# Getting to Know Plants

## Overview

In this chapter, students explore the diverse types of plants in their surroundings. They observe how plants differ in size, shape, and structure, and learn how plants are grouped based on their features such as stems, roots, and growth habits. The chapter encourages curiosity about nature, promotes observation skills, and emphasizes the importance of plants in our daily lives.

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## Key Topics Covered

### 1. Observing Plant Diversity

* Children notice various plants while walking to school—some tiny, some tall and bushy.
* They describe leaves with different textures and flowers of different colors.
* They observe how plants grow and change over time.

### 2. Trees

* **Features**: Large plants with woody trunks and deep roots.
* **Examples**: Mango, Coconut, Jackfruit, Peepal, Banyan, Amaltas, Chinar.
* **Activity**: Students recall and write names of trees they’ve seen.

### 3. Shrubs

* **Definition**: Medium-sized bushy plants with many woody stems.
* **Examples**: Rose, Hibiscus, Holy Basil (Tulsi), Curry Leaf.
* **Activity**: Identify shrubs and note their local names.

### 4. Herbs and Grasses

* **Herbs**: Small plants with soft, green, non-woody stems.

* **Examples**: Mint, Tomato, Coriander, Mustard.
* **Grasses**: A type of herb with hollow stems and thin, flat leaves.

* **Examples**: Wild grasses, sugarcane, bamboo.
* **Grains**: Seeds like wheat, rice, jowar, bajra, ragi.

### 5. Climbers and Creepers

* **Climbers**: Have thin stems and need support to grow upward.

* **Examples**: Money Plant, Jasmine, Bottle Gourd.
* **Creepers**: Spread along the ground.

* **Examples**: Pumpkin, Watermelon.
* **Observation**: Some plants behave as climbers or creepers depending on support.

### 6. Leaves and Their Characteristics

* Leaves differ in **shape, color, size, texture, and smell**.
* Students observe and record information about a plant they “befriend.”
* **Examples**: Mango, Tulsi, Coriander, Mint, Lemon Grass.

### 7. Fruits and Flowers

* Flowers change into fruits over time.
* Observing color, texture, and scent helps identify fruits.
* Students conduct a **blindfold activity** to test their sense of smell using fruits.

### 8. Parts of a Plant

* Main parts: **Roots, Stem, Leaves, Flowers, Fruits, Seeds**.
* Illustrated example: Tomato plant with labeled parts.

### 9. Bark Observation

* Tree bark is the hard outer covering of a trunk.
* Children observe textures by making bark rubbings with crayons.
* Learn that animals and insects may live on or near bark.

### 10. Amazing Plant Facts

* Sugar is made from sugarcane stems.
* Bamboo is the tallest grass.
* Rafflesia, found in Mizoram, is the world's largest flower.

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## New Words / Terms – Simple Definitions

| Term | Definition |
| ------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Tree | A large plant with a trunk, branches, and deep roots. |
| Shrub | A bushy plant with many stems, shorter than a tree. |
| Herb | A small plant with soft, green, non-woody stems. |
| Grass | A type of herb with narrow leaves and hollow stems. |
| Climber | A plant that grows upward by climbing on support. |
| Creeper | A plant that grows along the ground. |
| Stem | The part of the plant that supports it and carries water and nutrients. |
| Roots | The part of the plant that grows under the ground and absorbs water. |
| Leaf | The green part of the plant that makes food. |
| Bark | The outer covering of a tree trunk. |

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## Practice Questions

### Easy (3)

1. **Name any three trees you see around your home.**
**Answer**: Mango, Neem, Peepal.
**Explanation**: These are tall plants with a big trunk and many branches.

2. **What part of the plant grows under the ground?**
**Answer**: Roots.
**Explanation**: Roots absorb water and nutrients from the soil.

3. **Which part of the plant carries food and water to other parts?**
**Answer**: Stem.
**Explanation**: The stem connects roots and leaves, helping in transport.

### Medium (2)

4. **What is the difference between a shrub and a tree?**
**Answer**: Shrubs are smaller and bushier with many stems; trees are taller with a single trunk.
**Explanation**: Shrubs like tulsi are short, while trees like mango are tall.

5. **Why do climbers need support to grow?**
**Answer**: Because they have thin, weak stems that can't stand upright.
**Explanation**: They climb walls or other plants for support.

### Difficult (3)

6. **How are herbs different from shrubs and trees?**
**Answer**: Herbs are soft-stemmed and smaller, while shrubs and trees have woody stems.
**Explanation**: Herbs like coriander are tender and green.

7. **Describe what you observe when a fruit ripens.**
**Answer**: It changes color, becomes soft and smells sweet.
**Explanation**: For example, jamun turns from green to purple when ripe.

8. **How can you identify a plant by looking at its leaves?**
**Answer**: By observing the shape, size, color, texture, and smell.
**Explanation**: Tulsi and mint have unique smells and textures.

### Very Difficult (2)

9. **Why is bamboo considered a grass and not a tree?**
**Answer**: Because it has a hollow stem like grasses and grows from the base.
**Explanation**: Though tall, its structure is more like grass.

10. **If plants did not exist, what would happen to the environment?**
**Answer**: Animals and humans would lack oxygen and food; the ecosystem would collapse.
**Explanation**: Plants produce oxygen and form the base of the food chain.

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