In this Grade 5 lesson from Science: A Closer Look, Chapter 1, students learn how vascular plants transport water and nutrients through xylem and phloem, and how plants are classified as gymnosperms or angiosperms based on their seed and flower structures. Students also explore the process of photosynthesis, through which plants convert sunlight into chemical energy that supports most ecosystems. A hands-on celery inquiry activity reinforces how leaf count affects water transport through a plant stem.
Section 1
Plants Transport Water Through Vascular Systems
Vascular plants use specialized tubes called xylem to move water upward from roots to leaves, while phloem tubes transport sugars throughout the plant in both directions. The cambium layer produces these cells.
Section 2
Photosynthesis and Leaf Adaptations
Plants are essentially nature’s solar-powered kitchens.
Through photosynthesis, leaves capture sunlight and combine it with water and carbon dioxide to "cook" their own food (sugar) while releasing oxygen.
To manage this process, the leaf uses tiny adjustable pores called stomata to breathe in gases, while a protective waxy cuticle acts like a biological raincoat to prevent the plant from losing too much water to the heat.
Section 3
Roots Anchor Plants and Absorb Essential Resources
Roots secure plants in soil and absorb water and minerals through tiny root hairs. Different types include fibrous roots, taproots, aerial roots, and prop roots, each specialized for specific environments.
Section 4
Plants and Animals Exchange Gases During Respiration
Cellular respiration occurs when organisms break down sugar with oxygen to release energy. This process creates carbon dioxide and water as waste products, which plants then use for photosynthesis.
Section 5
Plant Classification Depends On Reproductive Structures
Plants divide into vascular and nonvascular types. Vascular plants include seedless plants that produce spores and seed plants like angiosperms (flowering plants with covered seeds) and gymnosperms (non-flowering plants with uncovered seeds).
Book overview
Jump across lessons in the current chapter without opening the full course modal.
Continue this chapter
Expand to review the lesson summary and core properties.
Section 1
Plants Transport Water Through Vascular Systems
Vascular plants use specialized tubes called xylem to move water upward from roots to leaves, while phloem tubes transport sugars throughout the plant in both directions. The cambium layer produces these cells.
Section 2
Photosynthesis and Leaf Adaptations
Plants are essentially nature’s solar-powered kitchens.
Through photosynthesis, leaves capture sunlight and combine it with water and carbon dioxide to "cook" their own food (sugar) while releasing oxygen.
To manage this process, the leaf uses tiny adjustable pores called stomata to breathe in gases, while a protective waxy cuticle acts like a biological raincoat to prevent the plant from losing too much water to the heat.
Section 3
Roots Anchor Plants and Absorb Essential Resources
Roots secure plants in soil and absorb water and minerals through tiny root hairs. Different types include fibrous roots, taproots, aerial roots, and prop roots, each specialized for specific environments.
Section 4
Plants and Animals Exchange Gases During Respiration
Cellular respiration occurs when organisms break down sugar with oxygen to release energy. This process creates carbon dioxide and water as waste products, which plants then use for photosynthesis.
Section 5
Plant Classification Depends On Reproductive Structures
Plants divide into vascular and nonvascular types. Vascular plants include seedless plants that produce spores and seed plants like angiosperms (flowering plants with covered seeds) and gymnosperms (non-flowering plants with uncovered seeds).
Book overview
Jump across lessons in the current chapter without opening the full course modal.
Continue this chapter