EVS / Science

Plants Around Us

Class 3

🎯 Learning Objectives

I can name the different parts of a plant and their functions.
I can classify plants into trees, shrubs, herbs, creepers, and climbers.
I can explain how plants make their food (photosynthesis).
I can describe how plants grow from seeds.
I can list the uses of plants in our daily life.
I can explain why we should protect plants and trees.

📖 Let Us Begin!

Look around you — can you see any plants? Maybe a big tree in your garden, a small plant on your balcony, or grass in the park?

Plants are everywhere! They give us food, oxygen, shade, and beauty. Without plants, there would be no life on Earth because they make the oxygen we breathe.

Let us learn about the wonderful world of plants!

Parts of a Plant

Every plant has different parts, and each part has a special job:

Part	Where It Is	What It Does (Function)
Root	Underground (in soil)	Holds the plant firmly; absorbs water and minerals from soil
Stem	Above ground, holds the plant up	Carries water from roots to leaves; supports branches and leaves
Leaf	On branches/stem	Makes food for the plant using sunlight (photosynthesis); breathes
Flower	On branches	Helps the plant reproduce (make seeds); attracts insects
Fruit	Grows from flower	Protects the seeds inside; we eat many fruits
Seed	Inside the fruit	Grows into a new plant

Labelled diagram of a flowering plant showing roots, stem, leaves, flower, fruit, seeds

Think about it: The root is like the plant's mouth — it drinks water from the soil. The stem is like a straw — it carries water up to the leaves!

Types of Plants

Plants come in many sizes and shapes. We group them based on their size and stem:

Type	Size	Stem	Examples
Tree	Very tall (many metres)	Thick, hard, woody trunk	Neem, Banyan, Mango, Peepal, Coconut
Shrub	Medium (shorter than trees)	Hard, woody, branches near ground	Rose, Hibiscus, Tulsi, Lemon
Herb	Small (short)	Soft, green, thin stem	Mint, Coriander, Wheat, Rice, Tomato
Creeper	Grows along the ground	Weak, cannot stand alone	Pumpkin, Watermelon, Strawberry
Climber	Grows upward on support	Weak, needs support to climb	Money plant, Grapevine, Pea, Jasmine

Five types of plants — tree, shrub, herb, creeper, climber

How Plants Make Food (Photosynthesis)

Plants are amazing — they make their own food! This process is called photosynthesis.

What plants need to make food:

☀️ Sunlight — energy from the Sun
💧 Water — absorbed by roots from soil
💨 Carbon dioxide — taken from air through tiny holes in leaves (stomata)
🍃 Chlorophyll — green colour in leaves that captures sunlight

What plants give out:

🍽️ Food (glucose/sugar) — for the plant to grow
🌬️ Oxygen — released into the air (we breathe this!)

Photosynthesis diagram — sunlight, water, CO2 inputs and food, oxygen outputs

This is why leaves are green! The green colour (chlorophyll) helps leaves catch sunlight to make food. Without sunlight, plants cannot make food and will die.

How Plants Grow (From Seed to Plant)

Most plants grow from seeds. Here is how a seed becomes a plant:

Seed: A seed is planted in soil and watered.
Germination: The seed absorbs water, swells up, and a tiny root comes out.
Seedling: A small shoot grows upward. The first leaves appear.
Young plant: More leaves grow. The stem gets stronger.
Mature plant: The plant grows fully. Flowers appear.
Fruit and seeds: Flowers turn into fruits with seeds inside. Seeds fall and grow into new plants!

Seed germination steps — seed to mature plant with fruit

What do seeds need to grow?

Water (to soften the seed coat)
Air (for breathing)
Warmth (right temperature)
Soil (for nutrients and support)
Sunlight (once leaves appear)

Uses of Plants

Plants are extremely useful to us:

Use	What We Get	Examples
Food	Fruits, vegetables, grains, pulses	Mango, potato, rice, wheat, dal
Oxygen	Clean air to breathe	All green plants release oxygen
Medicine	Cures for diseases	Neem (skin), Tulsi (cold), Aloe vera (burns)
Wood	Furniture, houses, paper	Teak, Sal, Bamboo
Clothing	Cotton, Jute	Cotton plant → cloth; Jute → bags
Shade	Cool shade on hot days	Banyan, Neem, Peepal trees
Rubber	Tyres, erasers, gloves	Rubber tree (Kerala)
Spices	Flavour for food	Turmeric, Pepper, Cardamom, Clove
Oil	Cooking oil	Mustard, Coconut, Groundnut, Sunflower
Beauty	Gardens, parks, decoration	Rose, Marigold, Lotus

Protect Our Plants and Trees!

Trees and plants are being cut down for buildings, roads, and farms. This is called deforestation. We must protect them:

🌳 Plant more trees — celebrate Van Mahotsav (Tree Planting Week in July)
🚫 Do not cut trees unnecessarily
💧 Water plants regularly
🌿 Grow plants at home — on balconies, terraces, and gardens
📢 Spread awareness — tell others why trees are important
♻️ Use less paper — save trees!

One large tree gives oxygen for 4 people and absorbs harmful carbon dioxide. If we cut trees, we lose clean air, shade, and homes for birds and animals.

Interesting Facts About Plants

🌳 The Banyan tree is India's national tree. The largest one is in Kolkata (Great Banyan Tree).
🌸 The Lotus is India's national flower.
🎋 Bamboo is the fastest growing plant — it can grow up to 91 cm in one day!
🌵 Cactus stores water in its thick stem and can survive in deserts.
🍃 Leaves of the Touch-Me-Not plant (Mimosa) close when you touch them!
🌻 Sunflowers always face the Sun as it moves across the sky.
🇮🇳 India is the largest producer of spices in the world.

📝 Key Words

Word	Meaning
Photosynthesis	Process by which plants make food using sunlight, water, and CO₂
Chlorophyll	Green pigment in leaves that captures sunlight
Germination	When a seed starts to grow into a new plant
Root	Part of plant underground that absorbs water
Stem	Part that supports the plant and carries water
Stomata	Tiny holes in leaves for gas exchange
Deforestation	Cutting down trees on a large scale
Herb	Small plant with soft, green stem
Shrub	Medium plant with hard, woody branches near ground
Creeper	Plant that grows along the ground

⭐ Key Points to Remember

Parts of a plant: Root, Stem, Leaf, Flower, Fruit, Seed — each has a function.
Types: Trees (tall, woody), Shrubs (medium), Herbs (small, soft), Creepers (ground), Climbers (need support).
Photosynthesis: Sunlight + Water + CO₂ → Food + Oxygen (happens in leaves).
Seeds grow into plants through germination (need water, air, warmth, soil).
Plants give us food, oxygen, medicine, wood, cotton, rubber, spices, and shade.
Protect trees: plant more, don't cut, water regularly, use less paper.

Finished learning? Now test what you know!

🎯 Quick Quiz — Test Yourself!

Answer these 8 questions about plants. Read each one carefully and pick the best answer!

Score: 0 / 8

1. Which part of a plant takes in water and minerals from the soil?

The roots take in water and minerals from the soil and hold the plant firmly.

2. In which part of the plant does photosynthesis (food making) mainly happen?

Leaves make food using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide in a process called photosynthesis.

3. A tall plant with a thick, hard, woody stem is called a...

Trees are tall plants with thick, hard, woody stems, like mango and neem trees.

4. A plant that needs support to climb up is called a...

Climbers, like the money plant, need support to climb up. Creepers spread on the ground.

5. During photosynthesis, plants give out the gas ______ that we breathe in.

Plants give out oxygen during photosynthesis, which we need to breathe.

6. When a seed starts to grow into a new plant, it is called...

Germination is when a seed grows into a new plant. It needs water, air, warmth, and soil.

7. Which part of the plant usually grows into a fruit and holds the seeds?

The flower turns into a fruit, and the fruit holds the seeds.

8. Which is a good way to protect trees?

We protect trees by planting more, not cutting them, watering them, and using less paper.

✏️ Practice Questions

A. Fill in the Blanks

1. The part of the plant that absorbs water from soil is the .

2. Plants make food in their using sunlight.

3. The green colour in leaves is called .

4. The process by which plants make food is called .

5. A plant with a thick, hard, woody trunk is called a .

6. Pumpkin and watermelon are examples of .

7. When a seed starts to grow, it is called .

8. We get cotton from the plant.

9. India's national tree is the .

10. Cutting down trees on a large scale is called .

B. Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which part of the plant makes food?

(a) Root(b) Stem(c) Leaf(d) Flower

2. Which of these is a herb?

(a) Mango tree(b) Rose bush(c) Mint(d) Banyan

3. What do plants release during photosynthesis?

(a) Carbon dioxide(b) Oxygen(c) Nitrogen(d) Smoke

4. Which plant grows along the ground?

(a) Neem(b) Rose(c) Pumpkin(d) Money plant

5. What does a seed need to germinate?

(a) Only sunlight(b) Water, air, warmth(c) Only soil(d) Only darkness

C. Short Answer Questions

1. Name the six parts of a plant and write one function of each.

2. What is photosynthesis? What do plants need for it?

3. What is the difference between a tree and a herb?

4. Write four things we get from plants.

5. Why should we not cut trees? Write two reasons.

D. True or False

1. Roots absorb water from the soil.

2. Plants make food in their roots.

3. A creeper needs support to climb.

4. Bamboo is the fastest growing plant.

5. Plants take in oxygen and give out carbon dioxide.

E. Match the Following

Column A	Column B
1. Root	a. Makes food using sunlight
2. Leaf	b. Absorbs water from soil
3. Flower	c. Carries water to leaves
4. Stem	d. Grows into a new plant
5. Seed	e. Helps plant reproduce

🎨 Fun Activities

Activity 1: Grow a Seed

Take a few moong dal (green gram) seeds. Place them on wet cotton in a bowl. Keep in a warm place. Water daily. Observe for 5 days and draw what you see each day.

Activity 2: Leaf Collection

Collect 5 different leaves from your garden or park. Paste them in your notebook. Write the plant name, shape, and colour of each leaf.

Want to review the lesson again?

EVS / Science

Plants Around Us

Class 3 | CBSE / NCERT / ICSE

Name: Class: Date:

Parts of a Plant

Part	Location	Function
Root	Underground	Absorbs water; holds plant firmly
Stem	Above ground	Carries water; supports plant
Leaf	On branches	Makes food (photosynthesis)
Flower	On branches	Helps reproduce; makes seeds
Fruit	From flower	Protects seeds
Seed	Inside fruit	Grows into new plant

Types of Plants

Type	Size/Stem	Examples
Tree	Tall, thick woody trunk	Neem, Banyan, Mango, Peepal
Shrub	Medium, hard branches near ground	Rose, Hibiscus, Tulsi
Herb	Small, soft green stem	Mint, Coriander, Wheat
Creeper	Grows along ground	Pumpkin, Watermelon
Climber	Climbs with support	Money plant, Grapevine, Pea

Photosynthesis (How Plants Make Food)

What plants need: Sunlight + Water + Carbon Dioxide + Chlorophyll

What plants make: Food (glucose) + Oxygen

This happens in the leaves. The green colour (chlorophyll) captures sunlight.

How Seeds Grow (Germination)

Seed → Root comes out → Shoot grows up → Leaves appear → Plant grows → Flowers → Fruits with seeds

Seeds need: Water, Air, Warmth, Soil, Sunlight (after leaves appear)

Uses of Plants

Use	Examples
Food	Mango, potato, rice, wheat, dal
Oxygen	All green plants
Medicine	Neem, Tulsi, Aloe vera
Wood	Teak, Sal, Bamboo
Clothing	Cotton, Jute
Spices	Turmeric, Pepper, Cardamom
Oil	Mustard, Coconut, Groundnut
Rubber	Rubber tree (Kerala)

Protect Plants!

Plant more trees (Van Mahotsav — July)
Do not cut trees unnecessarily
Water plants regularly
Grow plants at home
Use less paper — save trees

⭐ Key Points

Parts: Root, Stem, Leaf, Flower, Fruit, Seed.
Types: Trees, Shrubs, Herbs, Creepers, Climbers.
Photosynthesis: Sunlight + Water + CO₂ → Food + O₂ (in leaves).
Germination: Seed grows into plant (needs water, air, warmth).
Uses: food, oxygen, medicine, wood, cotton, spices, oil.
Protect trees: plant more, don't cut, water regularly.

Practice Questions

A. Fill in the Blanks

1. The part that absorbs water from soil is the .

2. Plants make food in their using sunlight.

3. The green colour in leaves is called .

4. The process of making food is called .

5. A plant with thick, hard trunk is called a .

6. Pumpkin and watermelon are .

7. When a seed starts to grow, it is called .

8. We get cotton from the plant.

9. India's national tree is the .

10. Cutting trees on large scale is called .

B. Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which part makes food?

(a) Root(b) Stem(c) Leaf(d) Flower

2. Which is a herb?

(a) Mango(b) Rose(c) Mint(d) Banyan

3. Plants release _____ during photosynthesis.

(a) CO₂(b) Oxygen(c) Nitrogen(d) Smoke

4. Which grows along the ground?

(a) Neem(b) Rose(c) Pumpkin(d) Money plant

5. Seeds need _____ to germinate.

(a) Only sunlight(b) Water, air, warmth(c) Only soil(d) Only darkness

C. Short Answer Questions

1. Name six parts of a plant and one function of each.

2. What is photosynthesis? What do plants need?

3. Difference between a tree and a herb?

4. Write four things we get from plants.

5. Why should we not cut trees?

D. True or False

1. Roots absorb water from soil.

2. Plants make food in their roots.

3. A creeper needs support to climb.

4. Bamboo is the fastest growing plant.

5. Plants take in oxygen and give out CO₂.

E. Match the Following

Column A	Column B
1. Root	a. Makes food using sunlight
2. Leaf	b. Absorbs water from soil
3. Flower	c. Carries water to leaves
4. Stem	d. Grows into a new plant
5. Seed	e. Helps plant reproduce

🎨 Fun Activity: Grow a Seed

Place moong dal seeds on wet cotton. Keep warm. Water daily. Draw what you see each day for 5 days:

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