How Do We Use Plants?

We can see plants everywhere.

Plants are very important to humans. We

couldn’t survive without plants!

Can you think about how many ways we

use plants in our every day lives?
 Plants Give Us the Air We Breathe
Plants take in a gas called carbon dioxide and
release another gas called oxygen.

We need oxygen in the air we breathe, so it’s

important plants keep doing that job!
 Plants Give Us the Food We Eat
We eat plants in many different ways.

What did you have for breakfast?

Did any of your breakfast come from a plant?

Can you think of any other foods we eat that also eat plants?
 Plants Are Part of the Clothes We Wear

Material like cotton or

linen comes from the
cotton plant and the
flax plant.
Fibres from these
plants and flowers are
used to make cloth
that we can turn into
clothes.

Are you wearing a plant today?

 Plants Help Keep Us Clean and Fresh

Plant oils are used in soaps, moisturisers, shampoos, lotions, gels and the
cosmetics we use to keep us clean or looking good.

Perfumes often contain plant smells such as citrus or lavender.

 Plants Help Keep Us Well
Long ago plants were the only medicines used
to help people get well.

Tea tree oil, aloe vera and evening primrose oil

are medicines that have been used for hundreds
of years and are still used today.

Plants are a part of modern medicine too.

 Plants Help Keep Us Warm and Comfortable
Many houses and buildings use wood to help
heat their homes.

Wood burning stoves help heat a room in

a house.

Biomass boilers use wood to create heat

for central heating pipes and in underfloor
heating.

Homes and furniture are also made of wood;

floors, doors, windows, house frames, chairs,
tables, cupboards.

Is there anything in your classroom made of wood?

 Plants Help Us Travel

Rubber comes from a plant. Rubber

is used in tyres for cars, bicycles, aeroplanes.

Biofuels are mostly made from plants.

Ethanol, biodiesel and biojet fuel are all

biofuels.

Biofuels are renewable. This means they

won’t run out like fossil fuels.

These fuels can be used in cars, trucks and

aeroplanes.
 Plants Are Used for Decoration
Flowers are often used for decoration
on special occasions like a wedding or
at Christmas.

Flowers can be a special

gift for someone.

Who doesn’t love beautiful flowers!

 How Do We Use Plants?
Now you know more about how we use plants, try to spot where plants are part
of your daily life. 

You could draw a mind map to show how you use plants!