The Process of Photosynthesis

Introduction

Unlike humans, plants don’t eat food—they create it using sunlight, water, and air! This incredible process is called photosynthesis. In this WebQuest, you’ll step into the shoes of a plant scientist to explore how photosynthesis happens and why it’s essential for all life on Earth.

Task

Your mission is to:

  1. Learn about the steps and parts involved in photosynthesis.

  2. Create a simple diagram of the process.

  3. Present a mini-project (poster, slideshow, or short explanation) to show what you’ve learned.

Process

Follow the steps below to complete your mission:

Step 1: Watch & Learn

Watch a video that explains the basics of photosynthesis.

  • What is photosynthesis?

  • What do plants need to do it?

  • What do they produce?

Video: Photosynthesis for Kids – SciShow Kids

Step 2: Explore the Key Ingredients

Use a digital whiteboard (like Jamboard) or your notebook to list:

  • What 3 things a plant needs for photosynthesis

  • What 2 things a plant produces

(Clue: Think sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide ➜ glucose and oxygen)

Step 3: Create a Diagram

Draw or create a simple diagram showing how photosynthesis works.

Include:

  • The sun 

  • Water  (from roots)

  • Carbon dioxide  (from air)

  • Glucose (sugar) 

  • Oxygen (released into air) 

Tool: You can draw on paper, use Canva, or try ClassTools.net’s diagram generator.

Step 4: Show What You Know

Choose ONE of the following:

  • Make a mini-poster 

  • Create a Google Slide presentation 

  • Write a short paragraph 

    to explain how photosynthesis works.

Step 5: Share & Discuss

Join a class discussion using Google Meet or Chat.

Take turns explaining your diagram or project. Ask each other questions like:

  • What would happen if there was no sunlight?

  • Why is photosynthesis important for humans?

Evaluation

Photosynthesis WebQuest Rubric

Criteria 4 – Excellent 3 – Good 2 – Fair 1 – Needs Improvement
Understanding of Photosynthesis Shows full understanding of the process, inputs (sunlight, water, CO₂), and outputs (oxygen, glucose). Can explain clearly in own words. Understands most parts, with minor errors. Explanation is mostly clear. Shows basic understanding, but some key ideas are missing or unclear. Shows little or no understanding of the process. Major misconceptions present.
Diagram/Model of Process Diagram is clear, accurate, labeled, and visually organized. All key parts are included. Diagram is mostly correct, but may be missing one or two parts or labels. Diagram is unclear or missing multiple parts. Needs more detail. Diagram is incomplete, incorrect, or not submitted.
Mini Project (Poster, Slide, or Paragraph) Very creative and well-organized. Shows deep understanding. Excellent effort. Well done and shows understanding. Some creativity shown. Meets basic requirements, but may lack detail or effort. Poorly done or incomplete. Lacks understanding or effort.
Participation & Sharing Actively shared and explained ideas in discussion. Asked and answered questions. Shared ideas and answered questions, with some effort. Participated a little but needed reminders. Did not participate or was off-task.
Use of Resources & Tools Used digital tools (video, Jamboard, diagram tool) effectively and appropriately. Used most tools appropriately with minor issues. Used few tools or needed help to use them.

Did not use tools or needed constant help.

 

Grading Scale (Total: 20 points)

Score Level Grade Suggestion
18–20 Excellent A
15–17 Good B
12–14 Satisfactory C
8–11 Needs Improvement D
0–7 Incomplete F
Conclusion

In this WebQuest, we learned about how plants make their own food through a process called photosynthesis. Here's what we did step by step:

  1. Watched a video to learn what photosynthesis is and why it’s important.

  2. Identified the key parts of the process — sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide go in, and oxygen and sugar come out.

  3. Made a diagram to show how photosynthesis works.

  4. Created a project (poster, slides, or a short paragraph) to explain what we learned.

  5. Shared our work with classmates and talked about what we found interesting or confusing.

We used tools like Jamboard, Canva, and Google Docs to help us complete the tasks.

 

Through this activity, we learned that:

  • Photosynthesis is how plants make food and oxygen.

  • It's very important for all living things, including humans.

  • We can explain science clearly using pictures and our own words.

  • Working with classmates and using digital tools can make learning more fun and helpful.

Most students were able to explain the process well, and their diagrams showed a good understanding of how it works.

Credits