Plants
Key points
- Plants are living organisms and include trees, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae.
- The scientific study of plants is known as botany.
- All plants are classified and have scientific names.
- A plant's scientific name is the key to finding out all sorts of information about that plant species.
- Plants have a life cycle.
- Plants have the ability to adapt to their environment.
- Australia has many unique plants.
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Classification
- The traditional ways of classifying plants have been based on the visible physical characterists of the plant. With DNA technologies, now scientists also use genetic characteristics to classify plants.
- The scientific names of plants tell us something about the plant.
Growth and change
- All plants need these things to grow: room to grow, the right temperature, light, water, air, nutrients and time.
- Plants convert light to energy using a process called photosynthesis. Check the photosynthesis diagram.
- There are various parts of a plant and parts of a flower. Try this activity on flower parts.
- Seeds and trees also have different parts.
Life cycle
- All plants have a life cycle. Look at a diagram of a life cycle.
- Seeds need to germinate before they can grow. Follow the video and germinate some seeds. There are many ways that seeds are dispersed.
- Plants are pollinated to reproduce.
Environment
- Plants have the ability to adapt to different environments.
- Plants help people and the environment in many ways.
Australia
- Australia has a floral emblem and so does every state and territory of Australia.
- Australia has a variety of beautiful native plants.
- History - early naturalists of Australia.
General
- Plant glossary.
- Ask a scientist - check out answers given to school children at the Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens.
- Visit Botany Bay- the large area of water was given the name by Captain James Cook because of the large number of plants discovered there by Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander, scientists on his voyage to Australia.
- Watch this National Geographic video on plants.
More information
- Starting to grow - where do plants come from?
- Plant glossary
- Life cycle of plants
- Seeds - the begining of a plant life cycle
- Activity - build a virtual garden
- Activity - make a salad from plant parts
- Activity - save this garden
- Scientific information about trees
- Changing colour of leaves
- Photosynthesis
- All about seeds
- Plant parts
- Science and plants for schools
- Botanical record breakers
- Australia's biggest, tallest and oldest
- Gardening for kids
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Doing it by the book
As a parent it's only natural to want to help your child, but when it comes to homework and study, the completed work should be theirs.
Here are some important points to remember to ensure your child is following good practice for a lifetime of learning.
