Photosynthesis: How Plants Make Food
Grade 6th Grade · Science · 45 min
What's Included
Learning Objective
I can describe how plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to make their own food.
Reading Passage
Plants Making Food with Photosynthesis
Plants are like tiny food factories, and they use a special process called photosynthesis to make their own food. Unlike humans who need to eat, plants can create their own energy using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide.
Photosynthesis happens inside plant cells in structures called chloroplasts. Chloroplasts contain a green pigment called chlorophyll, which captures energy from sunlight. Think of chlorophyll as tiny solar panels inside the leaves.
Plants also need water, which they absorb through their roots. The water travels up the stem to the leaves. Carbon dioxide, a gas found in the air, enters the leaves through small openings called stomata.
Inside the chloroplasts, chlorophyll uses the energy from sunlight to combine water and carbon dioxide. This process creates glucose, a type of sugar that is the plant's food. The plant uses this glucose to grow, develop, and carry out its life processes.
As a byproduct of photosynthesis, plants release oxygen into the air. This is the oxygen that we breathe! So, plants not only make their own food but also provide us with the air we need to survive. Photosynthesis is essential for life on Earth.
Guided Notes
3 key concepts
- 1
Plants use a process called photosynthesis to make their own food using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide.
- 2
Photosynthesis occurs in plant cells inside structures called chloroplasts, which contain a green pigment called chlorophyll.
- 3
Plants release oxygen into the air as a byproduct of photosynthesis, which is essential for life on Earth.
Practice Questions
7 questions · Multiple choice & Short answer
Exit Ticket
Quick comprehension check
“Describe how plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide in the process of photosynthesis to create their own food.”
Complete Lesson Package
Get all 3 ready-to-use resources:
