Chapter 3 of 12
Chapter 3: Plants Around Us
Big Trees, Small Shrubs, Herbs, Creepers, Leaves and Flowers | CBSE Session 2026–27
Core Pedagogical Competencies & Concepts
- Classification: Trees, Shrubs, Herbs, Climbers, Creepers
- Parts of a Plant (Root, Stem, Leaf, Flower, Fruit)
- Functions of Leaves and Roots
- Uses of Plants in Daily Life
All Textbook Exercises & In-Text Tasks (15 Questions)
100% Complete Ingestion
Q1
Think and Tell
What is a 'Tree'? Give two examples of trees found in India.
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
A tree is a very big, tall, and strong plant with a thick, woody stem called the 'trunk'. Examples: Neem tree, Banyan tree (or Mango tree).
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Definition with woody trunk
1
Two valid examples
1
Q2
Shrubs vs Herbs
How are shrubs different from herbs? Give one example of each.
[3 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
• Shrubs: Medium-sized bushy plants with thin, hard, woody stems branching near the ground (e.g., Rose, Hibiscus).
• Herbs: Very small plants with soft, tender green stems; they live only for one season (e.g., Mint, Coriander, Spinach).
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Shrubs characteristics and example
1.5
Herbs characteristics and example
1.5
Q3
Climbers and Creepers
Why do climbers need support to grow upright, whereas creepers spread on the ground?
[3 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
• Climbers have thin and weak stems; they use tendrils to wind around supports like walls or sticks to climb upward (e.g., Money plant, Pea).
• Creepers also have weak stems, but they bear big, heavy fruits (like Pumpkin, Watermelon) so they crawl along the ground.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Climber reason and example
1.5
Creeper reason and example
1.5
Q4
Parts of a Plant
Name the five main parts of a plant and state what the root does.
[3 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
The five main parts are:
1. Roots
2. Stem
3. Leaves
4. Flowers
5. Fruits.
Function of Root: Roots fix the plant firmly in the soil and absorb water and minerals from the ground.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Listing 5 parts
1.5
Function of roots
1.5
Q5
Kitchen of the Plant
Why are green leaves called the 'kitchen' or 'food factory' of a plant?
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Green leaves prepare food for the whole plant using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide from air through the process of photosynthesis.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Food preparation role
1
Using sunlight, air, and water
1
Q6
Uses of Plants
List four things we get from plants that we use daily.
[4 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Four things obtained from plants:
1. Food (Fruits, vegetables, grains, pulses)
2. Oxygen for breathing
3. Wood for furniture and paper for books
4. Medicines (Neem, Tulsi) and cotton for clothes.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
1 mark per correct daily plant product
4
Q7
Medicinal Plants
Name two plants that are used as home medicines and state their benefits.
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
1. Tulsi: Its leaves relieve cough, cold, and sore throat.
2. Neem: Its leaves and bark heal skin wounds and purify blood.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Tulsi with use
1
Neem with use
1
Q8
Match the Following
Match the plant type with its example:
(a) Tree -> (i) Money plant
(b) Shrub -> (ii) Mango
(c) Herb -> (iii) Cotton plant
(d) Climber -> (iv) Coriander
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
(a) Tree -> (ii) Mango
(b) Shrub -> (iii) Cotton plant
(c) Herb -> (iv) Coriander
(d) Climber -> (i) Money plant.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
All 4 correct pairs
2
Q9
True or False
State True or False:
(a) Banyan tree has roots hanging from its branches called prop roots.
(b) Cactus plant grows in water bodies.
(c) Leaves are green due to a substance called chlorophyll.
[3 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
(a) True
(b) False (Cactus grows in dry deserts)
(c) True.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
1 mark per correct statement
3
Q10
Fill in the Blanks
Fill in the blanks:
(a) The thick woody stem of a tree is called the ________ (trunk / root).
(b) ________ (Water lily / Cactus) is an aquatic plant that floats on water.
(c) Seeds are protected inside the ________ (fruit / leaf).
[3 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
(a) trunk
(b) Water lily
(c) fruit.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
1 mark per correct word
3
Q11
Life Cycle of Plant
What does a tiny seed need to germinate into a healthy young plant?
[3 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
A seed needs three essential things to germinate:
1. Water (moisture)
2. Air (oxygen)
3. Warmth (sunlight).
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Water, Air, Warmth
3
Q12
Edible Plant Parts
Which plant part do we eat when we consume:
(a) Carrot
(b) Spinach
(c) Sugarcane
(d) Apple?
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
(a) Carrot - Root
(b) Spinach - Leaf
(c) Sugarcane - Stem
(d) Apple - Fruit.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Correct plant part for all 4 foods
2
Q13
Environmental Value
Why should we not pluck flowers and leaves unnecessarily from public gardens?
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Plucking flowers damages plants, deprives butterflies and honeybees of nectar, and ruins the natural beauty for everyone.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Hurts plant and pollinators
1
Destroys beauty
1
Q14
Thorn Defense
Why do plants like Rose and Cactus have sharp thorns?
[1 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Thorns protect the plant from grazing animals like goats and cows so they are not eaten up.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Protection from grazing animals
1
Q15
Activity & Observation
How can you show that plants give off clean oxygen?
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
When an aquatic plant (like Hydrilla) is kept in a glass of water under sunlight, small gas bubbles of oxygen can be observed rising to the surface.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Hydrilla experiment with rising bubbles
2
🌟 NEP 2020 Competency-Based Case Study
Practical Application Task
Analytical Task: Classify each of the 5 plants Ravi saw into their correct plant categories.
Evaluation & Model Answer:
Plant classification:
1. Banyan - Tree (Tall with thick woody trunk)
2. Rose - Shrub (Medium bushy plant with woody stems)
3. Mint - Herb (Small plant with soft green stem)
4. Grapevine - Climber (Weak stem needing support to climb)
5. Watermelon - Creeper (Weak stem crawling on ground with heavy fruits).
Rubric: [object Object],[object Object]