How a Seed Begins to Grow
A tiny seed rests under the dark dirt. It is sleeping and waiting.
First, the seed needs water. Rain falls and makes the soil wet.
The seed also needs warmth. Warm dirt tells the seed it is time to wake up.
The seed drinks in the water. It gets soft and full.
Soon, the outside coat of the seed breaks open. This is called sprouting.
A little white root pushes down into the soil. The root holds the plant tight in the dirt.
Next, a tiny green shoot pushes up. It climbs up through the soil to find the open air.
Deep under the dirt, the baby seed does not need light. It already has food packed inside its seed coat.
Once the green shoot pops out into the air, things change. The new plant needs sunshine.
The sun helps the green leaves make food. The roots drink water from the dirt.
Now the seed is no longer just sprouting. It is growing into a tall, healthy plant.
- soil:
- The top layer of dirt where plants put their roots to grow.
- sprouting:
- When a seed breaks open and starts to grow.
- root:
- The part of a plant that grows down into the ground to take in water.
- shoot:
- A young, new plant part that pushes up above the ground.
- sunshine:
- Bright light and warmth that comes from the sun.
One passage, many ways to practice
Reading-skill questions, word work and writing prompts — all built from this text.
Main Idea
Identify the central idea and explain how important details develop it.
Context Clues
Use clues in the passage to work out what words mean. A separate printable Vocabulary worksheet is also available.
Summarize
Select, organize, and restate the most important information without adding opinion.
Writing Prompts
Use the passage as a springboard for short written responses, from personal reflection to evidence-based arguments.
Fix the Sentence
Practice editing sentences drawn from this passage with a printable worksheet.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Where is the tiny seed resting at the start of the passage?
- 2What two things does the seed need to begin to wake up?
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About this explanatory article passage for 1st Grade
“How a Seed Begins to Grow” is a explanatory article reading passage about Seed Germination, written for 1st Grade. It takes about 1 minute to read (168 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.