Getting to Know Plants

Write the names of trees that you can recognise. Try to remember where you have seen these trees. Which of these trees have you seen near your home or on your way to school?

Do you know what they are called in your mother tongue?

Watch for different kinds of grasses around you. How many kinds do you notice?

Write the names of some herbs that you have seen and where you have seen them.

What do you call it in your language?

Name these plants in your language. Say if they are a tree, shrub, climber or creeper.

Stand, in groups of two to four, next to any tree or shrub that is in or near your school. Now look around, as far as you can see. Remember to look down near your feet as well! How many kinds of trees, shrubs, herbs, grasses, climbers or creepers can you spot?

Choose one plant, preferably a shrub with a thick stem or a tree that you want to make friends with. Name your plant, just like you might name a pet. Take care of the plant by watering it each day. Also protect it as your friend. Now observe your plant friend closely. Here are a few things to observe — its leaves, flowers and fruits. Are there many, a few or no leaves, flowers and fruits?

Do you find new leaves growing on the plant? Do the colours of the leaves change as they grow larger?

Do the old brown leaves fall to the ground?

Do you find flowers appearing or notice any fruit?

Write about your plant in your notebook.

Observe the leaves in your surroundings. Draw, colour and label them in your notebook. Describe their colour, shape, size, texture and smell to your friend in the class. What statements can we make about leaves after doing this activity?

Blindfold yourself while your friend gradually brings a fruit close to you. From how far can you recognise the fruit with your eyes closed? Now repeat the same experiment with pieces of cut fruit. Was it easier to recognise cut fruit by the smell rather than the whole (uncut) fruit? Which fruit could you smell from farthest away?

What are the parts of a plant?

Touch and look carefully at the bark of a tree. Do you see any animals, insects or plants on it?

Press a sheet of paper on the bark. Gently move a crayon or a pencil repeatedly on it. See what you have! Write the name (or description) of your tree on the reverse of the paper. Now collect all the papers of your friends and see if you can guess the tree just by looking at its bark pattern.

Did you notice any other animals, birds and insects on the plant? What were they doing?

What would happen if there were no plants?

How does the root help a plant to grow?