1. Natural Sciences and Technology Grade 6
Term 1: Life and Living
Topic 1: Photosynthesis
(PPT 1)

2. Topic 1 Photosynthesis Unit: Plants and Food
Gr 6 Natural Sciences and Technology – Term 1, Topic 1

3. How do plants keep alive?
Unlike humans and animals, plants are able to produce their own food.
Gr 6 Natural Sciences and Technology – Term 1, Topic 1

4. How do they do this? Through a process called photosynthesis.
photo = light
synthesis = putting together
Gr 6 Natural Sciences and Technology – Term 1, Topic 1

5. What is photosynthesis?
It is the process by which plants use sunlight energy, carbon dioxide (from the air) and water to produce food (glucose) and oxygen.
light + carbon dioxide + water ----> glucose + oxygen
Gr 6 Natural Sciences and Technology – Term 1, Topic 1

6. What is needed for photosynthesis to happen?
sunlight
carbon dioxide
water
chlorophyll
soil
Gr 6 Natural Sciences and Technology – Term 1, Topic 1

7. Sunlight Sunlight has energy.
Plants use this energy to make sugars from water and carbon dioxide.
This energy is used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.
Gr 6 Natural Sciences and Technology – Term 1, Topic 1

8. Carbon dioxide
The plant absorbs (takes in) carbon dioxide from the air through little holes.
The little holes are found all over the plant, but they are mostly under the leaves.
Gr 6 Natural Sciences and Technology – Term 1, Topic 1

9. Water All living things contain water.
Plants absorb water and nutrients from the soil through their veins.
Photosynthesis can only take place in a water solution.
Water helps to move the sugar from the leaves to where it is stored by the plant (e.g. roots or leaves or fruits).
The water also supports the plant to stand upright.
Gr 6 Natural Sciences and Technology – Term 1, Topic 1

10. Chlorophyll This is a green substance found in the leaves of a plant.
The plant uses chlorophyll to absorb light energy from the sun.
Plants need chlorophyll to use the sunlight energy to make food.
Gr 6 Natural Sciences and Technology – Term 1, Topic 1

11. Soil
There is mineral nutrients and water in the soil that are used by the plant for photosynthesis.
The soil also anchors the plant so that it does not fall over.
Gr 6 Natural Sciences and Technology – Term 1, Topic 1

12. Gr 6 Natural Sciences and Technology – Term 1, Topic 1

13. Gr 6 Natural Sciences and Technology – Term 1, Topic 1