The Six Plant Parts

The Six Plant Parts

Roots

The root, the part underground, anchors the plant and absorbs water and nutrients from the soil. Simple sugars, made in the plant’s leaves, are stored in the form of starches in the roots, to be used later for plant growth or for animals to eat. Some plants that store a particularly large amount of starch in their roots have become important in our diet, such as carrots, beets, radishes, and turnips.

Stems

The stem supports the plant and contains most of its circulatory system. Vessels in the stem transport sugar and starches made in the leaves as well as water and minerals absorbed through the roots--to other parts of the plant where the nutrients are needed. Some stems we eat are asparagus, broccoli, sour grass, and fennel.

Leaves

The leaf is a flattened or extended part of the stem. Leaves are the main food-producing part of the plant. They produce food through a process called photosynthesis, using carbon dioxide, sunlight, and water. The chlorophyll in leaves collects the sun's energy (light). The pores (stomata) of leaves absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air. This carbon dioxide plus water from the roots is combined, using the sun's energy, to make simple sugars and starches: CO2 + H2O + Light ---> CH2O (a simple sugar.) We eat leaves such as lettuce, spinach, chard, basil, cabbage, and mint.

Flowers

The flower is the reproductive part of a plant. It gives rise to seeds from which new plants develop. Just like humans, flower must be fertilized so that the male and female genes can be brought together. But, some flowers have both sexes in the same flower and others need insects, animals, wind, or water to fertilize them. Flowers that we eat are cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts, and artichokes. Some ornamental flowers such as borage, nasturtiums and calendula are also edible.

Fruits

Fruits grow from fertilized flowers. It is the outer covering that surrounds and protects the seeds. Fruits we eat are apples, plums, zucchini, cucumber, tomato, peppers, green beans, pumpkins, and pea pods. Some fruits we don't eat like the husk of the corn or the shell of a walnut, but they are considered fruits too since they grow from the ovary and protect the seeds.

Seeds

All seeds come from the ovary of a flower that has been fertilized. After fertilization the seed contains the embryo of a new plant, and its own food supply stored in the surrounding tissues. When a seed sprouts, it produces an above ground shoot with a stem and leaves, and roots that sink under ground. Some seeds we eat include peas, corn nuts, sunflower seeds, beans and wheat.

Adapted from Arcadia Food’s Food Lessons

Intro: Look Ma, I’m a Plant!

Description:
Students will pretend to be a plant.
Objective:
Students will learn about the different parts of a plant.

Intro:
What do you need to do in order to grow big and strong? (Drink water - plants need water, too; Eat good food - plants need nutrients from the soil; Breathe - plants need air, too; plants also need sun).
Just like people, plants change during their lifetimes. How are you different now from when you were a baby? How are you the same? How will you be different when you’re an adult? How do plants change throughout their lives? How can you tell?
Pretend you’re a seed (crouch on the ground, hug your knees), then if you have the sun, water, soil, air you need, you’ll send up your first leaves (stick hands in the air). As you get bigger and stronger (stand up), you’ll grow a stem (point to your body) and then start growing roots (kick your feet). You’re an adult plant! You’ll start growing flowers (shake your hands) which will make seeds. Then the seeds will spread, and we’ll start all over. You can do this twice if students are having fun and staying engaged.

CHECK IN QUESTION: Can you name the parts of a plant? What does a plant need to grow?

Adding in Plants

-Instructor holds up plant picture (see last page) and discusses “What are the 6 parts of a plant?” (The root, the stem, the flower, the fruit, the seed and the leaf).

- Fill in the blank spaces together and offer examples (see diagram on the right)

- If instructor feels comfortable: Have students shout out some of their favorite vegetables, and point to the part of the plant on the diagram where that vegetable

Activity: Plant Part Burrito

Objective: Students will identify which parts of the plant are the following food items. They will use different plant parts to create a burrito of plant parts.

Materials:

·  Plant Parts visual aid

·  large lettuce leaves

·  beets- one whole and shredded

·  carrots- one whole and shredded

·  cauliflower or broccoli

·  beans or snap peas

·  tomatoes or bell pepper- one whole and chopped pieces

·  hummus and or sunflower seed butter

·  baskets or bowls for harvesting

·  small scissors, plates, spoons

·  water and bowl for rinsing harvested stems

Discussion/ Activity:

1. Tell the students they will be making a burrito using only plant parts.

2.  Show vegetables you will be using to make burrito, lettuce leaves, carrots or beets as roots, broccoli or cauliflower as flowers, tomato or bell pepper as fruit.

Ask what parts are missing (seeds and stems.) Discuss possibilities for edible seeds. Show campers hummus and sunflower seed butter as edible seeds.

3.  Distribute plates.

Show campers each vegetable as it’s used and have them point it the plant part on the diagram below/ or shout out answers.

·  Show lettuce and give each camper a large lettuce leaf.

·  Show spread choices as seeds. Using spoons help campers spread hummus OR sunflower seed butter- optional

·  Show bean or pea as alternative seed and add to lettuce leaf

·  Show roots and shredded carrots or beets

·  Show flowers and add chopped broccoli or cauliflower

·  Show fruit and add chopped tomato or bell pepper

·  Add harvested chives as stems

Roll up the leaf and enjoy the crunchy burrito.

4. CLEAN UP!

http://extension.illinois.edu/gpe/images/plantdiag-blank.gif