photosynthesis. All living things must
eat food to live. Did you know that
plants are living things? How do you
think plants eat? If I handed a plant a
hamburger could the plant eat it with
its mouth? Of course not!  Plants don't
have mouths so they do not eat in the
same way that you and I do. Instead
plants get their food through a process
called photosynthesis.  Photosynthesis is
the process that allows green plants to
make their own food. Yes!  Plants can make
their own food!
Maybe, if we break down the word
photosynthesis into smaller components
you can get a better idea of what it
means.  Photo means light, and synthesis
means "to make".  Plants use light to create
their food which gives the plant energy.
So, where does the plant get its source
of light, you ask?  Well, the best source of
light for plants comes from the sun.
Let's take a closer look at the process
of photosynthesis.  Photosynthesis occurs
in the leaves of plants.  Specifically in
super tiny structures of the leaves
called chloroplasts.  In each chloroplast
there are molecules called chlorophyll
which give the plant's leaves its green
color. There are three things that are
absolutely necessary for a plant to
perform photosynthesis.  Number one: carbon
dioxide.  Carbon dioxide is a gas in the
air.  When we breathe outward we are
putting carbon dioxide into the air
which the plants will absorb through
their leaves to use for photosynthesis.
Number two: water.
All living things also need water.  Plants
are able to absorb water in soil with
their roots and send it to the leaves.
Number three: sunlight.  If we remember,
photo means light and light is a very
important ingredient for photosynthesis.
Now that we have all three pieces of
photosynthesis, let's put them together
to see how photosynthesis makes plant
food.  First, water reaches the roots of
plants when the soil gets wet and is
sent up to the leaves.  Carbon dioxide is
also being absorbed by the leaves and
into the chloroplasts at the same time.
The light energy from the Sun is then
absorbed by the chlorophyll.  When all
three of these ingredients come together
within the plant, photosynthesis occurs
and the plant makes its own food.  The
food that the plant makes is called
glucose, which is a type of sugar that
the plant uses to grow tall and strong.
Not only do plants use ingredients to
make their own food, but when the process
of photosynthesis is over with the plant
releases things called byproducts into
the atmosphere.
These products include oxygen.  Wait a
second!  Don't we need oxygen to breathe
in! And, do you remember what we breathe
out that plants need?  That's right!
Carbon dioxide.  We breathe out carbon
dioxide, which the plants take in, and
then the plant creates oxygen which we
need to survive and grow as well.  What a
beautiful process.  Not only do plants
rely on photosynthesis, but we do as well.
Let's work together to make sure that
plants are protected because we need
them just as much as they need us.
