What are plants?

What can you see in this picture?

It’s a family

Do you know that plants have family too?- Plants have green leaves, stems, roots & flowers.

- Each & every part “member” in the plant has its own function “job” which is very important for the plant’s growth & survival.

(As each family member has a job to do everyday; father goes to work, mother cooks

food, children go to school & study)

-Flowers have bright colors that attract insects & birds that drink the nectar.- They make the seeds (inside the fruits).

{They act like magnets as their bright colors attract birds to drink

the nectar}

(1) Flowers

(2) Stems- Stems take water & nutrients from the roots to all the plant parts.- Stems hold the plants upright.

(A tree’s stem is called: Trunk)

{They act like pipes that carry water to our homes as they carry

water to all plant parts}

(3) Roots- Roots absorb “take” the water & nutrients from the soil & give them to the stem.- Roots fix the plants in the soil.

{They act like a straw that takes in water from the soil, they also act like an anchor that fix the boat in

the water}

(4) Leaves- Leaves make the food for the plant through a process called:

“Photosynthesis process”

{They act like the chef who cooks food, as they are responsible for

making plant’s food}

- Every day you eat 3 meals: “Breakfast in the morning”“Lunch in the afternoon”“Dinner At night”

- Plants also make 1 meal everyday which is called: Photosynthesis

What is photosynthesis process?

Photosynthesis process

- It is the process in which the plants “leaves” use sunlight, carbon dioxide from the air & water & nutrients from the soil to make their food.

In photosynthesis process:

+ ++

{Plants use carbon dioxide, sunlight , water & nutrients to make photosynthesis then, oxygen & energy are released

+ Nutrients

Now, let’s take a closer look at the leaf

The structure of the leafCuticle

Upper epidermis

Chloroplast

Stomata

Lower epidermis

(1) Cuticle:

• It is the waxy layer that coats the surface of the leaf to protect the leaf from losing too much water.

{It’s like a cover “coat” for the leaf that keeps the leaf moist & protect it from becoming dry on a

very sunny day}

(2) Upper epidermis:

• It is the outer layer of the leaf that protect it from damage.

{It’s like our skin that protect us from any damage, plants have an outer layer “epidermis” that protect

it from any damage}

(3) Chloroplast:

• It gives the leaf its green color & it contains chlorophyll that absorb sunlight in photosynthesis process “makes food for plants”.

{It’s like the food factory of the plant}

(4) Stomata:• It opens & closes letting carbon dioxide in &

oxygen out during photosynthesis.

{It act like our mouth “open & close to help us to breath in oxygen & breath out carbon dioxide”}

Do you think that all plants look the same like each others?

• Of course not, plants are so different from each others.

• So let’s classify “divide” the plants according to:

(1 )StructureA- Plants with leaves, stems & roots: Example:

Trees

B- Plants with no leaves, stems or roots: Example:

Mosses Worts

(2 )Types of rootsA- Plants with tap roots: “Looks like a cone” Example:

Beet root Carrot Radish

A- Plants with fibrous roots: “Looks like hairs” Example:

Grass Cactus

(3 )Types of stemsA- Plants with woody stems: “hard” Example:

Trees Shrubs

A- Plants with soft stems: Example:

Tulips Flowers

(4 )SeedsA- Seed plants: - They produce new plants from seeds. Example:

Apple trees Violet trees

B- Seedless plants: - They produce new plants from spores. “not from seeds”(When spores are released & fall in the soil, then

they grow into new plants) Example:

Horsetails Mosses Ferns

(5 )Edible or Not

A- We eat the roots of:

Carrots Beet roots

B- We eat the stem of:

Celery Sugar cane Asparagus

C- We eat the leaves of:

Spinach Lettuce

D- We eat the flowers of:

Cauliflower Broccoli

E- We eat the seeds of:

Rice Beans Corn

- Some plants are not edible, but we use them:

1) As medicine

2) For making furniture

3) For clothing

4) As fuel “Like gasoline”