Basic needs of plants explained for first graders

📚 What Plants Need to Grow

Plants are living things, and just like us, they need certain things to survive and grow. Let's explore the key ingredients for a happy plant life!

• 💧 Water: Plants need water to carry nutrients from the soil to all parts of the plant. Think of it like their juice!
• ☀️ Sunlight: Plants use sunlight to make their own food in a process called photosynthesis. They're like tiny solar panels!
• 💨 Air: Plants need air, specifically carbon dioxide, to make their food. They also release oxygen, which we breathe!
• 🌱 Nutrients: Nutrients are like vitamins for plants. They get them from the soil.
• 🌡️ Warmth: Most plants need a certain amount of warmth to grow. Not too hot, not too cold – just right!
• 🪴 Space: Plants need space for their roots to spread out and grow.

👨‍🏫 Teacher's Guide: Basic Needs of Plants

Objective: Students will be able to identify the basic needs of plants (water, sunlight, air, nutrients, warmth, and space).

Materials:

• Real plants (if available)
• Pictures or drawings of plants
• Watering can
• Soil
• Spray bottle

Warm-up (5 mins):

Ask students: "What do you need to stay healthy and grow?" (Food, water, air, etc.) Explain that plants also need certain things to grow.

🧪 Main Instruction

1. Introduce the Basic Needs: Discuss each need one by one, using visual aids and examples.
2. Water: Show how to water a plant. Explain how water travels through the plant.
3. Sunlight: Explain photosynthesis in simple terms. Plants use sunlight to make food (sugar) from water and carbon dioxide.
4. Air: Plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen.
5. Nutrients: Nutrients are in the soil and help plants grow strong.
6. Warmth: Plants need the right temperature to grow.
7. Space: Roots need room to grow.

📝 Assessment

Activity: Plant Needs Matching Game

Create cards with pictures representing each of the basic needs (sun, water droplet, air, soil). Have students match the picture cards with corresponding word cards (sunlight, water, air, nutrients, warmth, space).

✅ Practice Quiz

1. What is one thing plants need to drink?
2. What does the sun give to plants?
3. What is in the air that plants need?
4. Where do plants get their nutrients from?
5. Do plants need to be warm or cold?
6. Do plants need space?