What Plants Need to Thrive · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

What Plants Need to Thrive

Science · Organisms & Life Processes · ages 7-8
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. A cactus and a fern need the exact same amount of water.

    Circle one:   True   False

  2. Which of these is NOT something a plant needs to grow?

    • Sunlight
    • Nutrients from soil
    • Loud music

  3. Look at the chart. Which plant needs more water?

    Cactus1Fern5
    • Cactus
    • Fern
    • They need the same

  4. Which plant is best suited to a hot desert with very little rain?

    • A cactus
    • A fern
    • Both do equally well

  5. A fern's soil dries out and no one waters it for a week. What will most likely happen?

    • It will wilt or turn brown
    • It will grow faster than usual
    • Nothing will change

  6. Ten seedlings share one small pot. Three seedlings share an identical pot. Which group has more room to grow well?

    ?
    • The group of 10
    • The group of 3
    • Both grow the same

  7. A gardener plants 12 tomato seedlings in a pot meant for 3, keeping the same water, light, and soil. What will most likely happen?

    • The seedlings will compete and grow poorly
    • The seedlings will all grow tall and strong
    • The crowding will have no effect

  8. Mia says all plants need the same amount of water since every plant needs water to live. What is wrong with her idea?

    • Plants need water, but the amount needed is different for each kind
    • Plants do not actually need any water
    • Only desert plants need water
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

What Plants Need to Thrive W1-mt_lutxvMlkwS-s1

  1. False · A cactus needs very little water. A fern needs a lot more.
  2. Loud music · Plants need air, light, water, nutrients, and space, not sound.
  3. Fern · The bar for the fern is much taller, so it needs more water.
  4. A cactus · Cactuses store water in their stems, so they survive long dry spells.
  5. It will wilt or turn brown · Ferns need steady moisture. Without water, they wilt and can die.
  6. The group of 3 · Fewer seedlings sharing the same space means more light, water, and nutrients for each one.
  7. The seedlings will compete and grow poorly · With that many plants sharing one small pot, each seedling gets less light, water, and nutrients, so they grow poorly.
  8. Plants need water, but the amount needed is different for each kind · Needing water is true for every plant, but how much varies a lot, like cactuses needing far less than ferns.
Worksheet · LightMySky