Year 1 Science: Leaves: catching sunlight
Part of the Year 1 Science parts of a plant chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page · Download worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF)
Leaves: catching sunlight
Most leaves are green and flat. Their flat shape helps them to catch the sunlight. Leaves use sunlight to make food for the plant.
The thin lines on a leaf are called veins. The veins carry water and food around the leaf.
Key ideas
- Most leaves are green and flat.
- Leaves catch sunlight.
- Leaves use sunlight to make food for the plant.
- The thin lines on a leaf are called veins.
Method. Look at the leaf in the picture, and think about the leaves you have seen.
- Look at the leaf. The leaf in the picture is green.Green
- Think about other leaves. Most leaves on plants are green.Most leaves are green
- Write the answer. Green
Check. Look at the leaves on a tree or in a park. Most are green. ✓
Watch out. Some leaves turn other colours in autumn, but most are green in summer.
Method. Think about what the leaf needs to do.
- Think about sunlight. The leaf needs to catch sunlight.Leaf catches sunlight
- Think about the shape. A flat shape has a large space to catch more sunlight.Flat = catches more sunlight
- Write the answer. So they can catch more sunlight.
Check. Hold a flat card in the sun and a ball of paper. Which one catches more light? ✓
Watch out. The flat shape helps the leaf catch more sunlight.
Method. Look closely at the leaf.
- Look at the lines on the leaf. The thin lines run through the leaf.Thin lines
- Name them. The thin lines on a leaf are called veins.Veins
- Write the answer. veins
Check. Find the veins on a leaf from the park. ✓
Watch out. The veins carry water and food around the leaf.
Watch out
Watch out: a leaf is not a petal. Leaves are usually green and flat. Petals are often bright and soft.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Collect a few fallen leaves from the ground in a park or garden. Do not pick leaves from living plants. Let your child sort them by size and look at the veins. Wash hands after.
Try it at home
Make a leaf rubbing. With a grown-up, find a fallen leaf on the ground. Put it under a sheet of paper and rub gently over it with the side of a crayon. Look at the veins that show up. Wash your hands afterwards.
Exercise 3D Leaves: catching sunlight
Method. Think about the leaves you have seen.
- Look at the leaves on trees and plants. Most leaves you see are green.Green
- Write the colour. Green is the most common colour for leaves in summer.Green
- Write the answer. green
Check. Look at a leaf outside. It is green. ✓
Watch out. Some leaves change colour in autumn, but most are green.
Method. Think about where the leaves are on a plant.
- Look at the picture. The leaves are joined to the long part in the middle.Leaves joined to the middle part
- Name the part. The leaves grow on the stem.Stem
- Write the answer. stem
Check. Look at the plant in the picture. Each leaf is joined to the stem. ✓
Watch out. The leaves are not joined to the roots.
Method. Think about the leaves you have seen.
- Look at a leaf. Most leaves are flat and wide.Flat and wide
- Decide. Most leaves are flat, so the sentence is true.True
- Write the answer. True
Check. Press a leaf between your hands. It is flat. ✓
Watch out. Flat leaves catch more sunlight.
Method. Think about what leaves catch.
- Read the sentence. The leaves need light to make food for the plant.light for food
- Name it. Leaves catch sunlight to make food.Sunlight
- Write the answer. sunlight
Check. Leave a leaf in the sun and it will be warm. ✓
Watch out. Leaves catch sunlight. They do not catch rain.
Method. Look at the thin lines on the leaf.
- Look at the lines. The lines run through the whole leaf.Thin lines
- Name them. The thin lines on a leaf are called veins.Veins
- Write the answer. veins
Check. Count the thin lines on one side of the leaf. ✓
Watch out. The middle line is also part of the leaf’s veins.
Method. Think about what a leaf does with sunlight.
- Think about sunlight. A leaf catches sunlight.Catches sunlight
- Decide. Leaves use sunlight to make food, so the sentence is true.True
- Write the answer. True
Check. Leaves catch sunlight to help the plant make food. ✓
Watch out. Leaves make food from sunlight.
Method. Think about the part of each food.
- Think about each food. An apple is a fruit. A carrot is a root.Apple: fruit. Carrot: root.
- Choose the leaf. A lettuce is made of leaves.Lettuce = leaves
- Write the answer. lettuce
Check. Look at a lettuce. You can see its green leaves. ✓
Watch out. Lettuce is leaves that we eat.
Method. Think about what leaves do for the plant.
- Think about sunlight. Leaves catch sunlight.Leaves catch sunlight
- Think about food. Without leaves, the plant cannot make enough food.No leaves = not enough food
- Write the answer. Leaves catch sunlight to make food, so the plant may not get enough food.
Check. Never pick leaves off a plant. Leave it to grow. ✓
Watch out. Leaves are the plant’s food makers.
Method. Add the big leaves and the small leaves.
- Count the big leaves. There are 4 big leaves.4 big
- Add the small leaves. Add the 3 small leaves to the 4 big leaves.4 + 3 = 7
- Write the answer. 7
Check. Count all the leaves again: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. ✓
Watch out. Count the big and small leaves together.
Method. Think about what each food is made of.
- Look at each food. Lettuce, cabbage and spinach are all leaves.Lettuce, cabbage, spinach: leaves
- Find the one that is different. A carrot is a root, not a leaf.Carrot: root
- Write the answer. carrot. It is a root; the others are leaves.
Check. Look at a carrot and a lettuce side by side. ✓
Watch out. The odd one out is different from all the other three.
Method. Think about how to compare two things.
- Think about size. We can compare sizes by putting leaves together or by measuring them.Compare or measure
- Choose a way. Put the leaves side by side and look, or measure each with a ruler.Side by side, or ruler
- Write the answer. Put the leaves side by side and compare them, or measure each one with a ruler.
Check. Try it with two leaves from the ground. ✓
Watch out. Accept any sensible way to compare, such as side by side or with a ruler.