Kids, try this at home!

Explore how a plant grows from a bean....

Plants grow from seeds.  Seeds have all of the information necessary to create a new plant; they just need an environment with enough heat, water, sunlight and nutrients (which come from the earth and water).  In this experiment you’re going to see how a seed (in this case, a bean) becomes a plant. 

Materials:

3 pinto beans, a clear plastic cup, water, and two paper towels

Instructions:
1.  Soak 3 beans in water for 24 hours.  This helps the seed germinate (begin growing) to become a plant. 

2.  Fold a paper towel in half or thirds.  Put it inside the cup, lining the sides and the bottom of the cup.  Scrunch up the other paper towel and place it in the middle of the cup to help keep the other paper towel pressed against the sides.   

3.  Dampen the paper towel with water.  (Don’t soak it!  Just make it a little wet.)

4.  Take the beans that were soaking in water overnight and put each one between the paper towel and the side of the cup.  Place them around the cup so that they don’t touch each other. 

5.  Put the cup in a sunny spot, like in a windowsill.  Observe what happens over the next few days.  Keep the paper towels damp. 

How long does it take your seed to germinate?