Plants: Parts, Food Making and Seeds: Class 4 Study Guide
Plants make their own food and give us food and oxygen.
A typical plant has roots, a stem, leaves, flowers and fruits. Roots hold the plant in the soil and absorb water and minerals. The stem carries water up to the leaves and food down to other parts, and holds the plant upright. Leaves make food. Flowers make seeds, and fruits protect seeds.
Plants make their own food by photosynthesis. Leaves take in sunlight, carbon dioxide from the air and water from the roots to make food (sugar) and release oxygen. This is why plants are so important: they give us oxygen to breathe and the food that animals eat.
Parts and functions
| Part | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Roots | Hold the plant; absorb water | Carrot, radish (food stored in roots) |
| Stem | Carries water and food; supports | Sugarcane, potato (underground stem) |
| Leaf | Makes food | Spinach, cabbage |
| Flower | Makes seeds | Rose, marigold, broccoli |
| Fruit | Protects seeds | Mango, tomato |
Seeds and germination
A seed has a baby plant inside, and a food store. When it gets water, warmth and air, it germinates: the root grows down and the shoot grows up. Try soaking green gram or chana overnight and keeping it in damp cotton wool.
Overnight in water.
In a warm place.
Look for the root and shoot.
Record what you see.
How seeds spread
If all the seeds fell under the parent plant they would compete for light and water. Seeds travel by wind (dandelion, maple), water (coconut), animals (burrs stick to fur; birds eat berries) and bursting pods (peas, castor). Humans also carry seeds when they eat fruits and plant them.
Worked examples and common mistakes
Example: Which plant part do we eat in a potato? A stem (tuber). Example: What do plants release during photosynthesis? Oxygen. Common mistakes: saying plants get their food from the soil, and thinking leaves are only for decoration. They are the plant's kitchen. Show roots in coloured water to see how water is drawn upward.
Check your understanding: model answers
1. Roots hold the plant in the soil and absorb water and minerals. 2. Oxygen. 3. By floating on water, so they reach new shores.
✨ Key Takeaways
- Roots absorb; stems carry; leaves make food; flowers make seeds.
- Photosynthesis needs sunlight, water and carbon dioxide.
- Seeds need water, warmth and air to germinate.
- Seeds spread by wind, water and animals.
💬 Questions for Discussion & Reflection
- Name the function of roots.
- What gas do plants give out in sunlight?
- How can coconuts spread?
Print a science observation log →