Setting Up Our Bean Experiment

Have you ever looked closely at a bean? A bean is actually a seed, and inside every seed is a tiny baby plant waiting to grow! Scientists call this tiny plant an embryo.

The bean also has a store of food inside it, like a packed lunch for the baby plant. This food gives the plant energy to push through the soil before it can make its own food from sunlight.

The hard outer shell of the bean is called the seed coat. It protects the baby plant inside, just like a jacket protects you from the rain. When you add water to the bean, the seed coat softens and the baby plant can break through.

Today you are going to set up an experiment to watch this amazing process happen!