This 250-word reading passage introduces fourth-grade students to the stamen and pistil, the key reproductive structures of flowering plants. Aligned with NGSS standard 4-LS1-1 and Disciplinary Core Idea LS1.A, the passage explains how the stamen produces pollen and the pistil receives pollen to form seeds. Students learn about the anther, filament, stigma, style, and ovary in age-appropriate language. The passage includes bold vocabulary terms, a relatable analogy, and an interesting fact about flowers. Audio-integrated features support diverse learners. Activities include multiple-choice questions testing recall and comprehension, writing prompts requiring explanation and application, and graphic organizers for structure-function relationships and sequencing pollination. A simplified differentiated version and Spanish translations of both passages ensure accessibility for all students. This comprehensive resource builds foundational understanding of plant reproduction through engaging, standards-aligned content.
Written by Workybooks TeamPublished by Workybooks
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Flower parts work together to make seeds.
Flowers have special parts that help plants make seeds. The stamen is the male part of the flower that makes tiny grains called pollen. The stamen has two parts: a thin stalk called the filament and a small sac on top called the anther where pollen is made. You can think of the anther like a tiny bag holding dust.
The pistil is the female part of the flower found in the center. The pistil has three main parts. At the top is the stigma, which is sticky and catches pollen. Below the stigma is a tube called the style. At the bottom is the ovary, which is like a small room where seeds develop.
When pollen from the stamen lands on the stigma of the pistil, something amazing happens. The pollen travels down the style to reach the ovary. Inside the ovary, the pollen helps create seeds. These seeds can grow into new plants. Without the stamen and pistil working together, flowering plants could not reproduce and make new plants.
Different flowers have different numbers of stamens and pistils. Some flowers have many stamens surrounding one pistil. Other flowers have just a few of each part.
Interesting Fact: A single sunflower head can contain over 1,000 tiny flowers, and each one has its own stamen and pistil!
What does the stamen produce?
PollenSeedsWaterLeaves
Where are seeds developed in a flower?
In the antherIn the ovaryIn the filamentIn the stigma
What is the sticky part of pistil?
StyleOvaryStigmaFilament
Why do stamen and pistil work together?
To make flowers colorfulTo help plants make seedsTo attract butterfliesTo create flower petals
Where does pollen travel after stigma?
Through the style to ovaryBack to the antherOut of the flowerTo the filament
What happens when pollen reaches the ovary?
The flower diesMore pollen is madeSeeds begin to formThe flower changes color
The pistil is the male flower part.
TrueFalse
What is the anther?
Where pollen is madeWhere seeds developThe sticky part of pistilThe tube in pistil