Curated OER
What Plants Need in Order to Survive and Grow: Water
Students conduct an experiment to evaluate whether plants need water to survive and grow. They observe two cactus plants for four weeks, analyzing the results of one plant having received water and the other having received no water.
Curated OER
Arizona Plant Booklet: An Introduction to Arizona Plants & Cacti
Students explore variety of plants & cacti in their Arizona community by collecting samples and taking photographs. Can be adapted to other areas.
Curated OER
Habitats: Cactus Hotel
A reading of Brenda Z. Guiberson’s, Cactus Hotel, launches a study of animal habitats. Working with parent volunteers or teacher aides, groups travel outside the classroom to select a habitat, take digital pictures, and incorporate the...
Curated OER
How to Grow a Cactus Indoors
Pupils plant a cacti. In this desert plants lesson, students identify the needs of a plant and meet those needs by planting and caring for cactus.
Curated OER
Indoor Plants
Details and specific information about the types, descriptions and needs of potted plants will help studens in floral classes. Discover ways to care for plants, and their general requirements for daily upkeep. These instructions are...
Curated OER
How Much Water Do Plants Need?
Students experiment with the effects of varying amounts of water on household plants. They give different amounts of water to plants and then observe and record the effects.
Curated OER
Plants vs. Animals
Students discuss the differences they can see between examples of animals and plants. For this science lesson, students draw or write what they have discussed about the examples. Students go on a nature walk to look for more...
Curated OER
How Do Their Parts Help Plants Survive?
In this plant survival worksheet, students will write down 3 facts about the parts of a cactus plant. Then students will write in a conclusion about how those parts help the cactus survive.
Curated OER
Plant Diversity and Distribution
Students construct a defined plot on school grounds and observed patterns in plant life. They count trees, shrubs, cacti and record on a data sheet. They compare data and generate a plant diversity overlook for their school.
Curated OER
Photosynthesis: Variations on the Theme
Leaf structure and its specializations for photo-respiration are detailed here. Slides provide information about Photo-respiration biochemistry and its impact. A class learning about classic respiration will appreciate the comparisons...
Curated OER
Rain Sticks
Artists of all ages construct a three-dimensional form and fill it with rice to make gentle, percussive sounds. They discover that Native South American tribesmen would harvest dead branches from cactus plants, fill them with small...
US Mint
Desert Dwellers
What can a quarter possibly teach young learners about desert ecosystems? More than you might think. After displaying and discussing the included picture of the Arizona state quarter, the class participates in a series of shared reading...
Curated OER
Cactus Wheel
Students explore plant biology by conducting field experiments outside of class. In this desert plant lesson plan, students discuss how cacti thrive in such dry climates and how dense their populations are. Students utilize action cards,...
Curated OER
Desert Water Keepers
Third graders identify ways that cactus plants survive in the desert. They distinguish between water acquisition and water conservation and create their own plant that could survive in a desert climate.
Curated OER
Desert Plants
In this desert plants worksheet, students read five passages about desert plants and answer the five comprehension questions that follow each one.
Curated OER
Native Americans and Native Plants
Students take a field trip to a native plant culture. They need to describe where the plants were before the Europeans occupied North America.
Curated OER
Genetic Analysis
Students formulate a hypothesis regarding the validity of the current status of the Arizona Hedgehog cactus as a distinct variety of cactus. They design a procedure to isolate DNA from the tissue of plants, given a list of chemicals and...
Curated OER
The Sugar Snap Pea Experiment
Students examine types of plant structure. In this plant biology lesson plan, students observe various types of plants, such as ivy and grapes, and discuss the differences in structure. Additionally, students plant sugar snap peas, using...
Curated OER
Desert Plant Adaptations in the Sonoran Desert
Students are able to identify adaptations that plants have developed to deal with harsh desert conditions, as well as explain how these adaptations help to protect these plants.
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Desert People and the Saguaro
The saguaro is the focus of an examination of the importance of this stately cactus to the indigenous people in the Sonoran Desert.
Curated OER
The Arizona Hedgehog Cactus: Endangered Species or not?: Biology, Plants
In this lesson plan students will study the: "Classification of Echinocereus triglochidiatus and Geographical Ranges of its Varieties." Students read background material and scientific literature to analyze the cactus populations and...
Curated OER
Oddball Out: Plants and Animals
In this problem solving worksheet, students analyze a row of pictures of various plants and animals to determine which creature is different from the others pictured.
Curated OER
Plant Explorers
Students investigate how plants take in water, nutrients, and light. They create artwork showing how plants survive in different environments.
Lerner Publishing
Teaching Habitats
What makes up a habitat? Use this resource to engage first graders in the exploration of desert, wetland, forest, and ocean habitats. Youngsters classify plants and animals into the four distinct habitats through drawings and cutting and...