Primary Booklet: Parts of a Plant and their Functions

One of a series of booklets written to support plant science in the Primary Curriculum. This topic introduces pupils to the basic parts of a flowering plant, with a range of fun activities to reinforce pupil learning.

This topic introduces pupils to the basic parts of a flowering plant - the root, stem, leaf and flower. It provides a range of activities that include growing plants from seed (inside or outside the classroom), ways of making simple models of a plant and card games that are fun but at the same time reinforce pupil learning and help them to be ready to move on to the next stage.

The 6 'Plants for Primary Pupils' booklets were written in conjunction with the Field Studies Council, and copies were sent out to all UK state primary schools. For extra print copies, please contact the FSC. The booklets can also be downloaded in PDF form from the links on the right. Worksheets are also available online in Word format for editing in your own classroom.

Contents

Parts A to F are available as separate pdf files. Some items in Part F are also available as Word files. Download them from the links on the right.

Part A

• Front page
• Safety
• Copyright information and acknowledgements
• Introduction

Part B

• Growing seedlings
• Activity 1: Growing seedlings in the classroom (1)
• Activity 2: Growing seedlings in the classroom (2)
• Growing a sugar snap pea

Part C

• Games with cards
• Activity 1: Flash cards
• Activity 2: Loop cards (plant part dominoes)
• Activity 3: Snap
• Activity 4: Memory game of matching pairs
• Activity 5: Happy families
• Activity 6: Traditional game of bingo
• Activity 7: Plant splat

Part D

• Create a plant
• Building a plant game

Part E

• Background information for teachers

Part F

• Templates - for card sets, grids (bingo and splat) and plant parts. Templates - for card sets, grids (bingo and splat) are also available as Word documents

Acknowledgements

Science and Plants for Schools and the Field Studies Council are grateful for permission to include the following copyright photographs and artwork. Photographs: John Bebbington - figures 3(b), 11 (inset); Leighton Dann - figures 6, 7, 8; Maggie Bolt - figures 10(a), (b). All artwork, including cartoons and cover , is by Anne Bebbington, with the exception of Linda Gray - figures 1, 3(a)

Members of the Writing Group: Anne Bebbington (FSC), Colin Bielby (Manchester Metropolitan University), Janette Kean (Learning and Teaching Scotland), Ruth Thomas (Cavendish School) and Erica Clark (SAPS, editor). We are grateful to the following who reviewed the text and activities during the development of this booklet: Rosemary Boaz, Mary Haworth, Judy Vincent, Paul Warwick.