Kindergarden - Plants

Plants: Supplemental Guide 2A | Plant Parts 53

Presenting the Read-Aloud 10 minutes

Plant Parts

 Show image 2A-8: Boy watering plant

Take a look at this boy watering his sunflowers.

[Hold up a potted plant. Ask students if they see something in the picture that

they do not see in the potted plant. Point out that in the picture they can see

the sunflower’s roots, but they cannot see the roots of the potted plant.]

The parts of the plant you see down here at the bottom of the

sunflower are the roots.

[Point to the roots in the picture.]

The roots of the plant are covered with soil. So, when we see the

plants that are around us, we cannot see the roots.

Even though we cannot see the roots, they are important to plants.

Roots help to hold the plant in place in the soil, so when the wind

blows, the plant does not get blown away.

But most important, the roots take up water and nutrients that are in

the soil. Nutrients in the soil help plants grow and stay healthy just like

healthy food helps us grow and stay healthy. The water and nutrients

in the soil are important to the survival of plants. Water and nutrients

help plants to stay alive.

The water and nutrients move through the roots up into the stem of

the plant. The stem holds the plant up tall, toward the light.

[Move your fingers from the roots to the stem. Have a student point to the stem

in the picture.]

As the water and nutrients travel up the stem, they reach the leaves.

Leaves are usually green, but they can be other colors, too.

[Have a student point to the leaves.]

Many plants have flowers, which are also called blossoms. This

sunflower has three flowers with bright yellow petals.

[Have a student point to the three flowers.]

In the center part of the flower, or blossom, are many small seeds.

[Point to the seeds at the center of the blossoms.]