Plants

Vocabulary Building
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Plants in Our World



Plants are all around us. They make our world beautiful and give us oxygen. Let's learn about different plants.

Trees are big plants with trunks and branches. The cedar is an evergreen tree with wide spreading branches. It stays green all year. The fir is also an evergreen tree with flat needles, similar to a pine tree. Every tree has branches where leaves grow. The oak is a special tree with a long life. It produces small nuts and has big leafage. Near beaches, you can find palm trees that give us coconuts. The poplar is a tall and thin straight tree that you often see along roads.

All trees have roots under the ground that help them get water. The trunk is the body of the tree, and it supports all the branches.

Smaller plants include bushes, which are like dwarf trees. A cactus grows in dry places and has no leaves but it has stings, so be careful! Corn is a plant that gives food to animals and people. We also eat the grain from wheat. Grass is green and grows in gardens and lawns. People mow it to keep it short. A hedge is made of small bushes planted close together, often used to separate gardens.

Every plant has leaves that hang on branches. They are not fruits but are very important for the plant. Some plants grow in a marsh, which is soft, wet, low land. All plants start from a seed, and new plants can grow from them.

Many plants have beautiful flowers. The daffodil is a yellow flower that blooms in spring. The poppy is a flower with small black seeds, often red in color. The rose is a popular flower that has thorns on its stem. The tulip is a colorful flower shaped like a cup.



Questions:

1. What are two examples of evergreen trees mentioned in the text?
2. Which part of the tree is under the ground?
3. What does a hedge do for gardens?
4. Where does a cactus usually grow?
5. What is special about a rose stem?
6. Which flower is shaped like a cup?
7. What color is a daffodil?

True/False Statements:

1. A cedar tree loses all its leaves in winter.
2. The trunk is the main body of a tree.
3. Corn is only used as animal food.
4. A cactus needs a lot of water to grow well.
5. A poplar tree is short and wide.
6. Seeds can grow into new plants.
7. Roses don't have any thorns.

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Personal Questions

1. Do you have any cedar | oak | palm | poplar | fir trees near your home?

Model answer (cedar): Yes, I have two cedar trees in front of my house. They are very tall and always green. They give nice shade in summer. I like how they smell when it rains. Cedar trees are common in my neighborhood.

2. How often do you see bushes | hedges | grass | cacti in your daily life?

Model answer (hedges): I see hedges every day in my neighborhood. Many houses have hedges around their gardens. Our school also has a hedge near the entrance. They look nice when they are cut well. I think hedges make gardens look tidy.

3. What can you do with branches | leaves | seeds | roots?

Model answer (leaves): I can collect leaves in autumn for my school project. I sometimes press leaves in books to keep them. My mother uses some leaves for cooking. In our garden, we put fallen leaves in a special place to make soil. Leaves have many beautiful colors.

4. Which do you prefer: roses | tulips | daffodils | poppies | corn?

Model answer (tulips): I prefer tulips because they have many colors. I like red and yellow tulips the most. They grow in my grandmother's garden every spring. Tulips make me happy when I see them. They are easy to draw too.

5. Can you describe a marsh | trunk | branch | leaf that you have seen?

Model answer (trunk): I saw a very big trunk in the park last weekend. It was from an old oak tree. The trunk was so wide that I couldn't put my arms around it. It had rough, brown bark. I think the tree was very old.

6. Where would you plant a palm | cactus | rose bush | hedge | daffodil?

Model answer (cactus): I would plant a cactus in my bedroom next to the window. It doesn't need much water, which is good because I often forget to water plants. A small cactus looks nice on my desk. I like that cacti are easy to take care of.

7. What can you tell me about corn | grass | seeds | roots | poppies in your country?

Model answer (corn): In my country, many farmers grow corn in summer. We eat fresh corn in August and September. My family likes to grill corn at picnics. Sometimes we make popcorn at home for movies. Corn is not expensive in my country.

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One-Minute Talking Points

1. Cedar

• What is a cedar? (evergreen tree, wide branches)
• Where have you seen one?
• What do cedar trees look like?
• Why are cedars important?
• Do you like evergreen trees? Why?
• Can you describe a cedar's smell?
• How are cedars used by people?
• Would you plant a cedar? Why?

2. Branch

• What is a branch? (part of tree)
• What grows on branches?
• Have you climbed on branches?
• What happens to branches in storms?
• Why are branches important for trees?
• What animals use branches? How?
• What can people make from branches?
• Are all branches the same? Explain.

3. Oak

• What is an oak? (tree, long life)
• How can you identify oaks?
• Are there oaks where you live?
• Why are oak trees special?
• What foods come from oaks?
• How old can oak trees get?
• What do oak leaves look like?
• Would you like an oak tree?

4. Root

• What is a root? (under ground part)
• Why do plants need roots?
• What problems can roots cause?
• How deep can roots grow?
• Can we eat any roots?
• What happens if roots are damaged?
• How do roots find water?
• Do all plants have the same roots?

5. Bush

• What is a bush? (dwarf tree)
• What types of bushes do you know?
• Do you have bushes at home?
• What's the difference between trees and bushes?
• What animals live in bushes?
• What fruits grow on bushes?
• How do people use bushes in gardens?
• Are bushes easy to grow?

6. Grass

• What is grass? (green, garden plant)
• How often is grass cut?
• What sports are played on grass?
• Why is grass important for nature?
• Do you enjoy walking on grass?
• What animals eat grass?
• How does grass survive winter?
• Is there grass near your home?

7. Leaf

• What is a leaf? (grows on branch)
• What do leaves do for plants?
• What happens to leaves in autumn?
• What colors can leaves be?
• How do people use leaves?
• Why do some leaves change color?
• Can you name different leaf shapes?
• Do you collect leaves? Why?

8. Seed

• What is a seed? (new plant grows)
• What seeds can we eat?
• How do seeds travel to new places?
• Have you ever planted seeds?
• How long do seeds take to grow?
• What do seeds need to grow?
• Where do seeds come from?
• Why are seeds important for nature?

9. Rose

• What is a rose? (flower, thorn)
• What colors can roses be?
• When do people give roses?
• What do roses symbolize?
• Why do roses have thorns?
• Do roses grow in your country?
• What does a rose smell like?
• Have you ever received roses?

10. Tulip

• What is a tulip? (flower, cup-shaped)
• What colors can tulips be?
• Which country is famous for tulips?
• When do tulips usually bloom?
• Have you seen tulip gardens?
• Do tulips grow where you live?
• What do tulip leaves look like?
• Would you like to grow tulips?

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People should plant trees

Linkers: It's true, but..., I agree because..., I don't agree..., On the other hand..., For example...

For

• Trees give clean air and help us breathe — keywords: oxygen, clean air, breathe
• Trees make shade and cool places in summer — keywords: shade, cool, less heat
• Trees give food and homes to birds and animals — keywords: fruit, birds, home
• Trees make streets and parks beautiful — keywords: green, pretty, park
• Trees protect soil and help stop floods — keywords: roots, stop flood, soil

Against

• Cities have little space for new trees — keywords: no space, city, small
• Trees need water and care every week — keywords: water, care, time
• Old trees can drop branches and cause damage — keywords: branch fall, danger, repair
• Leaves make a lot of mess and need cleaning — keywords: leaves, clean, sweep
• Some trees cause allergies or bring insects — keywords: pollen, allergy, insects