Description
This unit covers photosynthesis, including how plants produce carbohydrates, absorb water and minerals, and the role of leaf stomata in gas exchange. It highlights the importance of photosynthesis in sustaining life on Earth and explores the adaptations of leaves for photosynthesis.
Why this, why now
This unit builds on pupils’ prior learning from Breathing and respiration, where they explored how organisms use oxygen to release energy from food. It deepens their understanding by examining plant nutrition and photosynthesis, focusing on how plants produce their own food using light, carbon dioxide, and water. This prepares pupils for the next unit, Eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells, where they will apply their knowledge of energy processes to understand cellular structures and functions, highlighting the differences in how cells support life across various organisms.
Prior knowledge