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THE GERMINATOR
GROWING SEEDS IN A ZIPPER BAG
Prepared by Dr. Greg Kniseley (March 4, 2010)
large paper
towel –
folded in half
Juan
Place seeds
on top of
staple inside
bag.
Maria
Nick
Jennif
er
Gather materials.
For each “baggy garden:”
 Large paper towel (folded in half)
 Gallon size zipper bag
 Four seeds (e.g., lima bean, kidney bean, etc.)
Other Supplies:
 Bleach
 Water
 Pitcher
 Liquid measuring tools - teaspoon, 1 cup or 1 quart
 Stapler
 Masking tape
 Marker
 Clothesline and two clothespins/clips per baggy garden.
Before class, soak seeds and prepare a weak bleach and water solution.
1. Soak Seeds. Before class, soak the seeds in a bowl for about four hours. This
will jump-start the process of absorbing water and break the seed coat.
2. Prepare a weak bleach and water solution.
 Add 5 ml (1 teaspoon) of bleach to about 2 liters of tap water (about 2
quarts) in a pitcher.
 Use this weak bleach and water solution to moisten the paper towel. This
will retard the growth of mold (another organism!). Continue to use this
water to keep the paper towel moist.
During class, prepare “The Germinator.”
3. Prepare zipper bags. Fold large paper towel in half and staple in four positions.
See illustration.
4. Add weak bleach and water solution.
Add bleach water solution in zipper bag after paper towel has been inserted and
you have stapled in four positions. The paper towel should be moist. However,
there should be very little standing water in the bottom of the bag.
5. Plant the soaked seeds.
Plant four seeds by placing the seed on top of the staple inside the zipper bag.
After "planting,” keep the top open.
6. Label “The Germinator.”
Use masking tape and market to label the baggy garden with date and names of
students.
7. Hang zipper bags.
Clip to zipper bags on a line in the classroom or attach to a bulletin board.
Predict, observe, record, and graph.
Predict the changes. Which will appear first – the root or the stem? Which
direction will the parts of the seed grow? When will the first true leaves appear?
Observe and measure the growth of seeds periodically. Record by drawing,
describing, and graphing the changes.
Care and maintain “The Germinator.”
Keep paper towel moist.
The seeds should be watered adding the weak bleach solution. The bleach will
retard mold (yes, another organism!!!) and make for a more successful
germination activity.
Remove seeds with mold.
Spores of mold are in the air and will grow on seeds under the right condition. If
you notice mold growing on the seeds, remove the seeds with mold before they
contaminate others and produce unpleasant odors.
Transplant seedlings.
Transplant seedlings when you observe first true leaves on stem. Carefully
remove staple and move plant to a container with soil or garden! Be careful not
to damage the root or stem.
Results of Germinating After 7 Days
B = Kidney Bean; P = Pea; C= Corn; P= Pumpkin
S = Sunflower; K = Kidney Bean; P = Pumpkin
GERMINATION - SEED GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
Sequence of Growth
Here is a video (time lapse animation) to present Grade 1 students when
reviewing/reinforcing the concept of germination and sequence of seed growth.
http://www2.bgfl.org/bgfl2/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/science/plants_pt2/gr
owth.htm
Note the following
--First, the roots pierce the seed coat (with the help of absorbed water that expands the
seed to break the coat). Next a stem lengthens. Then the green cotyledons emerge
followed by the appearance of true leaves.
--The cotyledons (first leaves) appear green since they can photosynthesize. However,
they usually drop off. The "true leaves" follow the cotyledons and produce food for the
plant by photosynthesizing.
Conditions Needed for Germinations
Seeds need the right amount of food energy from the endosperm, water, right
temperature, and oxygen to germinate. If seeds are planted too deeply or soil is packed
tightly around the seed where there is no oxygen is available, a seed won't germinate.
No light is needed to germinate (except in a few species).
Conditions for Photosynthesis
Seedlings and adult plants require leaves, carbon dioxide, sunlight, water, and nutrients
for photosynthesis.
A seed, seedling, and an adult plant are all plants!
Students should understand that the seed, seedling, and adult plant are words used by
scientists to describe the stages of development and growth of a plant. Talk with
students about stages of plant growth. Explain that a seed a seed plant, a seedling with
stems, roots, and a few leaves is a young plant, and an adult plant is a plant with roots,
stems, many leaves, flowers and/or seeds. All are plants!
Websites
STC Living Materials Care Guide – See Plants pp. 45-47 for information on Elodea,
Cabomba, moss, and tree seedling
http://www.carolinacurriculum.com/stc/PDF/Livingmatcareguide.pdf
Biology of Plants – Missouri Botanical Garden
http://www.mbgnet.net/bioplants/main.html
Plants in Motion- Roger Hangarter, Indiana University, Department of Biology
http://plantsinmotion.bio.indiana.edu/plantmotion/starthere.html
Time Lapse Videos:
Corn
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFCdAgeMGOA&feature=related
Sunflower:
http://www.fossweb.com/modulesK-2/NewPlants/index.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-FO8tZQGfk&NR=1&feature=fvwp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFIUrhsIqyk&NR=1
Narcissus Flower
http://www.fossweb.com/modulesK-2/NewPlants/index.html
OTHER PHOTOS