Plants are essential to life on our planet.

They produce oxygen for breathing

and provide us with food, clothing, and shelter. There are almost 400,000
individual species of plants, and botanists discover 2,000 new
species every year. Trees are the largest plants, and the
forest biome covers almost 1/3 of the earth’s land surface.

All plants have four basic needs: sunlight, air, water, and
nutrients, or food. The majority of plants have four basic parts:
1. roots, which absorb water and food and anchor the
plant in the ground,
2) a stem or trunk to carry water throughout the plant,
3) leaves to collect energy from the sun, and
4) flowers or cones to make seeds.

Plants are essential to life on our planet. They produce oxygen for breathing
and provide us with food, clothing, and shelter. There are almost 400,000
individual species of plants, and botanists discover 2,000 new
species every year. Trees are the largest plants, and the
forest biome covers almost 1/3 of the earth’s land surface.

All plants have four basic needs: sunlight, air, water, and
nutrients, or food. The majority of plants have four basic parts:
1. roots, which absorb water and food and anchor the
plant in the ground,
2) a stem or trunk to carry water throughout the plant,
3) leaves to collect energy from the sun, and
4) flowers or cones to make seeds.
 Botanists and other scientists use a taxonomy, or classification system,
to study plants. The system was designed more than 250 years ago by
Carl Linnaeus, a Swedish biologist and botanist.

He divided all living organisms into five groups, called kingdoms—

Bacteria, Fungi, Protista, Animals, and Plants—
Linnaeus then separated each kingdom into smaller groups, based on similar
characteristics. Much like the animal kingdom is separated into vertebrates
and invertebrates, he separated the plant kingdom into vascular and
nonvascular plants. Using these categories, he identified four types of plants:
MOSSES FERNS CONIFERS FLOWERING
PLANTS

Botanists and other scientists use a taxonomy, or classification system,

to study plants. The system was designed more than 250 years ago by
Carl Linnaeus, a Swedish biologist and botanist.

He divided all living organisms into five groups, called kingdoms—

Bacteria, Fungi, Protista, Animals, and Plants—
Linnaeus then separated each kingdom into smaller groups, based on similar
characteristics. Much like the animal kingdom is separated into vertebrates
and invertebrates, he separated the plant kingdom into vascular and
nonvascular plants. Using these categories, he identified four types of plants:
MOSSES FERNS CONIFERS FLOWERING
PLANTS
 Vascular plants have specialized tissues—called xylem
and phloem—which distribute water, nutrients, and
sugars produced by photosynthesis throughout the plant.
These tissues are found in the roots, stems, and leaves.
The veins in an oak leaf and the strings in a stalk of celery are
both parts of the vascular system. More than 99.9% of all known
plants are vascular plants.

Nonvascular plants, or bryophytes, have no transport system.

EXPLORE VASCULAR PLANTS

Use a stalk of celery, with leaves attached, and a glass of water darkly tinted with red or
blue food coloring to explore vascular systems. Slice off the end of the celery, and
place the stalk in the glass of water. Watch, over a day or two, as the celery’s
vascular system becomes visible as it carries the dyed water throughout the plant.

Vascular plants have specialized tissues—called xylem

and phloem—which distribute water, nutrients, and
sugars produced by photosynthesis throughout the plant.
These tissues are found in the roots, stems, and leaves.
The veins in an oak leaf and the strings in a stalk of celery are
both parts of the vascular system. More than 99.9% of all known
plants are vascular plants.

Nonvascular plants, or bryophytes, have no transport system.

EXPLORE VASCULAR PLANTS

Use a stalk of celery, with leaves attached, and a glass of water darkly tinted with red or
blue food coloring to explore vascular systems. Slice off the end of the celery, and
place the stalk in the glass of water. Watch, over a day or two, as the celery’s
vascular system becomes visible as it carries the dyed water throughout the plant.
 Mosses are the most common type of bryophyte,
the only class of nonvascular plants.
Instead of roots, bryophytes have thin hair-like
structures called rhizoids which anchor the plant.

Since they have no vascular system, mosses absorb

water and nutrients directly from the air around them.
Bryophytes produce spores instead of seeds and are
typically very small. Less than 1% of all plants are
nonvascular bryophytes.

Circle the rhizoids and spores of this moss plant.

Mosses are the most common type of bryophyte,

the only class of nonvascular plants.
Instead of roots, bryophytes have thin hair-like
structures called rhizoids which anchor the plant.

Since they have no vascular system, mosses absorb

water and nutrients directly from the air around them.
Bryophytes produce spores instead of seeds and are
typically very small. Less than 1% of all plants are
nonvascular bryophytes.

Circle the rhizoids and spores of this moss plant.

 Ferns are pteridophytes, a class of
plants that has a vascular system,
but does not produce seeds.
Like mosses, they produce spores.

The word pteridophyte comes from

two Greek words—ptero, meaning
feather, and phyton, meaning plant.
Pteridophytes have feathery leaves,
called fronds.

Ferns are pteridophytes, a class of

plants that has a vascular system,
but does not produce seeds.
Like mosses, they produce spores.

The word pteridophyte comes from

two Greek words—ptero, meaning
feather, and phyton, meaning plant.
Pteridophytes have feathery leaves,
called fronds.
 Conifers are the most common type
of gymnosperms, which are woody,
non-flowering vascular plants.
Gymnosperms produce bare seeds,
usually in the form of a cone, that do
not have a protective coating. Most
conifers—including pines, spruces, and
giant sequoias—are evergreens,
with needle-shaped leaves.

The word gymnosperm comes from

Greek words meaning naked seed.

Conifers are the most common type

of gymnosperms, which are woody,
non-flowering vascular plants.
Gymnosperms produce bare seeds,
usually in the form of a cone, that do
not have a protective coating. Most
conifers—including pines, spruces, and
giant sequoias—are evergreens,
with needle-shaped leaves.

The word gymnosperm comes from

Greek words meaning naked seed.
What do daisies, cacti, and oak trees have in common?
They are all types of angiosperms, or flowering vascular
plants. Angiosperm seeds are enclosed in a
protective coating, an adaptation which
allowed them to become the dominant
plant form on Earth. More than 94%
of all plants are classified as
angiosperms.

The word angiosperm comes from two

Greek words—angio, meaning vessel or
container, and sperm, meaning seed.

What do daisies, cacti, and oak trees have in common?

They are all types of angiosperms, or flowering vascular
plants. Angiosperm seeds are enclosed in a
protective coating, an adaptation which
allowed them to become the dominant
plant form on Earth. More than 94%
of all plants are classified as
angiosperms.

The word angiosperm comes from two

Greek words—angio, meaning vessel or
container, and sperm, meaning seed.
 All green plants take in light energy from
the sun and covert it to chemical energy
in a process called photosynthesis.
There are four main steps in this process:
1. Plants absorb energy from the sun.
2. Plants take in water, minerals, and other
nutrients from the soil.
3. Sunlight and water give the plant cells energy
to produce sugar.
4. Plants absorb carbon dioxide, a gas that is
produced by all breathing organisms, and
release oxygen into the air.

Write the number for each step in the process

of photosynthesis in the matching box.

All green plants take in light energy from

the sun and covert it to chemical energy
in a process called photosynthesis.
There are four main steps in this process:
1. Plants absorb energy from the sun.
2. Plants take in water, minerals, and other
nutrients from the soil.
3. Sunlight and water give the plant cells energy
to produce sugar.
4. Plants absorb carbon dioxide, a gas that is
produced by all breathing organisms, and
release oxygen into the air.

Write the number for each step in the process

of photosynthesis in the matching box.
 Read the stages in the sunflower life cycle. Cut out the life cycle pictures,
and glue each one to its matching description.

Seeds on The first Seedlings The young plant The flower blooms As the plant dies,
the shoot of develop begins to form and contains tiny the blooms and
ground the new leaves. flower buds and a seeds in its head. leaves wilt, and
germinate plant more developed The root system is the mature seeds
and grows a root system. fully formed. fall to the ground
begin to tap root. to begin another
grow. cycle of life.

Read the stages in the sunflower life cycle. Cut out the life cycle pictures,
and glue each one to its matching description.

Seeds on The first Seedlings The young plant The flower blooms As the plant dies,
the shoot of develop begins to form and contains tiny the blooms and
ground the new leaves. flower buds and a seeds in its head. leaves wilt, and
germinate plant more developed The root system is the mature seeds
and grows a root system. fully formed. fall to the ground
begin to tap root. to begin another
grow. cycle of life.
 1 2 3 4 ACROSS
1. _____ plants have specialized
5 tissues for distributing water.
6. Green plants absorb carbon
6 7 dioxide and produce _____.
8. Mosses and ferns reproduce from
_____ instead of seeds.
9. Fern leaves are called _____.
DOWN
2. The _____ group is the most
dominant form of plant life.
8 3. A _____ produces seed cones.
4. Bryophytes have _____ instead of
roots.
5. The _____ biome is the largest land
9
biome.
7. _____ take in water and minerals and
anchor plants in the ground.

1 2 3 4 ACROSS
1. _____ plants have specialized
5 tissues for distributing water.
6. Green plants absorb carbon
6 7 dioxide and produce _____.
8. Mosses and ferns reproduce from
_____ instead of seeds.
9. Fern leaves are called _____.
DOWN
2. The _____ group is the most
dominant form of plant life.
8 3. A _____ produces seed cones.
4. Bryophytes have _____ instead of
roots.
5. The _____ biome is the largest land
9
biome.
7. _____ take in water and minerals and
anchor plants in the ground.
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
TEST YOUR WORD POWER

V A S C U L A R
F N O H
O X Y G E N R I
R I I O Z
E O F O O
S S E T I
SUNFLOWER LIFE CYCLE
T S P O R E S D
E S
F R O N D S
M

PHOTOSYNTHESIS
TEST YOUR WORD POWER

V A S C U L A R
F N O H
O X Y G E N R I
R I I O Z
E O F O O
S S E T I
SUNFLOWER LIFE CYCLE
T S P O R E S D
E S
F R O N D S
M
Cut out the life cycle pictures and glue each one to its matching description
in the sunflower life cycle chart.

Cut out the life cycle pictures and glue each one to its matching description
in the sunflower life cycle chart.