5.1 EATING SOAKED SEEDS: ( Very Healthy)
1. What things are soaked before cooking in your house. Why.
Ans: Things that are soaked before cooking are:
i) Chana, Moong iii) Soyabean
ii) Dry pea, Rajma iv) Pulses, Rice before grinding up.
After sprouting these things swell up and become soft. Only when they become edible. If rice, pulses etc. are soaked before cooking, they take less time in cooking and thus fuel can be saved.
2. What things do you eat after sprouting. How are they sprouted. How much time does it take.
Ans: We eat Chana, Moong etc. after sprouting them. To sprout them, first these are soaked in water and then wrapped in a wet cloth and hung up so that they get proper air and water. Chana takes about 12 – 15 hours in sprouting while Moong takes 10 – 12 hours.
3. Has your doctor or someone you know ever told you to eat sprouts. Why.
Ans: Yes, my doctor has advised me to eat sprouts because they are nutritious.
5.2 GROWING SEED SPROUTS;
4. Do you remember that in class iv you did an activity with seeds. Now try another one.
i) Take some Chana and three bowls.
ii) Put five Chana in the first bowl and fill it with water.
iii) Put a damp piece of cloth or some cotton wool in the second bowl. Now keep the same number of Chanas in it. Make sure that the cotton wool or cloth remains wet.
iv) Put the same number of Chanas in the third bowl. Do not put anything else in it. Cover all the three bowls.
v) Observe after two days and note the changes in the bowls.
Ans:
| Bowl 1 | Bowl 2 | Bowl 3 | |
| Are the seeds getting air | No | Yes | Yes |
| Are the seeds getting water. | Yes | Yes | No |
| What changes did you see | Chana have swelled up | Chana have sprouted | No |
| Have the seeds sprouted | No | Yes | No |
5. In which bowl did the seeds sprouts. What differences did you see between this bowl and the other bowl.
Ans: Seeds sprouted in bowl 2 only. In bowl 2 the seed got both air and water and thus, there sprouted whereas in bowl 1, these got only water but no air and thus, this did not sprout. In bowl 3, got no water no air and thus, did not sprout.
6. Why did Gopal’s mother tie the Chana in a damp cloth.
Ans: Gopal’s mother tied the chana in a damp cloth so that they get proper air and water and so for sprouting . Also chana becomes a more nutritious food if it is sprouted.
7. When you split a whole masoor, you get masoor dal. But then you cannot sprout. Why.
Ans: It is because after spilliting, the sprouting capacity of masoor is lost.
8. Look carefully at the sprouted chana and makes it drawing.
Ans:
5.3 MAKE YOUR OWN SPROUTS.
9. Take a clay pot or a tin can with a wide mouth. Make a small hole at the bottom of the can. Fill the can with soil. Put four or five seeds of the same kind in the soil. And press them gently. Different group can plant different kinds of seeds, such as mustard (sarson), fenugreek (methi), sesame (til), or coriander (dhania).
i) Name of the seed: __________
ii) The date on which you planted them: __________
iii) The day you observe something coming out of the soil, start filling the table:
Ans:
i) Name of the seed mustard (sarson) seeds .
ii) Date on which planted them 1st January 2008 .
iii) Ans:
| Date | Height of the plants | Number of leaves seen | Any other changes |
| January 8 | 1 cm | 2 | No |
| January 9 | 1.5 cm | 3 | No |
| January 10 | 2.5 cm | 4 | Stem became thicker |
| January 11 | 4 cm | 6 | Stem became even more thicker |
i) How long did it take for the plant to come out from the soil.
Ans: It took a week for the plants to come out from the soil.
ii) What was the difference in the height of the plant on the first and second day.
Ans: The height increased by about half a centimeter.
iii) On which day the height of the plant increased the most.
Ans: On day four i.e 11th Jan, the height of the plant increased the most.
iv) Did new leaves come out of the plant every day.
Ans: Yes, new leaves came out of the plant.
v) Was there any change in the stem of the plant.
Ans: Yes, the stem became thicker day by day.
10. Which seeds took the most number of days for the stem to come out of the soil.
Ans: Seeds of sesame (til) .
11. Which seeds took the least days to come out of the soil.
Ans: Mustard (sarson) .
12. Which seeds did not grow at all. Why.
Ans: All seeds grew up. However if proper water and air had not been provided, they would not have grown at all.
13. Did anyone’s plant dry up or turn yellow. Why did this happen.
Ans: Yes, some students plant dried up, it happened because those plants did not get proper water and air
14. What would happen if the plants do not get water.
Ans: They would dry up or turn yellow.
15. What is inside the seeds.
Ans: Inside the seed there are cotyledons and embryo.
16. How does a big plant grow from a tiny seed.
Ans: The seed germinates to produce a seedling absorbs water and nutrients from the ground and grow into a big plant.
5.4 UNUSUAL PLANTS : ( Just for Fun)
17. What would happen if a plant could walk. Draw a picture of a plant walking.
Ans:
18. Do some plants grow without seeds.
Ans: Yes, some plants grow like Potato, Rose, Banana, etc. grow without seeds.
Plants which Hunt!
5.5 So many seeds!
19. How many types of seeds can you collect. Where will you find them. Each of You should try to collect as many types of seeds as you can. After that, put all the seeds together. Now observe carefully their shapes, sizes, colour, Texture (smooth or rough) Make a seed chart put up in the class. You can start with a table like this.
Ans:
a) Did you keep Aniseed (Saunf) and cumin (Jeera) in your list.
Ans: Aniseed and Cumin are also taken in the list.
b) Which was the smallest seed and which was the biggest seed in your collections
Ans: Cumin was the smallest seed and mango was the biggest seed in my collections.
20. Name the following :
i) Seeds that are used as spices in your home.
Ans: Cumin, mustard, etc.
ii) Seeds of vegetables.
Ans: Lady finger, Tomato, cucumber, etc.
iii) Seeds of fruits.
Ans: Mango, Apple, Banana, etc.
iv) Light seeds (check by blowing them).
Ans: Cumin (Jeera ), Aniseed (saunf) .
v) Seeds which are flat
Ans: Rajma, Apple, Cumin, Aniseed, Sesame, etc.
21. Make more groups. How many groups of seeds did you make.
Ans:
i) Seeds that are edible. ii) seeds from which give oil.
iii) Seeds which float on water iv) Seeds which can stick to your body.
22. Do you know any games that can play with seeds. Discuss with your friends.
Ans: Tamarind seeds are used to play the game of Chowka Bhara. It is a game like snakes and ladders. Also tamarind seeds are broken into two halves and six of those halves are used as a dice to play any game. Similarly, a type of flute is made from mango’s seed.
23. Have you ever seen any seed that can fly.
Ans: Yes, I have seen such seeds. It has white hair attach to it.
24. What is called in your area.
Ans: Budhiya ke baal (old woman’s hair) .
25. Look at your seed collection. Guess how many of those could have travelled by flying.
Ans: I think some seed could travel by flying . Example:- Cumin and Aniseed.
26. Did you get any idea from these seeds.
Ans: Yes, this seed can be used to play many games and for decorating something.
27. Look at the picture given below and guess how the seeds travel and reach different places.
Ans: The first picture shows a squirrel carrying a seed and the second picture shows a bird carrying a seed. These are two pictures shows that seeds can travel with the help of animal and birds. The third picture shows seeds floating on water. This suggests that seeds travel through water.
28. Some plants spread their seeds over long distances. When the Soyabean pods are ripe they burst and the seeds are thrown out. Have you ever heard their sounds.
Ans: No I have not heard their sound.
29. Think what would happen. If seeds did not spread and remained at one place only.
Ans: If seed would not spread and would remain at one place only, there could be many problems for those seeds. All the seeds would fall near the parent tree. This will prevent those trees from getting enough sunlight, air and water. As a result most of the seeds would fail to germinate and none of plant would grow properly.
30. Make a list of the different ways by which seeds are spread.
Ans: Seeds are spread by :
i) Birds and Animals ii) Human
iii) Air iv) Water .
31. What all are grown in India long ago. Were mangoes and bananas grown here. What came from other countries. Imagine food without potato and tomato!
Ans: In India many crops like Tea, Mango, Orange, Radish, Methi, Spinach etc. were grown a long ago. Yes, Mangoes and Bananas were grown here. Tomato, Potatoes, Chillies, Coffee, etc. have come from other countries. We cannot imagine a proper vegetable curry without tomato. Potato is used in most of the dishes. Such dishes would not be possible without potatoes and tomatoes.
32. Reena has drawn this picture of the seed sprouted by her. What do you think the seed need for sprouting. Write in your own words. How would Reena’s look if they did not get the things needed. Show by drawing a picture.
Ans: Water and air are required for sprouting. If the seeds do not get water there would be no changes in them. And if they got only water but no air, then they would not sprout at all though they would swell up.
33. How do seeds spread to far off places. Write in your own words.
Ans:
i) Some seeds are spread by birds, animals, air, and water. Many animals eats fruit and throw the seeds thus, these animals help in spreading seeds .
ii) Some seeds stick to the fur of the animals and thus, are transported to other places.
iii) Some seeds have thin hair and are lightweight. These seeds float on air and travel to other places.
iv) Some seeds float on water on thus travel to far off places.