesn’t stop. The sun

shines on it and shines on it and

the rain waters it.the rain waters it.

It has many leaves. It has many leaves.

It grows taller andIt grows taller and

taller. It is taller thantaller. It is taller than

the people. It is tallerthe people. It is taller

than the trees. It isthan the trees. It is

taller than thetaller than the

houses.houses.

And now a flowerAnd now a flower

grows on it. grows on it.

People come fromPeople come from

far and near far and near

to look at thisto look at this

flower.flower.

It is the tallestIt is the tallest

flower they flower they

have ever seen.have ever seen.

It is a giant flower.It is a giant flower.

All summer long the birds andAll summer long the birds and

bees and butterflies comebees and butterflies come

visiting. They have never seenvisiting. They have never seen

such a big and beautiful flower.such a big and beautiful flower.

Now it is AutumnNow it is Autumn again.again.

The days growThe days grow shorter. Theshorter. The

nights grow cooler.nights grow cooler. And the And the

wind carries yellowwind carries yellow and red leavesand red leaves

past the flower.past the flower.

Some petals dropSome petals drop from the giantfrom the giant

flower and they sailflower and they sail along with thealong with the

bright leaves overbright leaves over the land and downthe land and down

to the ground.to the ground.

The wind blows harder. The wind blows harder.

The flower has lost almostThe flower has lost almost

all of its petals. It swaysall of its petals. It sways

and bends away fromand bends away from

the wind. But the the wind. But the

wind grows stronger wind grows stronger

and shakes the flower.and shakes the flower.

Once more the wind shakes the Once more the wind shakes the flower, and this time the flower’sflower, and this time the flower’s

seed pod opens. Out come manyseed pod opens. Out come many

tiny seeds that quickly tiny seeds that quickly

sail far away on sail far away on

the wind.the wind.

ERIC CARLEERIC CARLEhas illustrated more than 70 books. He has illustrated more than 70 books. He

wrote most of these books, too. His wrote most of these books, too. His artwork is called collage. First he paints artwork is called collage. First he paints

on paper. Then he cuts the paper into on paper. Then he cuts the paper into small shapes. He glues the painted small shapes. He glues the painted

paper in layers to make shapes. Eric paper in layers to make shapes. Eric Carle likes to write and illustrate books Carle likes to write and illustrate books

about nature.about nature.

ASSIGNMENTASSIGNMENTThe seed was tiny.The seed was tiny.

How does being tiny help How does being tiny help the seed survive?the seed survive?

Use details from the story Use details from the story to explain your answer.to explain your answer.

PLANT PARTSPLANT PARTS

A plant is a living thing. A plant is a living thing. It uses its many parts to It uses its many parts to

grow from a small seed to grow from a small seed to a large plant. Each part a large plant. Each part

helps the plant stay helps the plant stay healthy.healthy.

Plants also need sunlight to Plants also need sunlight to grow. They get light from grow. They get light from

the sun and minerals from the sun and minerals from the soil. These things help the soil. These things help

the plant stay alive and the plant stay alive and grow.grow.

ROOTSROOTSA plant grows A plant grows

roots under roots under the ground. the ground. The roots The roots

hold the plant hold the plant in place and in place and take take in water in water and minerals.and minerals.

STEMSTEMThe stem helps hold The stem helps hold the plant up. It moves the plant up. It moves

the food and water the food and water from the roots up to from the roots up to the other parts of the the other parts of the

plant.plant.

LEAVESLEAVESThe leaves use The leaves use

the sunlight, the sunlight, water, and air water, and air to make food to make food for the plant.for the plant.

FLOWERSFLOWERSThe flowers The flowers make seeds make seeds

that can that can grow into grow into

new plants.new plants.

FRUITFRUITSome plants have fruit. Some plants have fruit.

The fruit grows around the The fruit grows around the seeds and keeps them safe.seeds and keeps them safe.

SEEDSSEEDSThe seeds The seeds

can grow can grow into new into new

plants.plants.

ASSIGNMENTASSIGNMENT

Draw a plant and label Draw a plant and label

its parts.its parts.