Plant Seeds — Reading Comprehension Lesson

Reading Passage

Plant Seeds

Seeds are one of nature’s most remarkable packages. Tucked inside every seed is everything a new plant needs to begin its life — a tiny plant embryo, stored food, and a protective outer coat. Seeds come in a tremendous variety of shapes and sizes, from tiny poppy seeds to large coconuts. Despite their differences, all seeds share the same basic purpose: to carry a new plant to a place where it can take root and grow.

The outer covering of a seed is called the seed coat. The seed coat protects the embryo inside from drying out, from insects, and from harsh conditions in the environment. Some seed coats are thin and soft, while others are hard and thick. A hard seed coat can actually help a seed survive being eaten by an animal and then deposited in a new location.

Inside the seed coat are two main parts: the embryo and the endosperm. The embryo is the young plant that will eventually grow into a full-sized plant. The endosperm is the stored food that feeds the embryo during germination, before the new plant can make its own food through photosynthesis. In some plants, the food is stored in structures called cotyledons, which are the first leaf-like parts to appear when a seed sprouts.

Before a seed can grow, it needs the right conditions. Most seeds need warmth, moisture, and oxygen to germinate. Some seeds also need light, while others need to go through a cold period first. When the right conditions are present, the seed coat softens, and the embryo begins to grow. A tiny root, called the radicle, pushes downward into the soil, and a shoot grows upward toward the light.

Seeds travel in many clever ways to reach new growing spots. Some seeds, like maple tree seeds, have wings that let them spin and glide through the air. Others, like burs, have hooks that cling to animal fur or clothing. Fruits, like apples and berries, are eaten by animals that then carry the seeds in their digestive systems and deposit them far away. Some plants even use water to float their seeds downstream to new locations.

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