Plants have developed a number of strategies for dispersing their seeds, allowing them to survive and reproduce without competing with the parent plant for resources: seeds may be carried, flung, digested, or adapted to float in air or in water. In this lesson plan from LEARN NC designed for grades 9-12, different materials are used to modify kidney beans in order to conform with an assigned dispersal strategy. Students will have the opportunity to assess, describe, and explain adaptations that affect survival and reproductive success, while analyzing the interdependence of living organisms within their environments. Click here for the lesson plan. Created by Bert Wartski for LEARN NC.
