How do plant make there own food?

Plants make their own food using a process called photosynthesis.

The word photosynthesis can be separated to make two smaller words:

• “photo” which means light
• “synthesis” which means putting together

What do the plants need to make food?

• carbon dioxide
• water
• sunlight

How does photosynthesis work?

The photosynthesis is the process where sunlight reaches a plant and chlorophyll (green) in plant leaves is used to make glucose (sugars) that is food for the plant.  Carbon dioxide goes in through the plant’s leaves and gets removed from the air we breathe.  Then oxygen is released for us to breathe.

Why is photosynthesis important?

Photosynthesis is important because it provides two main things:

• food
• oxygen

Some of the glucose that plants produce during photosynthesis is stored in fruits and roots. This is why we are able to eat carrots, potatoes, apples, water melons and all the others. These foods provide energy for humans and animals.

Oxygen that is produced during photosynthesis is released into the atmosphere. This oxygen is what we breathe and we cannot live without it.

Let’s do an experiment!

Step 1:  Fill a large bowl with lukewarm water

Step 2:  Go outside and find a large leaf.  You need to pick it off a tree.

Step 3:  Place the leaf in the bowl of water and put a small rock on top of it so it under the water. Then put the bowl in a sunny spot.

Step 4:  WAIT!

Step 5:  Take a peek a few hours later

What you should be seeing is small bubbles that form around the leaf and the edges of the bowl.  Those bubbles are the oxygen that the leaf is releasing.

Wow!  Plants are amazing!

Complete the activity below by clicking on the link.

Photosynthesis Worksheet

“You can find magic wherever you look. Sit back and relax, all you need is a book.” – Dr.Seuss

This is my daughters favourite book.  Sara would ask me to read it to her again and again.  She could relate to Max – his wildness and vivid imagination.  But what she connected to the most was the idea that no matter what Max did, his mother would always love him.

We all have a favorite book that we want to hear over and over, but what is it that makes a particular story magical? 

Is it the characters?  Can they make us laugh or cry?  Do we care what happens to them?

Is it the lesson? Did we learn something? Does it teach us about an idea, such as kindness, acceptance or perseverance?

Is it the illustrations or pictures?  Are there interesting textures, colors, and designs? Are they funny?

Is it the language?  Does it use rhyme, rhythm, poetry or humour?

What is your favourite part of the story and why?

Complete the activities in the protected blog post.

Please visit Ms. Field for a read aloud in the library.

https://blogs.sd41.bc.ca/parkcrest-library/