What Plants Need
Learn
What Do Plants Need?
All plants are living things. To stay alive and grow, plants need four important things: water, sunlight, air, and soil.
The Four Things Plants Need
- Water - Plants drink water through their roots
- Sunlight - Plants use light to make their own food
- Air - Plants breathe in air through tiny holes in their leaves
- Soil - Soil holds the plant up and gives it nutrients (vitamins)
How Plants Use What They Need
Plants are amazing! They can make their own food using sunlight, water, and air. This is called photosynthesis.
- Roots soak up water from the soil
- Leaves catch sunlight
- Leaves take in air
- The plant mixes these to make food!
What Happens Without These Things?
If a plant does not get what it needs, it will not be healthy:
- No water - The plant wilts and dries up
- No sunlight - The plant turns yellow and weak
- No soil - The plant cannot stand up or get nutrients
Examples
Let's see how plants use what they need!
Example 1: Watering a Garden
Sara waters her tomato plant every morning. Why?
Answer: The tomato plant needs water to drink! The roots soak up the water Sara pours. This helps the plant grow big and make tomatoes.
Example 2: A Plant by the Window
Mom put her plant near the window. Why did she do that?
Answer: Plants need sunlight! By the window, the plant gets lots of light. It uses the light to make food and stay green and healthy.
Example 3: A Wilting Flower
Ben forgot to water his flower for a week. The flower drooped and looked sad. What happened?
Answer: Without water, the flower could not stay strong. Plants need water to keep their stems standing up. Ben should water it right away!
Example 4: Growing in a Dark Closet
Jake put a bean plant in a dark closet. After two weeks, it turned yellow. Why?
Answer: Plants need sunlight to make food and stay green. In the dark closet, the plant could not make food. That is why it turned yellow and weak.
Example 5: Planting in Soil
Emma planted seeds in a pot of dirt. Why does she use soil?
Answer: Soil does two important jobs! It holds the plant up so it does not fall over. It also has nutrients (like vitamins) that help the plant grow strong.
Practice Problems
Answer these questions about what plants need!
1. Name the four things all plants need to live.
Show Answer
Plants need: water, sunlight, air, and soil.
2. What part of the plant soaks up water?
Show Answer
The roots soak up water from the soil.
3. A plant is turning yellow. What might it need more of?
Show Answer
It probably needs more sunlight. Plants turn yellow when they do not get enough light.
4. Why do we put plants near windows?
Show Answer
We put plants near windows so they can get sunlight. They need light to make food and grow.
5. What happens to a plant if you never water it?
Show Answer
The plant will wilt, droop, and dry up. It might die without water.
6. True or false: Plants can live without air.
Show Answer
False! Plants need air. They breathe in air through tiny holes in their leaves.
7. What does soil do for a plant?
Show Answer
Soil holds the plant up and gives it nutrients (vitamins) to help it grow.
8. Can plants make their own food?
Show Answer
Yes! Plants make their own food using sunlight, water, and air. This is called photosynthesis.
9. A flower is drooping. What should you do first?
Show Answer
You should water it! Drooping often means the plant is thirsty.
10. Which part of the plant catches sunlight?
Show Answer
The leaves catch sunlight. They use the light to help make food for the plant.
Check Your Understanding
Answer these questions to check what you learned!
1. What are the four things plants need to survive?
Show Answer
Plants need water, sunlight, air, and soil to survive and grow.
2. How do plants get water?
Show Answer
Plants get water through their roots. The roots soak up water from the soil.
3. Why is sunlight important for plants?
Show Answer
Sunlight helps plants make their own food. Without sunlight, plants turn yellow and cannot grow well.
4. What would happen to a plant with no water and no sunlight?
Show Answer
The plant would wilt, turn yellow, and die. It needs both water and sunlight to stay alive.
Next Steps
- Try growing a plant at home and watch it use water and sunlight!
- Look at plants around you - are they getting what they need?
- When you are ready, move on to What Animals Need
- Great job learning about plants!