Chapter 4: Getting to Know Plants
Chapter at a Glance
Gopu, Simmi and Raj walk to school every day and notice that plants come in many shapes and sizes: tiny, bushy, tall, thin and curvy. Raj’s favourite is a jamun tree with thick, shiny leaves, tiny white flowers and fruits that turn from green to red to purple. The children learn that plants can be grouped as trees, shrubs, herbs, grasses, climbers and creepers.
Trees have a thick woody trunk, many branches and deep roots, like mango, banyan and peepal. Shrubs are medium-sized plants with several woody stems close to the ground, like hibiscus, rose and tulsi. The dals we eat come from shrubs. Herbs are small plants with soft green stems, like mint, tomato and coriander. Grasses are a kind of herb with long thin leaves and hollow stems. Rice, wheat, bajra and jowar are seeds of grasses, and sugarcane and bamboo are tall grasses. Climbers, like the money plant and jasmine, grow upwards with support, while creepers, like pumpkin and watermelon, spread on the ground.
The children make friends with a plant and observe its leaves, flowers and fruits. They notice that leaves differ in colour, shape, size, texture and smell. They learn the parts of a plant (root, stem, leaf, flower, fruit and seed) and make bark rubbings with crayons. Fun facts: sugar comes from the sugarcane stem, bamboo is the tallest grass, and the Rafflesia flower is as big as an umbrella.
Word Meanings
| Word | Simple Meaning |
|---|---|
| Tree | A big plant with a thick woody trunk and branches |
| Trunk | The thick main stem of a tree |
| Shrub | A medium-sized bushy plant with several woody stems |
| Herb | A small plant with a soft green stem |
| Grass | A plant with long, thin, flat leaves and a hollow stem |
| Climber | A plant with a weak stem that climbs on a support |
| Creeper | A plant with a weak stem that spreads on the ground |
| Woody | Hard like wood |
| Vine | A long, thin climbing or creeping stem |
| Bark | The hard outer covering of a tree trunk |
| Texture | How something feels when you touch it |
| Root | The part of a plant under the soil |
| Pulses (dal) | Seeds like moong, masoor, toor and urad |
| Blindfold | To cover the eyes with a cloth |
Important Topics
1. Types of Plants
| Type | Features | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Trees | Tall; thick woody trunk; many branches; deep roots | Mango, banyan, peepal, coconut, jackfruit, khejri, amaltas, chinar |
| Shrubs | Medium height; many woody stems near the ground | Hibiscus, rose, tulsi, curry leaf |
| Herbs | Small; soft green stems | Mint, tomato, coriander, mustard |
| Grasses | Thin flat leaves; hollow stems | Wild grass, paddy, wheat, bamboo, sugarcane |
| Climbers | Thin weak stems; climb on support | Money plant, jasmine, bottle gourd |
| Creepers | Thin weak stems; spread on the ground | Pumpkin, watermelon |
2. Food from Plants
- Pulses (toor, masoor, moong, urad) are seeds of shrubs.
- Grains (rice, wheat, bajra, jowar, ragi) are seeds of grasses.
- Sugar is made from the sugarcane stem.
3. Make Friends with a Plant
- Choose a plant, give it a name, water and protect it.
- Observe its leaves, flowers and fruits over time: new leaves, colour changes, falling leaves.
4. Leaves
- Leaves have different colours, shapes, sizes, textures and smells.
- Tulsi, mint, coriander, curry leaves and lemon grass have strong smells.
5. Parts of a Plant
| Part | Job |
|---|---|
| Root | Holds the plant in the soil and takes in water |
| Stem | Holds the plant up and carries water to the leaves |
| Leaf | Makes food for the plant |
| Flower | Becomes the fruit |
| Fruit | Holds the seeds |
| Seed | Grows into a new plant |
6. Fun Facts
- Bamboo is the tallest grass.
- Rafflesia, found in Mizoram, is the biggest flower, as big as an umbrella.
Question-Answers
Very Short Answer Questions
- Name the three children in the chapter. Gopu, Simmi and Raj.
- Which tree is Raj’s special tree? The jamun tree.
- What colour do ripe jamuns turn? Purple.
- Name a shrub. Hibiscus (or rose, tulsi).
- Name a herb. Mint (or coriander, tomato).
- Which plants have hollow stems? Grasses.
- Name two tall grasses. Sugarcane and bamboo.
- Is the money plant a climber or a creeper? A climber.
- Is pumpkin a climber or a creeper? A creeper.
- What is bark? The hard outer covering of a tree trunk.
- Which is the biggest flower? Rafflesia.
Short Answer Questions
Q1. What is the difference between a tree and a shrub?
A tree is tall and has one thick woody trunk with branches. A shrub is medium-sized and has several woody stems growing close to the ground.
Q2. What are herbs?
Herbs are small plants with soft green stems that do not become woody, like mint, coriander and tomato.
Q3. How are climbers different from creepers?
Both have thin, weak stems. Climbers grow upwards by climbing on a support, like the money plant. Creepers spread along the ground, like the pumpkin.
Q4. Which grains are seeds of grasses?
Rice (paddy), wheat, bajra, jowar and ragi are all seeds of large grasses.
Q5. How do leaves differ from each other?
Leaves differ in colour, shape, size, texture and smell. Some are smooth and shiny, some are rough, and some, like tulsi and mint, have a strong smell.
Long Answer Questions
Q1. Explain the different types of plants with examples.
Trees are tall with thick trunks, like mango and banyan. Shrubs are bushy with many woody stems, like rose and hibiscus. Herbs are small with soft stems, like mint and coriander. Grasses have thin flat leaves and hollow stems, like wheat and bamboo. Climbers climb on supports, like the money plant and jasmine. Creepers spread on the ground, like pumpkin and watermelon.
Q2. Name the parts of a plant and their uses.
The root holds the plant in the soil and takes in water. The stem supports the plant and carries water. Leaves make food. Flowers turn into fruits. Fruits hold seeds, and seeds grow into new plants.
Textbook Exercise Answers
A1. What would happen if there were no plants?
We would have no food, no fresh air, no wood, no cotton for clothes and no shade. Animals would have no food or homes. Life would not be possible.
A2. How does the root help a plant to grow?
The root holds the plant firmly in the soil and takes in water and nutrients from the soil.
A3. What is the role of the stem?
The stem holds the plant upright and carries water from the roots to the leaves and food to other parts.
B1. Plants around us (sample)
| Plant | Type |
|---|---|
| Neem | Tree |
| Rose | Shrub |
| Coriander | Herb |
| Doob grass | Grass |
| Money plant | Climber |
| Pumpkin | Creeper |
B2. Which part helped you identify the type of plant? The stem: thick and woody for trees and shrubs, soft for herbs, and thin and weak for climbers and creepers.
B3. Describe your favourite plant (sample). My favourite plant is the mango tree. It is tall, gives cool shade, and has sweet fruits in summer.
C. Draw leaves of different shapes, like peepal (heart-shaped), mango (long) and lotus (round).
D. Make a rangoli using fallen leaves and flowers.
Other in-text questions
- Local names: Marigold is Banthi (Telugu) and a shrub; Neem is Bevugida (Kannada) and a tree; Ber is Boroi (Manipuri) and a tree or shrub.
- Snake gourd is a climber.