Plants are all around us, in fact over 80% of the living things on earth are plants! Aside from being beautiful to look at, plants have many uses; we can eat some of them, and others are the basis of important medicines or useful products like rubber. They provide habitats for animals.
Most importantly, plants produce oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide, keeping the Earth’s atmosphere in balance.
Teach your children about plants using our handy topic guide!
Teaching Ideas
- Use this powerpoint as an introduction to what plants need to grow.
- Label the parts of a plant and explain their function on this handy worksheet.
- Investigate what happens when white carnations are put into coloured water.
- These questions help children look more closely at leaves.
- Dissect a flower.
- Watch seeds germinate in a plastic bag with this simple idea.
- Investigate flowers and evaporation with this activity.
Resources
- Download our fantastic plants resource pack.
- Our fact cards are full of useful information about plants.
- Save yourself some time with our printable plant vocabulary.
- Brighten up your display board with our plants banner and plants keywords.
- These stunning images of flowers can be used right across the curriculum.
Plants Knowledge Organiser
Members of Teaching Packs can download a comprehensive knowledge organiser to accompany this topic. It includes key information that your children can use for reference and research, along with labelled diagrams and a glossary of terms.
Not a member yet? Join us today!
Plants Facts
- Trees are the longest living organisms on the planet. Some trees alive today are thousands of years old!
- Carnivorous plants, such as the Venus fly trap, feed on insects.
- About 2,000 new plant species are discovered every year.
- Plants get energy from the sun, through the process of photosynthesis.
- Roots have two functions; to anchor the plant securely into the ground, and to absorb nutrients and water from the soil.
Videos
Lima Bean Time Lapse
Watch this time lapse video showing the growth of lime beans sprouting over a six day period.
Running time: 1:58
The Parts of a Plant
This video explains about the different parts of a plant and the different ‘jobs’ that they have.
Running time: 4:40
Plant Life Cycle
This video describes the life cycle of a plant, the things needed by a plant to grow and other important facts.
Running time: 4:53
The Parts of a Plant Song
This song teaches children about the different parts of a plant!
Running time: 2:31
Carnivorous Plants
Learn about different types of carnivorous plants and the kinds of traps they use to catch insects!
Running time: 4:07
Books
The Tiny Seed
When the tiny seed is blown away from its parent plant, it travels a very long way – over seas, deserts and mountains. It finally falls onto fertile earth and becomes the tallest, biggest flower for miles around. Then one day the wind blows and thousands of the flower’s seeds begin their own journeys.
The Little Gardener
There was once a little gardener and his garden meant everything to him. He worked hard, very hard, but he was just too little (or at least he felt he was). This beautiful tale that teaches us just how important it is to persist and try, no matter what the odds.
Bloom
This original and funny novel for readers of 10 and older is for everyone who has ever felt like they didn’t fit in, and for anyone who has ever wanted a little more colour and wildness in their lives.
Trees, Leaves, Flowers & Seeds
Packed with more than 1,000 incredible images and full of fascinating facts, this beautiful children’s book takes you on an exciting expedition through the wonders of the plant kingdom.
Botanicum
From perennials to bulbs to tropical exotica, Botanicum is a wonderful feast of botanical knowledge complete with superb cross sections of how plants work.
Let's Get Gardening
Learn to grow your own vegetables and herbs, attract awesome wildlife such as butterflies and bees, and be a green gardener with lots of recycling tips.
Links
- BBC Bitesize site has six learner guides covering this topic.
- Find out all about plants with the interactive DKfindout! site.
- This site contains lots of general information about plants and is great for research.
- The Great Plant Escape is a fun game that reinforces knowledge about plants.
- Use this child-friendly information about why plants begin to grow in the spring.
- The Lucky Seed story from the British Council is a fantastic resource for younger children.
- Kiddle’s child-friendly page is great for research.
Are you teaching your children about other topics? Explore our full collection of guides!
