Chapter 2 Energy From Plants

Lesson 1- What are plants’ characteristics? Plants are made of small building blocks called cells. Different parts of a cell do different jobs. Plants are multi-celled organisms made up of tissue and organs.

How plants make food Plants need sunlight and water in order to live, grow, and reproduce. They also need carbon dioxide from the air and mineral nutrients from the ground.

photosynthesis Unlike animals, plants make their own food. The food they make is sugar or glucose. The process of making sugar is called photosynthesis.

photosynthesis In photosynthesis, plants use carbon dioxide that their leaves absorb from the air and water that their roots absorb from the soil. *The tubes in the stem carry sugar to other parts of the plant.

storing glucose Three parts of the plant store the sugar for the plant. Stems Roots Leaves

chloroplast Photosynthesis takes place in the chloroplasts of leaf cells. Chloroplasts contain chlorophyll. Chloroplasts contain green material that traps sunlight Chlorophyll is the substance that makes plants green

Of the plants and the trees A plant of any size If you want to know Sing this song!! If you want to know Can do it if it tries How a plant grows. But we’re not green, It takes water, air, and sunlight so we can’t photosynthesize And makes cellulose Every plant can do this Fundamental process And we can call this Photosynthesis Of the plants and the trees Unlike me and you Plants need CO2 And they make oxygen That stops us turning blue CHORUS It’s a miracle pho-to-syn-the-sis How all the chlorophyll Captures sunlight in the leaves

Lesson 2- What are the parts of plants? A plant has different parts. Each part plays an important role in helping the plant survive. Most plants have three organs, whether they are a redwood tree or a dandelion. leaves stems roots

leaves All leaves have the same role. Their job is to produce food so the plant can survive in its environment. Leaves may be different shapes and sizes but they all produce food for the plant.

stems What does a tree trunk have in common with the thin stalk of a dandelion? They are both stems and they have two basic functions. They carry water, minerals, and food between the roots and leaves. They support the plant, holding the leaves up so they can get sunlight.

Roots do not contain chlorophyll The two main jobs of roots are: to anchor the plant firmly into the ground. take in water and mineral nutrients from the ground around them. Roots grow away from the stem in search of water and nutrients. Roots do not contain chlorophyll

roots Plants can either have taproots or fibrous roots. Most trees and grasses have fibrous roots. In this kind of root system, the roots spread out in many different directions. In taproot systems, there is one main large root that grows straight down.

Lesson 3- How do plants reproduce? Scientists classify plants by how they reproduce (make new plants) Flowering plants use parts of the plants to reproduce. There are four main parts to a flowering plant. Petals Sepals Pistil Stamens

Parts of a flower The stamen is the male part of the plant. They are the smaller stalks around the pistil The pistil is the female part of the plant. Anthers are the top of the stamen The petals are the parts of the flower that are colorful. The sepals are the green leaves below the petals. They cover the bud.

Reproduction Stamens produce the sperm cells. The pistil produces the flowers egg cells. They combine to make seeds.

Fertilization In order for a seed to form, pollen has to get from a stamen to a pistil. The movement of pollen from the stamen to the pistil is called pollination. The process of sperm cells and egg cells combining is a process called fertilization. After they fertilize, the egg grows into a seed and the ovary becomes a fruit. Animals play a huge part in the process of pollination.

Lesson 4- What is the life cycle of a plant? A seed needs the right conditions to begin growing. It needs 3 things. Right amounts of oxygen Water Right temperature

Seeds on the move Animals help scatter seeds. -Animals eat the fruit on the plant and digest the seeds…the animals eventually leaves droppings on the ground with seeds in them. - Seeds can catch on animal fur. - Some animals bury nuts for the winter and they end up growing into plants.

Wind as a helper Some fruits and seeds can even be spread by floating on water! Wind can also help spread seeds. Have you ever seen a dandelion puff blow in the wind? Some plants have “parachutes” that carry seeds in the wind. Milkweed plants and cottonwood trees also have “parachutes” that carry fruits and seeds in the breeze.

Starting to grow If a seed does not have what it needs to start growing, it remains dormant (a state of rest). Some plants don’t need seeds to grow. These plants don’t make flowers or cones. These plants grow from spores, not seeds. A spore is a tiny microscopic cell.

Spore Reproduction There is a two-step cycle in the reproduction of spores. The plant produces a spore A male and female spore combine and grow into a plant Not all plants grow from seeds or spores. Some grow from stems, roots, or leaves. Some plants, like strawberries, grow from stems called runners.