Year 3 - Science
What plants need: do
What plants do and what they need
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit explores the functions of different parts of flowering plants, including roots, stems, leaves, and flowers. It investigates plant requirements for growth and the role of flowers in pollination, seed formation, and dispersal. Emphasis is on practical enquiries, and data presentation.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to set up a comparative test investigation to find out what plants need.
Key Notes
- Scientists can investigate what plants need by observing plant growth when requirements are removed.
- In a comparative test investigation, variables must be kept the same so only one thing is changed and one is measured.
- Scientists create a schedule for observations and choose a method to record change, such as a diary or photograph log.
Vocabulary To Learn
- plant: A plant is a living thing that often has roots, a stem and leaves.
- comparative test: In a comparative test, the thing that is being changed has labels, such as the types of materials.
- variables: Variables are the things that can be changed, measured or kept the same in a comparative or fair test.
- record: To record information is to keep it so that it can be passed on to others. This can be done in many ways including notes, photos and drawings.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Pupils may not see the need to use a second plant in their investigation that has all of its needs met, as they will be able to observe changes in the plant from which they are removing a requirement.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the scientific idea in this lesson using two key points.
Scientists can investigate what plants need by observing plant growth when requirements are removed. In a comparative test investigation, variables must be kept the same so only one thing is changed and one is measured.
2. Define this scientific word and use it in context. 'plant'
A plant is a living thing that often has roots, a stem and leaves. Include the word in a full scientific explanation, not as a single label.
3. Correct this common scientific misunderstanding.
Mistake: Pupils may not see the need to use a second plant in their investigation that has all of its needs met, as they will be able to observe changes in the plant from which they are removing a requirement. Correction: Explain that we need an additional plant with all of its needs met so that we can make direct comparisons between this plant and the one we are depriving of something.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Comparing what plants need in different habitats Study Guide
- How water is transported in plants Study Guide
- Life cycle of a flowering plant Study Guide
- Nutrients and fertilisers for plants (non-statutory) Study Guide
- Plants without roots Study Guide
- Pollination Study Guide
- Seed formation and seed dispersal Study Guide
- The function of flowers Study Guide
- The function of leaves Study Guide
- The function of roots Study Guide
- The parts of a flower Study Guide
- What plants need: final review Study Guide
- What plants need: plan Study Guide
- What plants need: review Study Guide
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