Author: Eric Carle
Picture and Story by: Ginger McClellan
In
autumn the wind blows hundreds of flower seeds high in the air to far
off places. There is one seed that is smaller than all the
others. The tiny seed watches as one seed flies too high near the
sun. The sun's rays burn it up. Another seed lands on an
icy mountain where it will never be able to grow. When flying
over the ocean, one seed falls into the water and drowns. Another
seed drifts down onto the desert where it is hot and dry. The
seed will never be able to grow. When the wind finally
stops, the seeds fall down on the ground. A bird comes by and
eats a seed. The tiny seed is not eaten because it is so tiny the
bird does not see it.
During the winter, the snow covers the seeds like a blanket. A mouse lives under the blanket of snow too. The mouse eats a seed, but the tiny seed is still to little to be seen. The snow has melted, and it is now spring. The seeds grow into plants. A weed takes all the sunlight and rain from one of the new plants, and it dies. The tiny seed is beginning to grow into a plant. This spring weather brings children out to play. One child does not see the plants and breaks one as he runs. The tiny plant's neighbor develops into a flower. All of a sudden, a boy reaches down and breaks off the flower to give to a friend.
Summer is here, and the tiny plant is all alone. The sun shines and the rain falls. The tiny plant develops into a flower and grows taller than the houses and trees. It is a giant flower. All summer long the birds and bees visit the flower. It is the biggest flower they have ever seen. Soon the days grow shorter and autumn is here. The flower has lost almost all of its petals. The wind blows and shakes the flower. Out comes tiny seeds that sail far away on the wind.
During the winter, the snow covers the seeds like a blanket. A mouse lives under the blanket of snow too. The mouse eats a seed, but the tiny seed is still to little to be seen. The snow has melted, and it is now spring. The seeds grow into plants. A weed takes all the sunlight and rain from one of the new plants, and it dies. The tiny seed is beginning to grow into a plant. This spring weather brings children out to play. One child does not see the plants and breaks one as he runs. The tiny plant's neighbor develops into a flower. All of a sudden, a boy reaches down and breaks off the flower to give to a friend.
Summer is here, and the tiny plant is all alone. The sun shines and the rain falls. The tiny plant develops into a flower and grows taller than the houses and trees. It is a giant flower. All summer long the birds and bees visit the flower. It is the biggest flower they have ever seen. Soon the days grow shorter and autumn is here. The flower has lost almost all of its petals. The wind blows and shakes the flower. Out comes tiny seeds that sail far away on the wind.
Critical
Thinking Questions:
1. How would you survive if you were a tiny seed traveling in the wind?
2. Why do you think the tiny seed grew to be a giant flower? How would you react if you saw a giant flower in your yard?
1. How would you survive if you were a tiny seed traveling in the wind?
2. Why do you think the tiny seed grew to be a giant flower? How would you react if you saw a giant flower in your yard?
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