ABSTRACT
In this chapter children create model seeds either indoors or outdoors and then test them to find out how well they replicate the original seed and how it is dispersed. The most creative, and one which enables children to apply their understanding of the mechanics of seed dispersal, is where children are challenged to design and make a model of a seed. Alternatively, children could make seeds to model Greater Burdock, commonly known as 'Sticky Jacks', e.g. a table tennis ball with the hook part of Velcro stuck on. If seedlings fell close to the parent plant they would be in competition with the parent; its leaf canopy and root system can spread a good distance, denying the seedling enough light, water and nutrition to grow successfully. In this activity children are engaged in a practical and creative challenge which demands that they use their knowledge and understanding of seed dispersal with the process of designing and making a seed.
