Chapter Notes: Plants and Their Parents

Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. What Do Plants Need to Survive?
3. Plant Parts
4. What Plant Parts Do
5. Match Plants to Their Parents
6. Types of Plants
7. Where Do Water Lilies and Saguaros Live?
8. Where Do Bearberries and Powdery Strap Air Plants Live?
9. Where Do Turtle Grass and Giant Sequoias Live?
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Introduction

Plants are amazing living things that grow all around us! They give us food, oxygen, and make our world beautiful. In this chapter, we learn about what plants need to stay alive, the different parts of a plant, what those parts do, how plants are related to their parents, the types of plants, and where special plants like water lilies, saguaros, bearberries, powdery strap air plants, turtle grass, and giant sequoias live. Let's explore the wonderful world of plants!

What Do Plants Need to Survive?

• Plants need certain things to grow and stay healthy.
• These things help plants live and make their own food.
• Sunlight
  • Plants need sunlight to make their food.
  • Sunlight gives plants energy to grow.
  • Green parts of plants use sunlight to make food in a process called photosynthesis.
• Water
  • Plants need water to stay alive.
  • Water helps plants carry food and nutrients to all their parts.
  • Roots drink water from the soil.
• Air
  • Plants need air, especially carbon dioxide, to make food.
  • They take in carbon dioxide through tiny holes in their leaves called stomata.
  • Plants give out oxygen, which we breathe.
• Nutrients
  • Plants need nutrients from the soil to grow strong.
  • Nutrients are like food for plants, helping them build their parts.
  • Roots take in nutrients like nitrogen and minerals from the soil.
• Space
  • Plants need space to grow their roots, stems, and leaves.
  • Without enough space, plants cannot spread out and grow properly.

Plant Parts

Plants have different parts, and each part has a special job.
Here are the main parts of a plant:

• Roots
  • Roots are the part of the plant that grows under the ground.
  • They look like thin or thick strings.
• Stem
  • The stem is the part that holds the plant up.
  • It grows above the ground and connects the roots to the leaves.
• Leaves
  • Leaves are usually green and flat.
  • They grow from the stem or branches.
• Flowers
  • Flowers are the colorful parts of some plants.
  • They can be many shapes and colors, like red, yellow, or pink.
• Fruits
  • Fruits grow from flowers.
  • They hold seeds inside them.
• Seeds
  • Seeds are small parts inside fruits.
  • They can grow into new plants.

What Plant Parts Do

• Roots
  • Roots hold the plant in the ground so it doesn't fall over.
  • They take in water and nutrients from the soil.
  • Some roots, like carrots, store food for the plant.
• Stem
  • The stem holds up the leaves, flowers, and fruits.
  • It carries water and nutrients from the roots to the leaves.
  • It also carries food from the leaves to other parts of the plant.
• Leaves
  • Leaves make food for the plant using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide.
  • This process is called photosynthesis.
  • Leaves have tiny holes called stomata that let in air and let out oxygen.
• Flowers
  • Flowers help the plant make new plants.
  • They attract bees and other insects to carry pollen for reproduction.
  • Flowers turn into fruits after pollination.
• Fruits
  • Fruits protect the seeds inside them.
  • They help spread seeds when animals eat the fruit and drop the seeds.
  • Some fruits, like apples, are food for us.
• Seeds
  • Seeds can grow into new plants.
  • They are carried by wind, water, or animals to new places to grow.
  • Seeds have a baby plant inside called an embryo.

Match Plants to Their Parents

• Plants make new plants that are like their parents.
• New plants come from seeds or other parts of the parent plant.
• How Plants Make New Plants
  • Seeds from a parent plant grow into new plants that look like the parent.
  • For example, an apple seed grows into an apple tree, just like its parent.
  • Some plants grow new plants from their roots, stems, or leaves.
• Examples of Plants and Their Parents
  • An oak tree seed grows into a new oak tree.
  • A sunflower seed grows into a new sunflower plant.
  • A potato plant can grow new plants from pieces of the potato (stem).
  • A strawberry plant can grow new plants from runners (stems).
• Why New Plants Are Like Their Parents
  • New plants get traits from their parent plants, like flower color or leaf shape.
  • This makes the new plant look similar to the parent plant.
  • For example, a red rose's seeds make new rose plants with red flowers.

Types of Plants

Plants come in different types based on their size, shape, and where they grow:

• Trees
  • Trees are tall and have a thick, woody stem called a trunk.
  • They have many branches and live for many years.
  • Examples: Oak tree, apple tree, pine tree.
• Shrubs
  • Shrubs are smaller than trees and have many woody stems.
  • They are bushy and live for many years.
  • Examples: Rose bush, blueberry bush.
• Herbs
  • Herbs are small plants with soft, green stems.
  • They usually live for a short time, like a few months.
  • Examples: Basil, mint, parsley.
• Climbers
  • Climbers have weak stems and need support to grow up.
  • They climb on walls, trees, or fences.
  • Examples: Grape vine, pea plant.
• Creepers
  • Creepers have weak stems and grow along the ground.
  • They spread out and cover the ground.
  • Examples: Pumpkin, watermelon.
• Water Plants
  • Water plants grow in water, like ponds or rivers.
  • They have special parts to live in wet places.
  • Examples: Water lily, lotus.

Where Do Water Lilies and Saguaros Live?

Water Lilies

• Water lilies live in water, like ponds, lakes, or slow-moving rivers.
• They have flat, round leaves that float on the water's surface.
• Their roots grow in the muddy bottom of the water.
• They need still or calm water to grow well.

Saguaros

• Saguaros are tall cacti that live in deserts.
• They grow in hot, dry places like the Sonoran Desert in the United States.
• They store water in their thick stems to survive with little rain.
• They have spines instead of leaves to protect themselves.

Where Do Bearberries and Powdery Strap Air Plants Live?

Bearberries

• Bearberries are small shrubs that grow in cold, rocky places.
• They are found in places like the Arctic, mountains, or northern forests.
• They grow close to the ground to stay safe from strong winds.
• They have small, tough leaves and red berries.

Powdery Strap Air Plants

• Powdery strap air plants are special plants called air plants.
• They grow on trees, rocks, or other surfaces, not in soil.
• They live in warm, humid places like forests in Central and South America.
• They take water and nutrients from the air through their leaves.

Where Do Turtle Grass and Giant Sequoias Live?

Turtle Grass

• Turtle grass is a plant that grows underwater in the ocean.
• It lives in shallow, warm coastal waters, like near beaches or bays.
• It has long, green blades that look like grass and grow in sandy ocean floors.
• It provides food and homes for sea animals like turtles.

Giant Sequoias

• Giant sequoias are huge trees that live in forests.
• They grow in the Sierra Nevada mountains in California, USA.
• They need cool, moist air and rich soil to grow tall.
• They are some of the tallest and oldest trees in the world.