Grade 4 (age 9-10)

Plant Classification

Some plants grow flowers, while others like ferns and mosses never flower. We sort plants into groups by whether they flower and by their seed leaves, veins, and roots. A desert cactus or a pond lily shows how a plant's shape fits its home. Tap through the steps to compare monocots and dicots.

Let's classify plants

🌿 Plant Classification Criteria

①Does it flower? → Flowering / Non-flowering

②How many cotyledons? → Monocot / Dicot

③Non-flowering: ferns / mosses

④Group plants by shared features

Monocots and Dicots

🌾 How to Tell Them Apart

①Cotyledons: monocot 1 / dicot 2

②Veins: parallel (mono) / net-like (di)

③Roots: fibrous (mono) / tap (di)

④Petals: 3-multiples (mono) / 4-or-5-multiples (di)

Plants in Different Environments

🏜️ Adaptation to Environment

①Desert: cactus — water in stem, spines instead of leaves

②Pond: water lily — wide leaves float

③Mountain: pine — needle leaves reduce water loss

④Tropics: broad leaves catch lots of sunlight

Summary

Plant Classification

Plants → Flowering (mono/di) / Non-flowering (fern/moss)

Classify by flowering and number of cotyledons

Monocot Features

1 cotyledon + parallel veins + fibrous roots

Rice, corn, barley, etc.

Dicot Features

2 cotyledons + net-like veins + tap root

Rose, bean, apple tree, etc.

🎯 Key Points

①Plants are classified by features

②Flowering plants: monocots and dicots

③Non-flowering: ferns and mosses

④Plant shape adapts to environment

⑤Distinguish by veins, roots, and cotyledons

Examples and Unit Test

Example 1

A plant has parallel leaf veins and fibrous roots. Is it a monocot or a dicot?

A monocot has one cotyledon, parallel veins, and fibrous roots.

Since the veins are parallel and the roots are fibrous, it is a monocot (such as rice or corn).

▸ A monocot

Parallel veins, fibrous roots, and one cotyledon mean a monocot.

Example 2

A cactus lives well even in a dry desert. Thanks to what structures?

A cactus has a thick stem that stores water inside it.

Its leaves are also turned into spines, which reduces water loss.

▸ Thanks to its water-storing thick stem and spine-shaped leaves

The structure of a plant matches the features of the environment it lives in.

Unit-test style

Which statement about plant classification and features is correct?

①A monocot has net-like veins

②A dicot has two cotyledons

③Moss is a flowering plant

④A cactus has wide leaves that release a lot of water

⑤Rice is a dicot

▸ ② A dicot has two cotyledons

A dicot is characterized by two cotyledons, net-like veins, and a taproot.

A monocot has parallel veins (①), moss does not flower (③), a cactus has spine leaves that release less water (④), and rice is a monocot (⑤).

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