Sprouting Curiosity: The Wonder of Seeds!

Big Life in Small Packages

Seeds come in an amazing range of shapes and sizes, from orchid seeds as fine as dust to the coco de mer palm, whose seed can weigh more than 40 pounds! Many of the foods we eat every day are seeds too: rice, beans, walnuts, corn, and even the cocoa beans that become chocolate. No matter how different they look on the outside, nearly every seed is built from the same three parts: a protective seed coat, a supply of stored food, and a tiny embryo- the baby plant waiting for its chance to grow. Seeds can stay dormant for incredibly long periods (over 1,000 years!), waiting for the right mix of water and warmth to begin the process of germination. Seeds are also a cornerstone of healthy ecosystems- feeding birds, insects and other wildlife while carrying the genetic diversity that helps plants adapt to a changing climate.

Becoming a Seed Scientist

At the Mar Vista Green Tent on Sunday, October 18th, participants who stop by the Green Tent will get an up-close look at the world of seeds! Visitors can observe up close different kinds of seeds, learn about how they work, and conduct a seed dissection to try and identify the different parts of a seed. Along the way, they’ll discover how each part helps a new plant get its start in life. Come by and see just how much is packed into something so small!

PS Science

PS Science was launched in 2006 as a project of the Crossroads Community Outreach Foundation, an initiative of Crossroads School in Santa Monica in response to a chronic deficit in public schools- the lack of meaningful early elementary science education. Our programs and curriculum provide elementary students with a foundational understanding of the world around them, using hands-on STEM lessons to promote curiosity and critical thinking.