Fern Cycle Script Whats under the Leaf?

Pans the Garden Landing on the big main tree, introducing the cycle. SAMMY THE SNAIL: Hi ya! Im Sammy the Snail and today Im going to teach you all about, - how your garden grows! SAMMY THE SNAIL: This is a fern. Its called a fiddlehead fern, and all ferns have a thing called a life-cycle. Lets start right at the beginning. A fern begins as a Zygote, and then grows into a young sporophyte. The sporophyte is fed by the gooey gametophyte. Meanwhile in the background ROGER THE SNAIL pops his head in, from above ROGER THE SNAIL: What are you doing? (Whispering) Silence, no reply. Roger moves closer slowly, Sammy just looks at him ROGER THE SNAIL: Sammy, what are you doing? SAMMY THE SNAIL: I told you about earlier. Im teaching these nice people about the life-cycle of a Fiddlehead fern. I was just telling them about the gametophyte. ROGER THE SNAIL: Ohhh sorry I forgot. Roger peers into the camera. ROGER THE SNAIL: Are they here? Can they see me? SAMMY THE SNAIL: We talked about this, Roger. Now please go away. Im busy. Roger ducks head back. SAMMY THE SNAIL: Sorry about that everyone. Now where were we? Oh yes, ferns. Did you know, that when fully grown Fiddleheads are often eaten as vegetables? Meanwhile in the background ROGER THE SNAIL is munching on a fiddlehead crunching, making a lot of noise. Sammy decides to ignore it. Pops his head under a leaf near by, Roger does the same but to a mushroom.

SAMMY THE SNAIL: Now whats under this leaf? Oh look! See all those little brown dots? Theyre called Sori! Look more closely see? Each little brown dot is actually a whole crowd of sporangia. ROGER THE SNAIL: A whole crowd of what? They look like Fungi. SAMMY THE SNAIL: Sporangia, Roger. Sporangia and theyre not fun guys at the moment, theyre actually rather grumpy. They seem to have caught a cold. ROGER THE SNAIL: And theres not mushroom under there, either! Roger pops head back out and winks, walking out of shot. Sneezing sound- Achooo SAMMY THE SNAIL: Look! See how the spores are sent flying into the air? When the spores land, they grow into young gametophyte, which make Egg cells and Sperm cells. Fertilization happens. Fertilization is when the boys sperm swims to the girls egg. Roger pops his head up from below, close-up. ROGER THE SNAIL: Is there actually anyone out there Sammy? Or are you talking to yourself? Sammy pops his head in the gap behind, one eye getting closer. SAMMY THE SNAIL: Of course someones there. ROGER THE SNAIL: Maybe mums watching? Hi mum! Roger starts waving using his eyes. Sammy gets annoyed. SAMMY THE SNAIL: Please Roger, Im almost finished telling everyone about the life-cycle of a fern. ROGER THE SNAIL: Oh okay... Pops back down. Then pops back up quickly. ROGER THE SNAIL: Bye mum! Pops back down. SAMMY THE SNAIL: Right. So, the sperm and the egg makes a Zygote and then the cycle starts all over again. I am sorry for all the interruptions, - I hope this was helpful for you. I better speed off; get some dinner before Roger eats it all.

Crunch, Roger pops out from behind a flower, munching the petal. ROGER THE SNAIL: Burp! Sammy walks over to join him.