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How it started – Toothpaste

October 8, 2025

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Article written by Milli Banbury

This article was written using AI as an assistive tool for research and writing.

Learning Options

Recall Questions

Thinking questions

Digital Thinking

Learning Options

Recall Questions

Thinking questions

Digital Thinking

At lunchtime, the school garden club carried buckets of water to the raised beds behind the hall. The lettuce leaves were still dusty from the wind, and several seedlings had fallen over. “The soil is getting too dry,” said Mei, kneeling beside the plants. She did not complain about the heavy buckets, but she filled each one carefully and poured the water slowly near the roots. After a few minutes, the young plants stood up straighter in the damp earth.

Why did Mei pour the water slowly near the roots?

She was trying to keep the buckets light for carrying back to class. She was afraid the lettuce would be washed out of the garden bed. She wanted to make the water look more important to the other students. She knew the plants would be helped more if the water reached the roots.