Plants: Classification of Plants

Activity 1.2: Collecting pictures of different plants

Grade Five learners went on a nature walk. They observed green plants. They identified flowering and non-flowering plants. They used digital devices to take pictures. They printed and displayed some of the pictures in photo albums, which they made out of locally available materials. They used their Art and Craft skills.

1 – CypressMango treeMossesTomato plant

2 – CypressMango treeMossesTomato plant

3 – CypressMango treeMossesTomato plant

4 – CypressMango treeMossesTomato plant

Activity 1.3: Observing and collecting plants in my locality

Your teacher, parent/guardian or care taker will guide you to observe and collect green plants in your locality. You will be guided to take care of plants in the environment. Use digital devices to take and share pictures of the plants you see.

Activity 1.4: Identifying plants in your local area

Work safely in groups. Identify some plants that grow in your locality. Name them in English and in the local language. What is the colour of their leaves and stems? Record whether the plants have flowers or not?

Activity 1.5: Practising safety when handling plants

Be Alert. Stay Safe.

As you collect and handle plants in your locality:

1. In what ways will you practice safety?
2. In what ways will you care for the environment?

Share your ideas with others. Ensure that you and others are safe.​

Activity 1.6: Identifying flowering plants in my locality

Work safely in groups. Observe the plants you have collected. Observe the pictures of the plants that you took. Identify the plants in English and in the local language. Record the colour of their leaves and their stems. Record whether the plants have flowers.

1. Name of the plant in English Language.
2. Name of the plant in the local Language where possible.
3. The colour of the leaves and stem.
4. The presence of flowers.

Classifying plants in our localities.

• Which ones are green?
• Which ones have flowers?
• Which ones did not have flowers at the time, but produce flowers seasonally?

Work safely in pairs. Talk about the plants labelled 1 to 6.

1 – Eucalyptus treesMaize plantPawpaw plantPea plantSugarcane plantTomato plant

2 – Eucalyptus treesMaize plantPawpaw plantPea plantSugarcane plantTomato plant

3 – Eucalyptus treesMaize plantPawpaw plantPea plantSugarcane plantTomato plant

4 – Eucalyptus treesMaize plantPawpaw plantPea plantSugarcane plantTomato plant

5 – Eucalyptus treesMaize plantPawpaw plantPea plantSugarcane plantTomato plant

6 – Eucalyptus treesMaize plantPawpaw plantPea plantSugarcane plantTomato plant

Complete this activity. Record your observations.

Learn more. Grow. Share the knowledge with your family and community members

1. In Grade Four, we learnt that plants have certain characteristics or features in common. Some plants are green. Others are not.
2. Some plants produce flowers. Others do not.
3. Grouping plants with common characteristics together is called classification of plants.
4. We may find that most plants in our local areas are classified as green plants.
5. Plants with green leaves, branches or stems are called green plants.
6. Plants can also be grouped as flowering and non-flowering plants.
7. Most plants around us are green. Their leaves, and sometimes stems, are green. They contain a green substance called chlorophyll. Green plants make their own food by photosynthesis.
8. Examples of green plants include grass, maize, bean, potato, papyrus, sweet potato, mangrove, acacia, tea, coffee and sugarcane plants.
9. Some green plants can grow very big such as eucalyptus and fig trees.
10. Some green plants are very small. They grow on moist rocks, on the barks of trees, and near rivers, ponds and oceans. Some grow in water, for example, alga. When they are many, they are called algae.
11. Some small green plants grow on damp walls, stones, cliffs or tree trunks, especially during the rainy season. They are called mosses.

Health Education: Plants are sources of food. Foods from plants are rich sources of nutrients. They are good for our health.

Activity 1.9: Find out more about flowering and non-flowering plants

Digital Lesson: Find out more about flowering plants

Use the Internet to search for examples of green plants. Record your findings and share them with others.

Activity 1.12: Differentiating flowering from non-flowering plants

Work safely in groups. Study the chart below. Talk about the differences between flowering and non-flowering plants. Use the features listed below to describe and record their characteristics.

Work safely in groups. Study these pictures. Talk about them.

Learn more. Grow. Share the knowledge with your family and community members

1. Some plants have flowers. Others do not have flowers.
2. Some plants may not have flowers at certain times during their growth. They produce flowers seasonally.
3. Flowering plants produce flowers. All flowering plants are also green plants. Examples of flowering plants are bean and maize plants. Others are mango and jacaranda trees.
4. Non-flowering plants do not produce flowers. Examples are ferns, algae, mosses, and coniferous plants such as pine, cedar and cypress. Pine, fir and cypress trees produce acorns. Cedar trees produce cones.
5. Some plants produce seeds but without any flowers. Others produce tiny and dust-like spores. In favourable weather conditions, the spores grow into new plants.