• the importance of green plants in our daily lives

• the environmental conditions that favour plant growth

• the process of photosynthesis as a chemical reaction which stores light energy in chemical form

• the structural features of a leaf which promote photosynthesis

• the structural features of the root and stem which allow water to be absorbed and transported to the leaf

After viewing and doing relevant follow-up work the pupils should be able to:

• describe some of the ways in which plants can be used in the production of food, medicines, fuel, building materials and clothing

• explain that green plants are responsible for making the oxygen in the atmosphere

• describe how the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the temperature and the intensity of light all affect plant growth

• describe the structure of a plant leaf

• explain the importance of chloroplasts as the site where photosynthesis takes place
• state the chemical equation that describes photosynthesis

• explain how the sugar made as a product of photosynthesis is used to make cellulose and starch

• describe how plants absorb water through their roots and transport it up their stems
• explain why leaves have different shapes according to the conditions in which they grow