AAAS and Science participated in the 2010 White House Egg Roll on April 5, 2010. Educators, scientists, and staff helped children and their families play fun games and find ways to learn about the science of spring. Now you can join the fun! Check out facts about seeds, fill in the AAAS Seeds Activity Sheet, and find suggested reading materials. Seeds come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and textures. Seeds contain all the material a plant needs for making more of itself. "Monocot" seeds start life with one seed leaf, like grass. "Dicot" seeds start life with two seed leaves, like beans. Seeds have a protective coat that can be thin, or thick and hard. The baby plant inside the seed is called the embryo. Seeds can be spread by wind, water, and animals. Most seeds remain dormant (asleep) until they are given water. Insects or other animals that transfer pollen from plant to plant are called "pollinators." Pollen is the fine, powder-like material plants needed to make seeds. Bonus fact! Lots of foods we eat are seeds, or have seeds we can eat. Can you name some of those foods? (Answers below.)

More activities! Kids at the White House Egg Roll got this AAAS Seeds Activity Sheet to take home. You can have one too! More Stuff for Kids Science for Kids EurekAlert!'s Science News for Kids Turn yourself into a genius! Put yourself on the cover of Science!

• A Seed Is Sleepy, by Dianna Hutts Aston
• How a Seed Grows, by Helene Jordon
• Flip, Float, Fly: Seeds on the Move, by JoAnn Early Macken
• A Fruit is a Suitcase for Seeds, by Jean Richards
• From Seed to Maple Tree: Following the Life Cycle, by Laura Purdie Salas

Bonus fact answer

Here are a few foods we eat that are seeds, or have seeds we can eat: Tomatoes, sunflower seeds, strawberries, pomegranates, sesame seeds, zucchini, cucumbers, sugar snap peas, green beans, blackberries, and raspberries.

Can you think of some more?

© 2013 American Association for the Advancement of Science