Photosynthesis: Plants Make Food From Light
Grade 5th Grade · Science · 45 min
What's Included
Learning Objective
I can describe how plants use sunlight to make their own food.
Reading Passage
Plants: Making Food from Sunlight
Plants are like tiny food factories, and they use sunlight to make their own food in a process called photosynthesis. It's how they get the energy they need to grow big and strong!
To make food, plants need three main things: sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide. Plants take in water through their roots, and they get carbon dioxide from the air through tiny holes in their leaves. But the most important ingredient is sunlight. Plants have a special green pigment called chlorophyll, which captures the energy from sunlight. Chlorophyll is found in the leaves of plants.
Inside the leaves, plants use the energy from sunlight to turn water and carbon dioxide into sugar, which is their food. This process is like a secret recipe that plants use to create their own energy source. As they make sugar, plants also release oxygen into the air. This is the oxygen that we breathe!
Photosynthesis is super important because it not only feeds plants, but it also provides the oxygen that animals and humans need to survive. Without sunlight, plants couldn't make food, and the whole world would be a very different place.
Guided Notes
3 key concepts
- 1
Plants use a process called photosynthesis to make their own food from sunlight.
- 2
Plants need sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to make food.
- 3
Plants have a green pigment called chlorophyll that captures energy from sunlight and is found in the leaves.
Practice Questions
7 questions · Multiple choice & Short answer
Exit Ticket
Quick comprehension check
“Explain the process of photosynthesis in your own words, including the three things plants need and what they produce.”
Complete Lesson Package
Get all 3 ready-to-use resources:
