Seed Germination Experiment — Reading Comprehension

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Grades

Standards

2-LS2-1

About This Reader

This reading passage, 'The Sleepy Seed's Big Surprise', targets second-grade students and reinforces NGSS 2-LS2-1 by focusing on cause and effect relationships in plant growth. Through the story of Leo's experiment with two seeds, it clearly demonstrates how specific actions (causes) like providing sunlight and water lead to observable outcomes (effects) such as sprouting and growth. The passage strengthens reading comprehension while introducing foundational scientific inquiry skills and the understanding that events have predictable causes and visible results in the natural world.

CONTENT PREVIEW

Leo found a tiny, dry seed. "This seed looks sleepy," he thought. He wondered what would happen if he gave it what it needed. His grandma said, "Scientists look for causes – what makes something happen – and then they look for the effects, which are the changes they can observe!"

Leo decided to do an experiment with two sleepy seeds that looked just alike.

Seed 1 (Happy Seed): Leo planted Happy Seed in a small pot with moist soil. He put the pot on the kitchen table where it could get bright sunlight from the window. Every morning, he gave Happy Seed a tiny sprinkle of water.
- What happened? After just a few days, a tiny green sprout poked its head out of the soil! Then it grew leaves and got taller each day. The sprout was green and strong. Cause: Happy Seed got soil, sunlight, and water. Effect: It sprouted and grew into a healthy plant. This was a clear pattern!
Seed 2 (Sad Seed): Leo planted Sad Seed in another small pot with moist soil. But he put this pot inside a dark closet. He also forgot to give Sad Seed any water after the first day.
- What happened? Even after many days, Sad Seed stayed hidden in the soil. No sprout appeared. The soil got dry. Cause: Sad Seed got no sunlight and not enough water. Effect: It did not sprout or grow. This was also an observable pattern!

Leo learned a big lesson. He could see that giving plants sunlight and water (the causes) made them grow (the effect). And when plants didn't get these things (the causes), they didn't grow (the effect). Knowing about causes and effects helped Leo understand the secret of the sleepy seed!

What did Leo find at the beginning of the story?

A sleepy catA tiny, dry seedA wet plantA bright window

What did Leo put Happy Seed in to help it grow?

A dark closetA big boxA small pot with moist soilA glass of water

What was the cause for Happy Seed to sprout and grow?

It was in a closetIt got sunlight and waterIt was very oldIt was a sad seed

Where did Leo put Sad Seed?

On the kitchen tableIn a dark closetOn the windowsillOutside in the garden

What was the effect of Sad Seed getting no sunlight and not enough water?

It grew tall and greenIt sprouted quicklyIt stayed hidden in the soilIt got wet leaves

What is the main message about cause and effect in this passage?

All seeds are sleepy. Scientists just guess what happens. What you do (cause) makes something happen (effect). Closets are bad for plants.