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Science Launch G3 / Week 05 / Monday
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Week 05 · Life Cycles

Monday

Every living thing has a life cycle
// Born, grow, make young, die
⏱ about 15 min

Monday: Every Living Thing Has a Life Cycle

Rocket finds a bean plant in Raven's garden. It has a flower, and dry pods hang below it.

"Where did this plant come from?" he asks. "And what are the pods for?"

Raven opens a pod. Seeds tumble into her hand. "What do you notice about these seeds?"

Nova hovers above the plant. "Look at the start and the end," she says. "Do they match?"

A pattern of changes

A life cycle is the pattern of changes a living thing goes through.

Different plants and animals have different life cycles.

But every life cycle has four parts in common.

  • Birth: the living thing starts its life, like a seed sprouting or an egg hatching.
  • Growth: it gets bigger and changes.
  • Reproduction: it makes new young of the same kind.
  • Death: its life ends, but its young carry on the cycle.

Here is a flowering plant life cycle.

A seed sprouts and grows into a plant. The plant makes flowers.

If the flowers are pollinated, they make new seeds. The new seeds can start the cycle again.

ORDER THE PLANT LIFE CYCLE
  • Tap a card.
  • Then tap its spot.
1First
2Next
3Then
4Last
LIFE CYCLE CHECK
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Why is it called a cycle?
Which part of the cycle is making new young?
What do flowers make that can start a new plant?
WHY THIS EXERCISEFlowers make seeds, and seeds start the next life cycle.

The four parts, one more time

Let's follow the bean plant through all four parts.

Birth: a bean seed sprouts in the soil.

Growth: the plant gets taller and grows leaves.

Reproduction: it makes flowers. If they are pollinated, they make new seeds in pods.

Death: the old plant dies. But its seeds can start new plants.

WHICH PART OF THE LIFE CYCLE?
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
A bean seed sprouts in the soil. Which part is that?
The plant gets taller and grows new leaves. Which part is that?
The plant makes flowers that become seeds. Which part is that?
StatementTrue or false?
Every life cycle has birth, growth, reproduction and death.?
All living things have the same life cycle.?
New seeds can start the cycle again.?
A flower must be pollinated to make seeds.?
WHY THIS EXERCISECycles differ, but all have the same four parts, and seeds restart the cycle.
A life ends at ____.
A plant getting taller is ____.
Try it
Look for a plant at home or outside with a grown-up.
Can you find leaves, flowers or seeds on it?
Which part of the life cycle is it in right now?

Great start! Tomorrow we follow a butterfly through its amazing life cycle.