How do roots help plants?

The students have learned, through informational texts and videos, that roots help keep plants in the ground and provide plants with water. How do roots provide plants with water? This question/wonder was answered today as the students conducted an experiment (described below) and watched an informational video.

Experiment: 

The students received a stalk of celery in a cup of water. The stalk of celery represented roots. The students then added food coloring to the water. For the remainder of the week, the students will observe the stalks of celery.

The students made predictions about what would happen to the celery and what the celery would do. Many of the students predicted that the celery would soak/slurp up the dyed water, just like roots soak up water. Some of the students predicted that the celery would turn the color of the food coloring. 

After one week, the celery began to turn the color of the food coloring. The celery soaked/slurped up the water, just like roots!