Plant Structures – Leaves
Leaves are an essential part of the plant, forming what we call the plant’s shoot system along with the stem. These leafy structures work like food factories, making food for the entire plant. They are generally flat and spread out, designed to capture as much sunlight as possible, which they need to produce food through a process called photosynthesis.
Each leaf has a main vein that’s like a transport highway for the plant. This vein contains xylem and phloem – the plant’s special transport systems.
When you look at a leaf, the top surface that you see is a layer of cells known as the epidermis. It has a waxy covering called the cuticle, which helps keep water inside the leaf by preventing evaporation.
Underneath the leaf, there are tiny openings called stomata. These stomata are like little doors that allow air, including carbon dioxide, to enter the leaf – a crucial step for photosynthesis.
Under the epidermis, you’ll find the palisade layer, packed full of cells that contain many chloroplasts. This is where the magic of photosynthesis happens. Inside the chloroplasts, light energy is captured by a green pigment called chlorophyll. This energy then helps convert carbon dioxide and water into sugar and oxygen.
This sugar is a plant’s food, giving it the energy it needs to live and grow. The sugar is transported to all parts of the plant through the phloem vessels. And the oxygen? It’s a by-product of photosynthesis, and it’s released back into the air through the stomata, giving us fresh air to breathe.
Related Printables.
Classifying Plants in the Schoolyard
Plant Classification
Non-vascular Plants – Comprehension
Vascular Plants – Comprehension
Observing Vascular Tissue in Roots
The Parts and Function of Roots
All About Mangroves
Observing Vascular Tissue in the Stem
Stems – Comprehension
Observing Leaf Stomata
Leaves – Comprehension
Photosynthesis
Angiosperm Life Cycle – Comprehension
Fern and Moss Life Cycles
Vegetative Reproduction
Review – Plants
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