The Cycle of Life
All living things grow, reproduce, and die. The sequence of events from birth to the production of the next generation is called a Life Cycle.
Stages of a Bean Plant
Observations from Activity 10.4 reveal the following stages:
- Seed: The dormant starting point.
- Germination: With water and air, the seed sprouts.
- Seedling: Roots grow down, shoots grow up, leaves appear.
- Flowering: The plant matures and produces flowers.
- Fruit/Pod Formation: Flowers dry up and develop into pods (fruits).
- Seed Dispersal: The pod contains new seeds.
- Death: The old plant dies, but the seeds continue the cycle.
Life Cycle Diagram
Tip
Concept Check: Even though the individual plant dies, the species survives because it produced seeds before dying.