Video narration
What is happening to the seed in your cup before you see a plant? The soil hides the beginning, but your seed is not just sitting there. With water, air, and warmth that's just right, it can start to grow. That beginning is called germination: a seed starting to grow. Here comes the surprising part. The seed takes in water and its outer covering opens. The first thing to grow isn't a leaf above the soil. It's a root, pushing down. Then a shoot reaches up through the soil, and little leaves open. Together, the new root and shoot make a seedling-a very young plant. In your cup, follow the steps: seed, root, shoot, seedling, young plant. So what was happening before you saw a plant? Your seed was growing underground, root first, then shoot, until it became a young plant.