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4th grade · Science · Unit 12 of 17

Built to Survive: Plants

Waxy leaves, deep roots, spines and other plant structures that help plants survive.

What your child practices

Practices how the structures and functions of plants help them survive in their environment: waxy leaves and spines that save water, deep or wide roots, thick stems that store water, and leaves shaped for sun or shade, with Texas plants such as prickly pear, mesquite, live oak and bald cypress.

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) teks student expectation: 4.13(A) · plant structures and functions that help plants survive in their environment

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Roots take in water and hold the plant in place.
  2. Stems carry water and hold up leaves. Some, like cactus pads, store water.
  3. Small, waxy or spiny leaves help desert plants lose less water.
  4. Seeds spread by wind, water or animals.

Example: Why do many desert plants have waxy leaves? Desert plants need to save water. A waxy coat keeps water in. Answer: to lose less water

Built to Survive: Plants in Texas

In the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), this is unit 12 of 17 in 4th grade Science, after Traits & Variation and before Seasons & Moon Phases.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Texas Education Agency (TEA)

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    Cactus spines are a kind of…

    • seed
    • root
    • leaf
    • flower

  2. Question 2

    Roots help a plant by…

    • holding it in place and taking in water
    • making flowers
    • making seeds
    • catching sunlight

  3. Question 3

    Spines on a cactus help protect it from…

    • rain
    • wind
    • animals that want to eat it
    • sunlight

  4. Question 4

    Why do many desert plants have small or no leaves?

    • To grow taller
    • To lose less water
    • To catch more rain
    • To attract birds

  5. Question 5

    Stems help a plant by…

    • eating insects
    • making seeds only
    • carrying water and holding up leaves
    • making pollen

  6. Question 6

    Which structure helps a plant in a dry place?

    • Very short roots only
    • A waxy leaf
    • A huge, thin leaf
    • Floating leaves

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