Hold the balloon with the birdseed over the center of the paper on the ground.Use the funnel to pour in a cup of the birdseed.Blow up the balloon (this allows the seeds to flow more easily into the balloon.).Head outside and place the butcher paper on the ground.Participants will need a balloon, small birdseed, a small cup, a funnel, a sharp pencil, butcher paper (or something similar), a ruler and a sheet of paper. What will a seed need to have to move by wind? Wings? Lite weight? Encourage your child to be creative with their imaginary seed creation.įor older children, consider the following extension to conduct a seed dispersal experiment, mimicking an exploding seedpod like a cattail. Then have them twirl and whirl like the wind.ĭesign your own imaginary seed that can travel by wind from the seeds collected. Which was easier? Have them stand still and wave their bodies like the wind. Have fun and encourage movement by running with the wind and running against the wind.During your walk, collect seeds and see which ones move with the wind and which ones do not. Encourage them to look for rustling leaves, swaying trees or palm trees.Ask them if it is difficult to tell which direction the wind is blowing. Ask them if they can tell you which direction the wind is blowing.Encourage them to explain how they know it is there even though they cannot really see it.Head to the Garden, a park or explore your neighborhood and ask your child if they can see the wind.Spending time outside observing wind and learning about seed dispersal is great activity for kids of all ages. Some desert plants have a round shape when they dry and can roll, allowing their seeds to fall out onto the ground as they travel across the desert. These seeds are also light and can lift off the ground easily. You will notice that some have feathery bristles, which allows them to be carried long distances by the wind. Did you know that tumbleweeds are not native to Arizona? They are actually a thistle from Eurasia. The famous “tumbleweed” often seen blowing across the road during a dust storm, relies on wind as well. This is important since seeds that are too close to the parent plant often will not have the resources (enough water and space) to grow.Ĭommon plants that rely on wind to reproduce include desert milkweed, desert willow, birdcage primrose, cottonwoods and desert broom to name a few. Wind provides ‘free transportation’ for a new plant to germinate (grow) away from the parent plant. Surprisingly, many plants rely on wind for dispersing its seeds. These dust storms can be about a mile high, travel 200 miles and are most intense and frequent during the summer months. Dust storms commonly referred to as haboobs, form when a large mass of cold, unstable air moves swiftly across dry ground covered with loose silt and fine sand. Windy days are part of the seasonal experience living in the Sonoran Desert.
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