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Teacher Background Information
Plant Life
Teacher Vocabulary
botanist – a scientist who studies
plants
bulb – a modified underground stem
and leaves that contain food for the
plant
carbon dioxide – a colorless gas in the
air that is absorbed by plants during
photosynthesis and released when
animals breathe
chlorophyll – the green pigment in
plants that captures light used in
photosynthesis
embryo – an undeveloped plant inside
a seed
flower – the reproductive part of a
plant composed of petals, stamen, and
carpel
fruit – the ripened ovary of a plant that
contains a seed or seeds
germinate – to grow from a seed into a
plant
herbaceous – a plant with little or no
woody tissue
leaf – a green, usually flat,
outgrowth from the plant stem; its
primary functions are to perform
photosynthesis and transpiration
nectar – the sweet liquid made by
plants that attracts insects and other
animals
oxygen – a gas that plants release;
animals need this in order to live
petal – the colorful leaf that surrounds
the reproductive parts of a plant
photosynthesis – the process that
plants use to convert carbon dioxide,
water, minerals, and energy from the
sun into starch for food
pollen – a fine powder-like material
produced by plants; pollen is the male
reproductive cells
pollination – the transfer of pollen from
the stamen to the carpel
rhizome – a thickened underground
stem that contains stored food for a
plant and can sprout new plants
Exerpted from the Plant Life Teacher’s Guide developed by the Center for Informal Science Education at the Florida
Museum of Natural History/University of Florida under Innovation and Improvement Project Grant #90YD0206 from the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start.
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