6.

6_Photosynthesis and leaves

Objectives:
• Identify and label the parts of a leaf.
• Explain how the structure of a leaf is
adapted for photosynthesis.
Keywords:
palisade mesophyll 栅状叶肉
spongy mesophyll 海绵叶肉
vein 导管 cuticle 角质
层
stomata 气孔 guard cells 保
卫细胞
lower epidermis 下表皮 upper epidermis 上表
Starter: Give the functions of organelles inside
皮
a plant cell.
Starter:
Starter:

Keep cell firm

vacuole (turgor pressure)
cell membrane Controls entry/exit
cell wall Structural support

chloroplast Absorb sunlight

/photosynthesis
nucleus Genetic material/
controls activities
cytoplasm Chemical reactions
 os e
l u c
g
e n
Carbon dioxide yg
ox

ch
l
or
op
water
hy
ll leaf
 Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is the process by which
plants make their own food. They use
light energy, carbon dioxide and water.
Oxygen gas is a waste product.

sunlight
carbon
water + glucose + oxygen
dioxide
chlorophyll
• Leaves have the ideal shape for photosynthesis.

• Look at the leaves. What are the features of leaves?

Inside a leaf
 Structures of a leaf and functions

TASK: Watch the video and record the

functions for each structure inside a leaf.
Can you label the diagram?
transverse section of a leaf

1
2

7
6

3 5
4
Can you label the diagram?
transverse section of a leaf

cuticle 1
2
epidermis/
epidermal
cell
air space
7
6 vascular
bundle (vein)
3 5
palisade guard cell
4
cell stoma
A The correct
statements.

E
I

L
K

D
C
How could this be improved?
How could this be improved?
How could this be improved?
Lesson review

Keep the questions in

English so the teachers
can understand.
Lesson review
Exit ticket: complete the sentences
Complete the sentences below to explain how the adaptations
of a leaf enable it to better carry out photosynthesis:

1.The leaf is held up by the stem…

2.The leaf is thin…
3.The leaf has a large surface area…
4.Chloroplasts in the palisade cells contain chlorophyll…
5.The palisade cells are arranged with longer length walls next
to each other…
6.No chloroplasts in the upper epidermis…
7.There are air spaces inside the leaf…
8.The stomata are more often on the lower side of the leaf…
9.The stoma are surrounded by guard cells…
10.There are xylem and phloem tubes close to cells in the
mesophyll layer…
Go through the following slides to
learn the structure of the leaves.
 Plant roots
take up the
water and
minerals
that the
plant needs.
Stem holds plant leaves
higher above the ground
– closer to the Sun.

Connects stem
and leaf.
 SECTION OF A LEAF

What is the function of veins?

transverse section of a leaf

cross section of a vein.
 Xylem – transport of water

Xylem cells
join
together to
form tissue
– tubes to
transport
water.

We will be
discussing this
in more detail in
a future lesson.
 Transport in plants

Xylem carries water

from the roots.

Phloem carries glucose

away from the palisade
cell where is is made.
 TRANSVERSE SECTION OF A LEAF
CUTICLE – waxy layer

PALISADE
CELL

Contains
phloem and
xylem.
VASCULAR
BUNDLE (vein)
Transports
reactants and
products of
AIR SPACE photosynthesis.
 TRANSVERSE SECTION OF A LEAF

CUTICLE – waxy layer

upper
epidermis
PALISADE
CELL

VASCULAR
BUNDLE(vien)
Contains
phloem and
xylem
stoma
AIR SPACE lower
epidermis
 Mesophyll layer is spongy

Why can sponges be easily squashed?

They are full of holes.

Why would a leaf have holes?

How raw materials for photosynthesis get into a palisade cell.

Gases move
through the
leaf.
 How does the carbon
dioxide get from the air into
the plant cells?
This will be discussed in
more detail in a future
lesson.
SURFACE VIEW OF LOWER EPIDERMIS OF A LEAF

What is the function of

guard cells?
 Picture from previous lesson

What is the
function of guard
cells?
ACTIVITY:

Task 1: Use section 2.9 of the biology

textbook and identify the following
structures within a plant leaf.

Task 2: On the micrograph of

slide J4243 from box #8, label any
features you can identify

Task 3: read the statements on the sheet and decide

which ones are true and which are false. Draw a diagram of
a plant and add the ‘true’ statements as labels.
ACTIVITY:
Task 1: Use section 2.9 of the
biology textbook and identify the
following structures within a plant
leaf.
Task 2: On the micrograph of
slide J4243 from box #8, label
any features you can identify
ACTIVITY:
Task 1: Use section 2.9 of the biology textbook and identify
the following structures within a plant leaf.

A: waxy cuticle (transparent)

B: upper epidermis (no
chloroplasts).
C: palisade cells (best site for
photosynthesis)
D: Spongy mesophyll cells
(large spaces between them
allows for easy diffusion of
gases)
E: stomata (surrounded by
guard cells), let gases in/out
ACTIVITY: Task 2: On the micrograph of slide
J4243 from box #8, label any features you can identify
ACTIVITY:
Task 2: On the micrograph of slide J4243 from box #8, label
any features you can identify

A: waxy cuticle (transparent)

B: upper epidermis (no
chloroplasts).
C: palisade cells (best site for
photosynthesis)
D: Spongy mesophyll cells
(large spaces between them
allows for easy diffusion of
gases)
E: stomata (surrounded by
guard cells), let gases in/out
 PARTS OF A LEAF

• A leaf is made of many layers that are sandwiched

between two layers of tough skin cells (called the
epidermis). The epidermis is covered by a waxy
substance called the cuticle. These layers protect the
leaf from insects, bacteria, and other pests.
• Among the epidermal cells are pairs of guard cells.
Each pair of guard cells forms a pore (called stoma; the
plural is stomata). Gases enter and exit the leaf
through the stomata.
• Most food production takes place in elongated cells
called palisade mesophyll. Gas exchange occurs in the
air spaces between the oddly-shaped cells of the
spongy mesophyll.
• Veins support the leaf and are filled with vessels that
transport food, water, and minerals to the plant.
Objectives:
1.Practise preparing
slide and using
microscope.
2.To draw a clear
pencil diagram of
observations made
using a microscope.