Seed‑Producing vs. Non‑Seed‑Producing Plants

Grade 5 • Georgia Standards of Excellence (Life Science — Classification of organisms: flowering/non‑flowering; seed‑producing vs. non‑seed‑producing)

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Lesson Goals

• Tell how seed‑producing plants and non‑seed‑producing plants make new plants.
• Sort real examples or pictures into the two groups and explain the choice with evidence.
• Use words like seed, cone, flower, fruit, spore, and moss/fern correctly.

Materials

Bell Ringer (Milestones‑Style) 3 minutes

Question: Which object is best evidence that a plant makes seeds?

1. Green leaf
2. Thick stem
3. Fruit with pits or tiny grains inside
4. Wide roots

Brief Introduction 2 minutes

Plants make new plants in different ways. Seed‑producing plants make seeds in flowers or in cones. Many seeds are inside a fruit. Non‑seed‑producing plants like ferns and mosses make tiny cells called spores instead of seeds.

Common Misconceptions

• “All plants have flowers.” — Not true. Pines have cones; ferns and mosses have spores.
• “Seeds and spores are the same.” — Seeds have a baby plant and food inside; spores are single cells.
• “If I can’t see seeds, the plant must use spores.” — Some seeds are very small or hidden inside fruits or cones.

Engage — Mini Demo: Seeds vs. Spores 5 minutes

1. Show the class an apple or bell pepper. Cut to show seeds.
2. Show a pine cone. Point out where seeds sit under the scales.
3. Show a fern photo. Point to brown dots (spore cases) on the back of the frond. Show a mushroom photo.
4. Ask: “What clues tell us a plant makes seeds? What clues tell us it uses spores?” Capture 2–3 ideas on the board.

Explore — Hands‑On Sorting Lab 20 minutes

Question

Do our specimens show evidence of seeds or spores?

Procedure

1. Form groups of 3–4. Give each group a set of specimens (real items and/or picture cards).
2. Observe each specimen. Look for clues: flowers, fruit, cones, or spore dots.
3. Complete the Observation Chart. Decide Seed‑Producing, Non‑Seed‑Producing, or Not sure.
4. Place each specimen under one of two headers on the desk or wall: “Seed‑Producing” or “Non‑Seed‑Producing.” Use sticky notes to label evidence.
5. Pick one specimen and write a 1–2 sentence claim using evidence (example starter: “We think ____ is seed‑producing because we see ____.”).

Observation Chart (Copy for Each Group)

Specimen	Seed? (Yes/No/Not sure)	Evidence/Clues Seen	Group Decision
Apple slice or photo
Pine cone
Flowering plant piece/photo
Fern frond or photo
Moss or photo
Mushroom photo

Explain — Whole‑Class Check‑In 10 minutes

• Seed‑Producing Plants: make seeds in flowers (angiosperms) or cones (gymnosperms). Fruit often holds seeds.
• Non‑Seed‑Producing Plants: ferns and mosses make spores. Spores are often in cases on the back of fern leaves or in capsules on moss stalks.
• Key idea: Look for flowers, fruit, or cones (seeds) vs. spore dots or capsules (spores).

Quick‑Check (Milestones‑Style)

1. Multiple Choice: Which is a non‑seed‑producing plant?
   1. Rose bush
   2. Fern
   3. Peach tree
   4. Pine tree
2. Multiple Select: Select all clues of a seed‑producing plant.
   • [ ] Cones
   • [ ] Fruit
   • [ ] Spore dots under leaves
   • [ ] Flowers
3. Multiple Choice: A moss makes new plants using:
   1. Seeds in fruit
   2. Seeds in cones
   3. Spores
   4. Seeds in flowers
4. Reasoning: A student finds tiny brown dots on the back of a leaf. What is the best conclusion?
   1. The plant is a flowering plant.
   2. The plant makes seeds inside fruit.
   3. The plant likely makes spores.
   4. The plant does not reproduce.

Elaborate — Apply & Communicate 10 minutes

1. Pairs select one new plant picture from a book or device (or teacher provides). Decide the group.
2. Write a short claim with evidence: “This plant is ____ because we see ____.”
3. Share one example with the class.

Evaluate — Exit Ticket (5 Questions) 5 minutes

1. MC: Which plant part most clearly shows seeds?
   1. Root hairs
   2. Fruit
   3. Leaves
   4. Stem
2. MC: Which group uses spores to make new plants?
   1. Flowering plants
   2. Conifer (pine) trees
   3. Ferns
   4. Sunflowers
3. Multiple Select: Check all that are seed‑producing.
   • [ ] Moss
   • [ ] Fern
   • [ ] Mushroom
   • [ ] Pine tree
   • [ ] Apple tree
4. MC: A plant has cones but no flowers. It most likely:
   1. Makes spores
   2. Makes seeds
   3. Does not reproduce
   4. Only uses fruit
5. Short Answer: Explain one clue you can use to tell if a plant is seed‑producing or non‑seed‑producing.

Answer Key — Exit Ticket

1. B
2. C
3. Pine tree; Apple tree
4. B
5. Sample ideas: seeds inside fruit; flowers; cones → seed‑producing. Spore dots on fern leaves; moss capsules → non‑seed‑producing.

Timing Overview

5E Phase	Time
Engage (Bell ringer + Demo)	8 min
Explore (Hands‑On Lab)	20 min
Explain (Check‑In + Quick‑Check)	10 min
Elaborate (Apply)	10 min
Evaluate (Exit Ticket)	2 min buffer within segments

Teacher tip for set‑up: If real samples are not available, use printed picture cards of the listed specimens.