Plants and Their Needs — Answer Key
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. Roots pull water up from the soil into the plant.
Roots work like drinking straws — they soak up water from between the bits of soil and send it up through the stem to the rest of the plant.
2. Soil gives plants minerals they need to grow big.
Minerals are tiny bits inside soil that act like plant vitamins; roots soak them up with water to help build strong stems, roots, and leaves.
3. Sunlight gives plants the energy to make their own food.
Just like a battery powers a toy, sunlight powers plants; the leaves use that energy to mix water and air into sugary food.
4. Plants that get too much water can have roots that rot.
Too much water pushes the air out of the soil, and roots need air to stay healthy, so they start to rot and fall apart when they sit in soggy soil.
5. A plant left in the dark for too long will wilt and droop.
In the dark, a plant cannot make food from sunlight, so it runs out of energy, loses its strength, and slowly flops over.
6. Healthy soil is soft and loose, not hard like a rock.
Loose soil has pockets of air and space for water, which lets roots push through easily and breathe, so plants grow much better in it.
7. Rain gives outdoor plants the water they need to survive.
Rain is nature's way of watering outdoor plants, soaking the soil so roots can drink their fill without anyone needing a hose.
8. Leaves turn toward the sun to catch as much light as they can.
Plants slowly tilt their leaves toward the sun because more sunlight means more food, and this helpful movement is called phototropism.
9. Worms help keep soil healthy by making tiny tunnels for air.
As worms crawl through the ground they leave behind little tunnels that let air and water reach the roots, which is a huge help for plants.
Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1. Match each item to its correct answer.
water
→ keeps roots wet and carries nutrients
gives plants carbon dioxide for food
sunlight
→ provides energy for making food
keeps roots wet and carries nutrients
soil
→ holds the plant and supplies minerals
provides energy for making food
air
→ gives plants carbon dioxide for food
holds the plant and supplies minerals
Each match shows a different job: water delivers nutrients inside the plant, sunlight powers food-making, soil anchors roots and stores minerals, and air gives plants the carbon dioxide they need to cook up their meals.