Name:____________ date:_______________

The importance of plants

Information for parents

Your child may need help with the following: Reading the questions and information Gathering materials for the experiment Finding and cutting a leaf

Information for students

There are 3 parts to this lesson. Make sure you complete them: Part 1: discussion prior to notes Part 2: Notes and research questions Part 3: Experiment: Time to investigate

PART 1: Discussion prior to notesFor this part of the lesson, you will need to answer the questions below. You can print this page or type directly onto the document and save it. You shouldn’t research for this part. It’s just to see what we already know about the topic before learning about it.

1. Look at the table below named “My Needs VS My wants”.

For the My Needs column, write down all the things you believe you need to survive. In the other column, write down the things you want but do not really need to survive. Write at least 3 for each.

My Needs VS My WantsMy needs My wants

2. What is the difference between the Needs column and the Wants column? 

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Now, let’s think of other types of living things...plants. 

Ask yourself:

3. Are plants important to human life? Explain.

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4. How do animals (that includes you!) get the energy they need to grow?

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5. Do plants and animals get energy in the same way?

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6. What do you think plants need to survive?

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PART 2: Notes and Research questions(A)

Did you guess correctly? Plants need 5 things to survive:

air, light, water, nutrients, and space.

As you can see, you do have some needs in common with plants.

LIGHT: Plants use light to make their own food (sugar). They collect light through their leaves and stems.

AIR: Plants also use air to make their food. They collect air through their leaves and stems.

WATER: Water helps plants make food. It also moves nutrients to all the different parts of plants. The roots of plants collect water.

NUTRIENTS: Nutrients (minerals) are important for plants to grow and be healthy. Plants usually get their nutrients from the soil (dirt). However, some plants do not grow in soil. Some grow in water, some on trees and some on rocks. Nutrients enter the plants through the roots and then travel through the plants.

SPACE: Plants need space to grow and be healthy. If plants do not have the right amount of space, they might not get enough sunlight, water, or nutrients.

(B)Use your computer to research the answers to the following questions. Write the website you found the information from right under the answer (do not write google! Google is used to find sites that you’re looking for). Label the parts of the plant diagram below using arrows and the names.

a) Which parts of the plant catch sunlight and air?______________________________________________________________________

website: ______________________________________________________________

b) Which part of the plant collects water and nutrients?

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website: ______________________________________________________________

c) What would happen to the plant if its roots were destroyed? Would it survive?

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website: ______________________________________________________________

(C)Did you know?

Photosynthesis is the process through which plants make their own food (called glucose)

During photosynthesis, plants absorb carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight. With these ingredients, they make a sugar called glucose and oxygen:

carbon dioxide + water + sunlight glucose + oxygen

You can watch the video on youtube called Photosyntheses: Blinded by the light. The link is below and also on my blog.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PL9CRhRsy5A

Based on the information in the video, answer these questions:

1. Can photosynthesis occur all day long (24 hours)? Explain.

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2. Can you explain why plants are essential to human life? (Use the photosynthesis equation below to give your explanation) (Hint: There are two reasons.)

carbon dioxide + water + sunlight glucose + oxygen

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3. Photosynthesis most resembles which type of change in matter? A physical change or a chemical change? Explain. Remember, a physical change doesn’t give you new products (it’s like freezing milk… it’s still milk, just colder. But leaving your milk out too long will create new products like lactic acid, that sour taste).

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4. How about the following, are they examples of physical change or chemical change? Look back on our notes and experiments in October about physical and chemical changes to better help you.

a) A rusting bicycle = ______________________

b) Melting chocolate = ______________________

c) Adding sugar to water = ______________________

PART 3: Time to Investigate

Materials required:

d) A large glass bowl or large glass jare) Lukewarm waterf) A leaf from a plant (Please ask your parent’s permission before you remove a leaf from an indoor or

outdoor plant.) Very important: You must pick the leaf from a living plant.g) A very small weight (pebble, dime, etc.)

STEPS:

1. Fill a large glass bowl (or glass jar) with lukewarm water.2. Go outside to find a leaf or take one from an indoor plant. Remember to ask an adult first. Your

leaf must come from a living plant.3. Place the leaf in the container of water.4. Put a small rock (or coin) on top of the leaf to fully submerge it in the water.

a. Observe what happens. Draw or write what you see. We will call this the “BEFORE” observation.

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b. Write down what you think will happen. This will be your hypothesis.

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5. Place the bowl outside in the sun or in a sunny area inside your home. Leave the bowl in the sunny area for at least two hours.

6. Return after two hours and observe both the leaf and the sides of the bowl where the bowl touches the water.

a. Observe what happens. Draw or write what you see. We will call this the “AFTER” observation.

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b. What do you notice on the leaf? At the sides of the bowl?

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c. Using the information you were given at the beginning, can you explain how this happened?

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d. Think of what a forest can offer all living things. Why is deforestation a concern for all of us?

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