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Photosynthesis Curriculum-Based Readers Theatre Script

Developed by Dr. Rosalind M. Flynn

1 And now for a public service announcement—

2 Plants of the world—are you wilting and sluggish?

3 Are you famished?

4 Are you dehydrated?

1 Then you need...

All Photosynthesis! [gesture] [sound effect]

5 Yes, that’s right! With...

All Photosynthesis! [gesture] [sound effect]

5 ...you plants will be able to...

All ...make your own food! [gesture] [sound effect]

6 “Photo” is the Greek word for “light.”

All “Photo” means “Light!” [gesture] [sound effect]

7 And “synthesis” means “putting together.”

All “Synthesis” means “putting together.” [gesture]

8 Here’s how it works:

9 Since you are “planted” in one place,

All Your ingredients need to come to you! [gesture]

10 Those ingredients are carbon dioxide,

11 water,

12 and light. [gesture]

All Carbon dioxide, water, and light. [gesture]

13 Carbon dioxide is a chemical compound in the atmosphere.

All CO2, CO2! [gesture]

1 Humans use oxygen from the air to breathe, but every plant breathes CO2.

2 You plants use tiny openings just like human mouths to breathe in...

All CO2, CO2! [gesture]

3 These openings can only be seen with a microscope!

All That small? Whoa! [gesture]

4 But wait—There’s more! You plants also need to drink or you will die!

All Die? Oh my! [gesture]

5 What do plants drink? Juice?

All No! Plants drink water!

6 And they don’t drink it from a cup.

7 They suck the water up into their bodies through their roots.

All [sound effect]

8 We’ve covered two of the three ingredients of photosynthesis—

All Carbon dioxide and water.

9 So what’s left?

All All you need is light. [gesture]

10 Like a light bulb?

All Sunlight! Plants need sunlight! [gesture]

11 Yes, inside your leaves are tiny cells called chloroplasts.

All Chloroplasts in the leaves! [gesture]

12 And this is where the magic happens!

All [gesture] [sound effect]

13 Chloroplasts take the carbon dioxide,

1 the water,

2 and the light,

3 and turn these ingredients into sugar and oxygen.

4 The most magical part?

5 Inside your chloroplasts is chlorophyll.

All Chlorophyll makes your leaves green!

6 So that’s photosynthesis:

All Carbon dioxide and water and light produce sugar and oxygen.

7 It happens to every plant.

8 You plants wouldn’t exist without...

All Photosynthesis! [gesture] [sound effect]

9 Humans and animals need the oxygen you produce.

10 And they give you the carbon dioxide you need.

11 There is enough carbon dioxide in the atmosphere for you plants to survive by yourselves,

12 But—without you plants...

13 People and animals wouldn’t survive.

1 So, remember—combine...

All ...carbon dioxide and water and light...[sound effect]

2 ...and you plants will be able to...

All ...make your own food! [gesture] [sound effect]

3 To feel energetic, nourished, and hydrated, use it daily—

All Photosynthesis! [gesture] [sound effect]

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