PLANTS Interactive Science Book Created by Cristina Schubert
JOURNAL What do you think plants need to grow and live? 1
What Plants Need Plants are living things that must have certain things or basic needs to grow and live. There are five basic needs of plants. If a plant does not meet its basic needs, it may have trouble growing or die. The five basic needs of plants are: WATER SOIL SPACE LIGHT AIR What will happen if a plant does not meet its basic needs? Is this plant meeting its basic needs? How do you know? 2
WATER Plants need water to grow and live. A plant gets water from the soil. The roots soak up the water in the soil. Water helps nutrients from the soil move through the plant. Label the roots: What are some ways plants can get water? Plants can get water from rain. People can help plants get water too. Discussion: How are people getting water to these plants? 3
SOIL and SPACE Plants need soil and space. The soil contains nutrients. Nutrients are important substances that help plants grow and live. Without nutrients plants cannot grow or live. Plants also need space to grow. If there is not enough space, plant s roots, stems, and leaves will have trouble growing. Circle the picture showing plants that have enough space to grow? What will happen if a plant does not meets its basic need for soil and space? Draw a garden with plants getting soil, space, and water: 4
LIGHT and AIR Plants also need sunlight and air. Sunlight is light that comes from the sun. When a plant gets sunlight, air, and water, it can make its own food. What are the three things plants need to make their own food? FIVE BASIC NEEDS Discussion: Are these plants getting what they need? Which basic needs are these plants getting? 5
INVESTIGATION: What Do Plants Need to Grow? In this investigation you will explore if plants can grow without some of its basic needs. 1. With water, soil, space, light, and air. 2. With soil, space, light, air, and NO water. 3. With water, soil, space, air, and NO light. MATERIALS 3 plants in separate pots with soil window large paper bag or cabinet water STEP 1: Label each pot- A: 5 Basic Needs, B: No Water, and C: No Light. STEP 2: Place 5 Basic Needs plant on a windowsill and water daily. Place No Water plant on a windowsill and do not water. Place No Light plant in a large paper bag or cabinet, and water daily. Keep bag/cabinet closed. STEP 3: Record your observations over the course of 7 days. What are you trying to learn in this investigation? What will you be observing? What do you think will happen to each plant? 6
DATA COLLECTION Use the chart below to record your observations of each plant. Number of Days Plant A Plant B Plant C Day 2 Day 3 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 CONCLUSION Which plant grew best? Why do you think this plant grew? Did any of the plants die or stop growing? Which ones? Why do you think they died or stopped growing? 7
Parts of Plants Discussion: What are the five basic needs of plants? There are five parts of a plant that help it grow and live: ROOTS STEMS LEAVES FLOWERS SEEDS Label the parts of the plant: 8
ROOTS The roots of a plant are buried under the soil. The roots keep the plant anchored in the ground. The roots also soak up water and nutrients in the soil. Draw a picture of a plant s roots. STEM The stem holds the plant up straight. The stem also carries water and nutrients from the roots to the plant s leaves. Draw a picture of a plant s stem. LEAVES The leaves make the plant s food. A plant makes its own food using water, sunlight, and air. Draw a picture of a plant s leaves.
FLOWERS 9 The flower will help make new plants. It has petals and pollen. The inside of the flower is also where a plant holds its seeds. Draw a picture of a plant s flower. SEEDS The seeds are inside the flower. They will be used to make new plants. Draw a picture of a plant s seeds. Draw a picture of a plant. Label all of its parts: roots, stem, leaves, and flower.
PARTS OF A FLOWER 10 The parts of a flower will help make new plants. The parts of a flower include pollen, petals, and seeds. POLLEN Pollen is a powder found inside the center of a flower. Flowers make their own pollen. Flowers use pollen from other plants to make seeds. Pollen is carried from plant to plant on insects (like bees) and animals (like birds), and even the wind. A bee can carry pollen on its legs and body. PETALS A flower s petals are bright and colorful to attract insects and animals. By attracting insects and animals, the flower can spread its pollen to other plants. SEEDS A flower makes its own seeds. When the seeds fall from the flower, a new plant may grow.
JOURNAL 11 Choose three plant parts. Draw a picture and write about each part. 12
PARTS OF A PLANT QUIZ Label the parts of the plant. Use the words in the vocabulary box to answer the questions. seeds flower stem roots leaves Which part holds the plant in the ground? Which part attracts insects and animals? Which part makes food? Which part soaks up water? Which part will help make new plants? 13
Life Cycle of Plants Just like other living things, plants grow and change over time. Plants start out as a seed and then grow into an adult plant that looks just their parent plant. As an adult plant, they will drop their seeds on the ground and those seeds may grow into new plants. This is the life cycle of a plant. STAGES OF THE LIFE CYCLE Stage 1- The life cycle of a plant begins with the seed. Stage 2- Once a seed is planted in soil, it must germinate. The word germinate means to start to grow. A plant can germinate (or start to grow) when it gets air, water, and warmth from the sun. With air, water, and warmth, a seed will germinate. Stage 3- After germination, the plant becomes a seedling. A seedling is a young plant. The roots grow further into the ground and more leaves begin to grow. 14
Stage 4- In the last stage, a plant becomes an adult plant. Adult plants grow flowers. The flowers of an adult plant can make seeds. The flowers will drop their seeds on the ground. If those seeds get enough air, water, and warmth, they will germinate and the life cycle will continue. Use the graphic organizer to draw the stages of the plant life cycle. Include a short description of what happens during each stage. Plant Life Cycle 15
MINI-LAB: How Do Seeds Germinate? In this investigation you will explore how seeds germinate. MATERIALS Ziploc bag paper towel sheet bean seed water tape STEP 1: Fold a paper towel sheet into fourths. STEP 2: Wet the paper towel so that it is damp, but not soaking. Water should not accumulate at the bottom of the bag. STEP 3: Place one seed in the Ziploc bag. Close the bag. STEP 4: Tape the bag to the inside of a window. STEP 5: Record your observations for 5 days. What are you trying to learn in this investigation? What will you be observing? What do you think will happen to the seed? 16
DATA COLLECTION Use the chart below to record your observations of the bean seed. Measure the length of the roots once they have sprouted. Number of Days Day 2 Observations Root Measurement Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 CONCLUSION On which day did the seed germinate? Why do you think the seed germinated? If your seed did not germinate, why do you think that happened? 17
INVESTIGATION: How Do Plants Grow? In this investigation you will explore how plants grow. MATERIALS disposable plastic cup soil bean seed water pencil STEP 1: Fill a plastic cup ¾ from the top with soil. STEP 2: Place the seed on top of the soil. STEP 3: Cover the seed with a layer of soil, about ¼ inch. STEP 4: Place the cup on a windowsill. Water the seed once a day for two weeks (14 days). STEP 5: Record your observations and the height of the plant for two weeks. What are you trying to learn in this investigation? What will you be observing? Why is it important for the seed to have water and sunlight? 18
DATA COLLECTION Use the chart below to record your observations of the bean plant. Measure the height of the plant. Date Observations Height Measurement CONCLUSION On which day did the seed sprout? How did your plant change? If your plant did not grow, why do you think that happened? 19
Plants Test 1. Circle the five basic needs of plants: water shelter sunlight cold soil milk air space 2. Which part of a plant absorbs water and nutrients in the soil? a. leaves b. roots c. stem 3. What does the flower do? a. make seeds b. scare away insects c. hold up the plant 4. Which part holds up the plant? a. leaves b. stem c. roots 5. When a seed germinates, it: a. goes to sleep b. stops growing c. starts to grow 6. Where does a plant get nutrients? a. soil b. flowers c. sunlight 7. How do the leaves help a plant live? a. they are pretty b. they soak up water c. they make food 8. True or False. A plant makes its own food. 9. True or False. A seedling can make seeds. 20
10. True or False. Nutrients are substances that help plants grow. 11. Draw and label the four stages of the plant life cycle. 12. Jill planted a seed in soil and then put it on a windowsill. She checked on the plant every day to see if it had grown. After 7 days the plant still had not grown. Explain what you think happened. 21