In the science class, Ma’am Zainab asked all students, “Do you know how plants prepare their food?”
Everyone in the class shook their head and said, “No, ma’am”.
The teacher smiled and replied, “It’s ok. In today’s lecture, we will learn how plants prepare their food. Unlike our mothers who cook food for us, plants’ mothers don’t do it for them. Therefore, they collect their food items from the surrounding environment and utilize them to prepare food. Although like us, plants also drink water, they take water (H2O) from the soil with the help of roots, which absorb and transport it to the upper parts of the plant, i.e., stem and leaves via Xylem tissues. Along with water, plants take nutrients, like sulphur, phosphorus, nitrogen, etc., from the soil.ÔÇØ
Hassan asked, “Ma’am, do plants breath like us?”
“Yes, plants also breathe but not like us”, replied Ma’am Zainab. \”However, plants take in Carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air through tiny holes called “stomata” present in the leaves and release Oxygen(O2) in the air, which we utilize. Due to this reason, we should grow more plants.”
Ali raised his hand and asked, “Ma’am, why light is necessary for plants to grow?”
“Good question, Ali”, Ma\’am Zainab appreciated and further started explaining the concept that the plants get energy from the sunlight to make their food, which is captured by a green pigment “chlorophyll” present in the leaves. They use these three items: carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight to make “glucose”, which is a plant’s food and the most necessary element for them to grow. This process is called “photosynthesis”, which occurs in the chloroplast of leaves.
“My dear kids, plants eat their food daily to grow up faster” Ma’am Zainab suggested that the students should also eat food regularly to grow faster and stronger like plants.
