"Modern General Studies" Student Revision Notes
5A Lesson 1 Cycle of Life (1) Plants
1. What is the growth cycle of plants?
Observe the growth cycle of small tomatoes starting from seed germination, and talk about how plants grow and
reproduce the next generation.
(The growth cycle of a small tomato begins with the germination of seeds, which then grow roots, stems, and leaves. Then
it blooms and bears fruit. There are seeds inside the tomato fruit, and the seeds will germinate and continue to reproduce
the next generation.)
2. What are the functions of the different parts of the seed?
What are the functions of the different parts of the seed as it germinates into a plant?
(The seed coat serves to protect the seed; the cotyledons provide nutrients for germination; the embryo develops into
stems and leaves; the radicle develops into roots.)
3. How do flowers help plants reproduce?
a) What parts are flowers made of?
(A flower is composed of pistils, stamens, corolla and calyx. The pistil grows in the middle of the corolla and receives
pollen. The stamens produce a large amount of pollen. The corolla is composed of brightly colored petals, which attract
insects to spread pollen. The calyx is the outermost layer of the flower. ).
b) How are flowers pollinated?
(After the plant blooms, the pollen from the stamens will spread to the stigmas of the pistils, fertilizing the flowers. This
process is called pollination.)
c) How do flowering plants use insects to spread pollen?
(When bees collect nectar, pollen will stick to their bodies. The bees carry the pollen to the stigma of the pistil and spread
the pollen.)
d) What other methods do flowering plants use to spread pollen?
(Wind and birds.)
4. How do fruits and seeds help plants reproduce?
a) Describe the process by which flowers produce fruit after pollination.
(Pistil pollination, pollen is introduced into the ovary through the pistil style, and combines with the ovules in the ovary;
the corolla begins to wither, the ovary gradually develops and expands, and develops into a fruit; the ovules develop into
seeds.)
b) What are the benefits of hiding seeds inside fruits?
(The seeds will be protected by the fruit. The fruit will attract animals to eat. After the animals swallow the pulp and
seeds, they will vomit the seeds or expel the seeds through the digestive tract. In other words, if the seeds are hidden in the
fruit, they can be spread by animals. )
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c) In what ways do seeds reproduce the next generation?
(Coconuts float to distant places with the help of water; dandelion seeds float to distant places with the wind; the peel of
impatiens shrinks and ejects the seeds; the pine cone itself has weight, and when it matures and cracks, the seeds will be
ejected, and some of the seeds will be ejected. It will sprout and grow after falling to the ground, or it will be spread by
animals.)
d) If seeds cannot disperse, what will be the impact on plant reproduction?
(If the seeds cannot be dispersed, the plant has no chance to grow and cannot reproduce in the next generation.)
Summarize
plant growth cycle
● Under a suitable growing environment, the growth cycle of a plant generally begins with seed germination, followed by
roots, stems, and leaves.
● Some plants will bloom and bear fruit. There are seeds in the fruit, and the seeds will germinate and continue to
reproduce the next generation.
seeds and flowers
● The seed coat of the seed is used to protect the seed, the cotyledons provide nutrients needed for germination, and the
radicle and embryo will develop into the roots, stems and leaves of the plant respectively.
● Plant flowers are composed of four parts: stamens, pistils, corolla and calyx.
● After flowering, the pollen from the stamens is transferred to the stigma of the pistil. This process is called pollination.
● Flowering plants use different methods for pollination, such as spreading pollen through insects, wind or birds to help
the plants reproduce.
fruits and seeds
● After the flower is pollinated, the ovary of the pistil will develop into a fruit and the ovules will develop into seeds.
● The fruit can protect the seeds from developing and maturing smoothly.
● Seeds are spread by water, wind, their own elasticity, and excreted after being eaten by animals to reproduce the next
generation.
keywords
Germ, Stamens, Pistils, Calyx
pollination fruit ovule
