Preschool - Science

What Plants Need Preschool Worksheet

6 printable versions - On Level - About 4 minutes each

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What Plants Need

Preschool - Science - On Level

Worksheet 1

  1. What is missing? The soil is dry.

    Read aloud: Nobody has watered these flowers for a whole week. They still have their sunny window and their good soil. Point to the one thing they are missing.

    A group of flowers.A set of flowers arranged in rows to be counted.flowerflowerflowerflower

  2. What is missing? It lives in the dark.

    Read aloud: Someone waters this tree every morning and its soil is deep and good, yet it is going pale in a closet with the door shut. Point to the one thing it is missing.

    One tree.A picture of one tree.tree

  3. What is missing? It is on a stone path.

    Read aloud: These acorns get rain and sunshine every day on their stone path, yet nothing sprouts. Roots have nowhere to go. Point to the one thing they are missing.

    A group of acorns.A set of acorns arranged in rows to be counted.acornacorn

  4. What do you plant to grow one?

    Read aloud: The garden has good soil, plenty of sun, and a watering can. To grow a new flower, what do you put in the ground? Point to it.

    A group of flowers.A set of flowers arranged in a single row to be counted.flowerflower

  5. What comes up first?

    Read aloud: The planted acorn has soil, water, and light. In a few days something small and green pokes through. Point to what comes up first.

    A group of acorns.A set of acorns arranged in a single row to be counted.acornacornacorn

  6. One plant did not grow. What did it miss?

    Read aloud: Three plants got the same soil and the same water. Two sat by the window and grew; one sat in a closed box and did not. Point to what the box kept away from it.

    A group of leaves.A set of leaves arranged in rows to be counted.leafleafleafleaf
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About this worksheet

Every question on this page describes a plant that already has most of what it needs and is missing exactly one thing, so your child has to listen to the whole clue before pointing. A pot of flowers sits in a sunny window with good soil but has not been watered for a week. An acorn sits on a stone path with rain falling on it and sunshine all day. A plant is watered every day but lives in a dark closet. Naming the missing thing is real reasoning, and it is the reason the answers are not interchangeable. Your child answers by pointing at a picture of a watering can, the sun, soil, or a seed, so no reading is required at any level. Afterwards, put the idea to work: choose one houseplant, decide together what it already has, and give it the one thing it needs.

What your child will learn

  • Work out which single thing a plant is missing
  • Connect dry soil with water and a dark place with light
  • Know that seeds need soil to grow roots into
  • Recognize a sprout as the first thing that comes up

Worked example

The page shows a leafy tree. You say it is watered every day and its soil is good, but it lives in a dark closet. Water and soil are already there, so your child points to the sun.

Common mistake

Pointing to the watering can every time, because watering is the plant job children see adults doing most often.

Helpful hint

Say out loud what the plant already has, then choose the one thing left over.

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Questions parents ask

What is the most common mistake with what plants need?
Pointing to the watering can every time, because watering is the plant job children see adults doing most often.
How can I help my child with what plants need?
Say out loud what the plant already has, then choose the one thing left over.
Are these preschool science worksheets free to print?
Yes. All 6 printable versions on this page are free to download and print, with no account needed.

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