New
New
Year 5

Plant life cycles

I can research and present the life cycles of different plants.

New
New
Year 5

Plant life cycles

I can research and present the life cycles of different plants.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Plants are living things that grow and reproduce
  2. Flowering plant life cycle stages include: germination, growing, pollination, seed formation and seed dispersal
  3. Scientific diagrams are used to show the stages in a life cycle
  4. Life cycles of different plants can be observed over time and/or researched using secondary sources of information

Keywords

  • Life cycle - A life cycle is the way in which a living thing changes throughout its life.

  • Germination - Germination is when a plant starts to grow from a seed.

  • Pollination - Pollination is the transfer of pollen from the anther of one flower to the stigma of another flower of the same species.

  • Fertilisation - Fertilisation happens when pollen from a male anther reaches a female ovary in a flower.

  • Seed dispersal - Seed dispersal is the way seeds are spread out from their parent plant.

Common misconception

Pupils may confuse pollination and seed dispersal, as both involve something from the flower being moved from one place to another.

Explain that each of these processes happen at different times and have different purposes. Pollination happens before seeds have formed and leads to fertilisation whereas seed dispersal spreads the fully formed seeds away from the parent plant.

There are many time lapse videos online showing different types of seeds germinating and flowers and fruits growing. These could be shared with pupils during the lesson to help bring the learning to life.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Access to the internet for research

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
A life cycle is…
the way an animal is born.
what happens to an animal’s body after it dies.
Correct answer: the way in which a living thing changes throughout its life.
the amount of time a living thing is alive after it is born.
Q2.
Which part of a plant contains the parts used for reproduction?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: flower
stem
leaf
root
Q3.
What is seed formation?
An image in a quiz
when seeds are planted in soil
Correct answer: when seeds develop inside an ovary
when flowers die and the seeds drop off the plant
Q4.
Seeds are formed inside the ovaries of flowering plants. Where are the ovaries?
Correct answer: at the base of flowers
on the tips of leaves
inside the roots
Q5.
When pollen is transferred from one flower to a stigma of another flower by animals or the wind, it is called…
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: pollination.
fertilisation.
pollen dispersal.
seed formation.
Q6.
What is germination?
when pollen from a male part of a flower lands on a female part
when pollen reaches the ovary of a flower
when a plant’s seeds are spread away from itself
Correct answer: when a seed first begins to grow

6 Questions

Q1.
Which diagram would be used to show the stages in a living thing’s life cycle?
A
Correct answer: B
C
D
Q2.
Plants are living things that can grow (get bigger) and (create offspring).
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: reproduce, reproduction
Q3.
Starting with the point at which a plant first begins growing from a seed, order the stages in a flowering plant’s life cycle.
An image in a quiz
1 - germination
2 - growing and flowering
3 - pollination
4 - fertilisation and seed formation
5 - seed dispersal
Q4.
We can find out more about plant life cycles by observing plants over time or carrying out using secondary sources.
Correct Answer: research, studies, investigation
Q5.
Match the name of the plant life cycle stage to what happens during that stage.
Correct Answer:germination ,the seed starts to grow

the seed starts to grow

Correct Answer:pollination ,pollen from a male anther is transferred to a female stigma

pollen from a male anther is transferred to a female stigma

Correct Answer:fertilisation ,pollen travels from the stigma to the ovary

pollen travels from the stigma to the ovary

Correct Answer:seed formation ,seeds are made inside the ovary of a flower

seeds are made inside the ovary of a flower

Correct Answer:seed dispersal ,seeds are spread away from the parent plant

seeds are spread away from the parent plant

Q6.
Which of these stages of the flowering plant life cycle needs either animals or wind in order to happen?
germination
growing and flowering
Correct answer: pollination