PARTS OF PLANTS: STEMS

The stem of a plant grows above the ground.
It supports the leaves, the flowers and the fruit.
The stem usually divides up into branches.
There are two types of stems:

• Woody stems are hard and rigid. They are called trunks. Trees and bushes have trunks.
• Herbaceous stems are soft and flexible. They sometimes branch into smaller stems.

PARTS OF PLANTS: ROOTS

The roots of a plant are nearly always underground.
Types of roots:

• Taproots: A taproot is a main root with smaller roots branching out from it.
• Fibrous roots: Grasses have a lot of very fine roots, called fibrous roots.
• Carrots and beetroot have a thick taproot which stores food.

Root

Taproot

Fibrous roots

Carrots. Photo from Essential Health Magazine

Beetroots. Photo from Photo dictionary.

PARTS OF PLANTS

Picture from Heights Technology Blog

REMEMBER

PLANTS
Plants are living things. They need water, air, sunlight and nutrients from the soil.

THE PARTS OF PLANTS
Plants have a stem, leaves and roots.
Plants can be trees, shrubs or grasses, depending on the type of stem.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PLANTS
Plants provide animals with food and oxygen.
They also provide people with many products, such as wood, paper and cotton.

STRAWBERRY TREES

Strawberry trees grow wild in the countryside in some parts of Europe and North America.
They are also grown in many gardens because they are very attractive.
Unlike other trees, the fruits of the strawberry tree take a whole year to ripen and the flowers appear in the autumn.
So, at this time of the year, strawberry trees are very beautiful with their red fruits and white flowers.
The shiny green leaves stay on the tree all year round.

Photo by Mike Peel (http://www.mikepeel.net/) on Wikipedia

Photo from San Diego Plant Pictures

KEEPING HEALTHY ACTIVITIES AND TEST

THE FOOD WHEEL

The food wheel is a wheel shaped guide of healthy foods divided into sections to show the recommended intake for each food group.

• The wheel is divided into food groups. You need to eat foods from all the groups, but eat more foods from the groups in the bigger sections.
• There are smaller pictures of foods in some groups. You shouldn't eat too many of these foods.
• In the centre, there are two very important things to remember: drink a lot of water and do a lot of exercise.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A HEALTHY DIET

• Eat five meals a day: breakfast, a morning snack, lunch, an afternoon snack and dinner.
• Eat a variety of foods to obtain all the nutrients you need.
• Don't eat too much processed food (it can contain too much fat and sugar).
• Don't eat too much salt, it can be bad for your circulatory system.
• Drink at least two litres of water a day.

DIET

A diet is everything a person normally eats and drinks every day.

• A balanced diet gives you the right amount of nutrients.
• A sufficient diet gives you the right amount of energy you need, but not too much.

A balanced, sufficient diet is different for every person.

FIBRE

Fibre is the part of fruit and vegetables we do not use.
Our bodies eliminate fibre in our faeces.
Fibre is very important to help our digestive system to function correctly.
Fruit and vegetables, cereals, pulses and nuts contain fibre.
Wholegrain foods also contain fibre.

VITAMINS AND MINERALS

We need vitamins and minerals to be healthy and to prevent illnesses.
We find them in many different foods, but especially in fruit and vegetables.
Calcium is a very important mineral because it make up our bones.
Calcium is found in dairy products such as milk and cheese.

PROTEINS

Proteins form part of our muscles and organs.
We need them to grow.
Proteins are found in meat, fish, eggs, dairy products and pulses.

CARBOHYDRATES

Carbohydrates give us energy, but less than fats.
Some carbohydrates are sweet: sugar, honey and fruit.
Other carbohydrates are not sweet: bread, rice, pasta, potatoes and pulses.

FATS

Fats give us energy.
There are fats in butter, oil, margarine, cream and bacon.
And also in sausages, hamburgers, meat and cakes.
Too much fatty food can make you obese.
Animal fats are bad for your circulation.
Vegetable oils are healthier.

NUTRIENTS

The food we eat contain nutrients.
The main nutrients are fats, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals.

A HEALTHY DIET (THINGS YOU CAN DO TO STAY HEALTHY)

Eat a healthy diet!

Photo from Healthy child blog

EXERCISE AND SPORT (THINGS YOU CAN DO TO STAY HEALTHY)

Sport and exercise are essential for good health:

• It makes your muscles stronger and makes you more flexible.
• It's good for your heart and blood circulation.
• It helps you to mantain your correct weight.
• It's a way to have fun with your friends.

Photo by Pedro Dias, in Wikipedia

REST (THINGS YOU CAN DO TO STAY HEALTHY)

Sleep about ten hours to stay healthy.

Image from Sleep Deprived

HYGIENE (THINGS YOU CAN DO TO STAY HEALTHY)

Hygiene means keeping clean:

• Clean your teeth after every meal to prevent tooth decay.
• Go to the dentist every six months for a check up.
• Have a shower every day. Wash your hands before meals and after yo go to the toilet.
• Wash fresh food, such as fruit.

REMEMBER

HEALTHY HABITS
People are healthy when their bodies function well.
We should practise healthy habits to prevent illness.

A HEALTHY DIET
A healthy diet means eating a variety of foods.
Food are classified into six groups: cereals, fats, dairy products, proteins, vegetables and fruit.

LIVING FOR OVER A HUNDRED YEARS

Okinawa, in Japan, has one of the largest populations of people over a hundred years old.
Doctors are trying to explain why Okinawa is so special.
What helps people live to be over a hundred?
There are several reasons for this.
In Okinawa, the climate is mild.
The people have a healthy diet.
They do a lot of exercise in the fresh air.
And... they are always in a good mood!

INSIDE YOUR BODY ACTIVITIES

Here you have some activities to practice what we studied about the Systems in our Body.

EXCRETION

Our body produces waste substances that can make us ill.
Blood is continuously collecting waste from all parts of the body.
For this reason, blood has to be cleaned.
Excretion is the process in which blood is cleaned and waste substances are eliminated.
The excretory system is responsible for this process.
The kidneys are the organs that filter blood and remove waste substances from it.
They produce urine, which is a mixture of waste substances and water.
Urine is stored in the bladder until it is expelled from the body.

Excretory (Urinary) System, from Wikipedia.

Excretory System, from Wikipedia.