---
title: "How Plant Parts Work"
description: "Identify and describe the functions of different parts of flowering plants: roots absorb water and nutrients, stems transport materials, leaves make food, flowers enable reproduction"
canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/how-plant-parts-work-mt_6xsEXxKdUX
source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/how-plant-parts-work-mt_6xsEXxKdUX.md
retrieved: 2026-11-12
---

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# How Plant Parts Work

Identify and describe the functions of different parts of flowering plants: roots absorb water and nutrients, stems transport materials, leaves make food, flowers enable reproduction

Subject: Science · Area: Organisms & Life Processes · Ages 7 to 8
Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/how-plant-parts-work-mt_6xsEXxKdUX

## Ready when they can

- Describe the function of roots (absorb water and minerals from soil)
- Explain that the stem transports water up and food around the plant
- State that leaves use sunlight to make food and flowers produce seeds for new plants

## Lesson: How Plant Parts Work

You have named roots, stems, leaves and flowers. Each part helps the plant in a different way. Roots take in water and minerals dissolved in soil water. Minerals help growth, but they are not the plant's sugary food. Roots also help hold the plant in place.

The stem carries water and minerals from roots to leaves. It also carries sugary food from leaves to parts that need it. Food may travel upwards to growing shoots or downwards to roots.

Leaves use energy from sunlight to make sugary food from water and carbon dioxide, a gas in the air. If light cannot reach a leaf, it cannot use light to make food. In flowering plants, seeds start to form inside flowers, not roots. Growing seeds use food made by leaves.

*(drawing: This is one food route. Other routes lead to roots and growing shoots.)*

**Example.** Ben's sunflower has pathways inside its stem that carry water and food. If the stem is cut right through, the upper part is separated from the roots. The cut breaks the pathways between those parts. It does not give the roots or leaves a new job.

**Recap.** Roots take in water and minerals. Stems carry water and food. Leaves use sunlight to make food. Seeds start to form in flowers.

*Lesson, questions and flashcards written for this dataset.*

## Practice

8 questions on this page, each with its working shown.

## Needs first

- [Parts of a Plant](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/parts-of-a-plant-mt_xT6jPzyj92)

## Opens up

- [Structures for Survival](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/structures-for-survival-mt_8VA40Tumth)
- [Water Transport in Plants](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/water-transport-in-plants-mt_GF6L7J4MNN)
- [Pollination & Seed Dispersal](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/pollination-and-seed-dispersal-mt_WNBHZ1d94L)