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5
Suppose you wanted to break this rock in two—and you weren’t in a rush. Instead of using tools to break it open, can you think of a way that a plant could help you do it?
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Drop a seed into a crack. Wait for a tree to sprout. Then wait another 20 years. As the tree grows, its roots will break the rock!
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5
Tree roots don’t just break boulders. Seeds can sprout between stone blocks in buildings too. Check out these ancient—and modern—buildings! I wonder what they’ll look like in 100 years!
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4
This brick sidewalk has an opening for a tree to grow in. What do you think the tree will look like as it gets older?
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Roots can grow into any crack. Over time, the cracks shape the way the roots grow.
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This isn’t a purple house. It’s a house covered in purple flowers from flowering vines! How long do you think it takes vines to grow?
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In just over a month, vines covered this little house. Why do you think the vines climbed on the house? Are they searching for something?
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Other plants, like trees, grow tall so that their leaves are closer to the sunlight. Vines need light too! So they get tall by climbing up trees and buildings!
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Trees may not seem like they are unstoppable. After all, you can just cut them down. But what happens to the stump after you cut down a tree?
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Sometimes, trees grow back! A tree’s roots may have enough food to create a new sprout, like these. Even when a tree falls over...
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...it can grow back! These fallen trees have roots in the ground. Their branches have grown straight up, each trying to become a tree.
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Someone thought it was a good idea to nail this sign to a tree. What do you think? Do you have any idea what might happen?
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Check it out! Trees are unstoppable! If something gets in a tree’s way, the tree might just grow around it! Weird! But that’s not all...
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Some people add googly eyes to make trees look like they are munching on the things that got in their way. Yum!
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We pulled three questions from our jar. Which question do you want to explore?

  • Do trees sleep?

    -Miles, 2nd Grade

  • Why do chameleons change color?

    -Iva, 1st Grade

  • Who invented chairs?

    -Ximena, 5th Grade

Do any plants eat animals?

Watch the video to discover the answer and don't forget to vote for next week's question. There are mysteries all around us. Have fun and stay curious!