We need gardens - but what if we do not have space? - Reading piece with information and questions for kids

If you live in a city you will know that there are a lot of buildings around and having a park nearby is always a bargain.  

It is so nice to visit the park and play around with your ball or just sit and talk to your friends.  You feel like you are getting away from the 'city life' every time you sit and watch all the greenery around you.  

We sometimes forget that besides for having fun in the park, the plants and trees are also very important to us.

One of the most important aspects about plants are that they take up the carbon dioxide that we exhale and are given off through other processes and give off oxygen that we need to breath.  

Another thing that plants do that we do not always realize is that it makes the cities cooler.

Scientists have seen that heat builds up in cities and this they call the 'Urban heat island effect'.  This means that the material that buildings and road are made of namely metal, concrete and asphalt, absorbs a lot of heat and it will also release it more quickly than what the trees and plants does.  This will make the city hotter much faster and also very cold, where the plants will keep the temperature more stable.

So now you would think that people will plant more trees in the cities, but the problem is there is not enough space for that.  A lot of space is used up to build houses and businesses.  So what now?  Where will we get space to plant more plants that can benefit us?

A lot of people will never think of this, but believe it or not, 'rooftop gardens' have been around for a long time.  Some rooftop gardens are just a few potted plants standing around on a flat roof and some can be very complex which engineers will design.  Luckily you can start a rooftop garden without spending too much money.

These gardens will provide the same benefits as a park, but it does not take up extra space.  Another very good reason to have a rooftop garden is because it will keep the building warmer in winter and cooler during the summer and this in turn will help you save money on your heating and cooling bin - that is enough reason to start one.

You can even decide to grow some herbs or vegetables and this can serve as food for you and your family.

Rooftop gardens are not only something that everybody can enjoy, is is also good for the environment and not to mention for your purse.

Answer the following questions

1. Why would you like to have a park close to where you live?
2. What is the most important function of trees and plants?
3. Give another function that plants have concerning the heat that builds up on Earth?
4. Why are rooftop gardens a good idea?
5. What does an engineer do?
6. Explain the following words in your own words

• urban heat island island effect
• environment
• rooftop gardens
• city life

For fun you can watch the story and after you have done that, mute the sound and read the story to yourself.

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