Cornell University
What is IPM?
Discover what a pest is and how to identify one with a lesson that looks closely at our outside world and taxonomy. Scholars investigate insects and plants to practice their identification skills, take a survey, and explore the...
Curated OER
Schoolyard Jungle: What's Out There?
Eighth graders create a plant study guide using their outdoor classroom environment. For this ecology lesson, 8th graders take photographs of plants they collect from the outdoor classroom and create plant field guides. Students design...
Curated OER
Plant Science Activities
Students complete several plant life activities. In this botany instructional activity, students practice painting images that resemble plants they are familiar with as well as planting seeds outside of class. Students participate in a...
Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Rocks and Minerals in Our Lives
Young geologists discover the important role that rocks and minerals play in our everyday lives through this series of hands-on activities. Starting off with a lesson that defines the difference between plants, animals, and minerals,...
Curated OER
Temperature and the Tomato
You will need a photovoltaic system and monitor at your school in order to obtain all of the data required to thoroughly implement this instructional activity. Your class monitors daily temperature and insolation amounts over a two week...
Curated OER
Look At Those Leaves!
Students explore botany by researching plants in class. In this tree identification activity, students examine a group of leaves and list the different characteristics before guessing what types of trees they came from. Students read...
Curated OER
Tree Identification - Up Close And Personal
Fourth graders go to an outdoor area and are assigned a specific native plant to observe. They read about and answer questions about their tree. They draw the tree. Finally, 4th graders teach the rest of the class about their tree.
Curated OER
Science: Fossil of a Carbonized Plant
Students classify leaves by shape and margins and use them to create models of plant fossils. By using paper over a leaf, they simulate fossilization of organisms onto sedimentary rocks. Following instructions on worksheets, students...
Curated OER
What is a Tree?
Students identify and define types of trees. In this tree identification instructional activity, students complete a KWL chart on trees and read the book ABCedar: An Alphabet of Trees. Students complete a tree word scramble.
National Wildlife Federation
Tree Detectives!
Trees may look pretty similar until you take a closer look. Young scientists use their observation skills to describe the difference between the bark, leaves, and seeds of different trees. They then use a field guide to identify local...
Curated OER
Indoor Gardening
Students determine how a plant grows best. In this botany lesson, students observe variables that affect plant growth. Students explore how to grow and maintain a plant. Students make observations of their plant as it grows.
Curated OER
The Great Pollinators
Young scholars discover the reproductive parts of a plant. In this biology lesson, students identify and categorize several different plants they dissect in class. Young scholars record their information using a data chart.
Curated OER
Charting the Changes in Our School Forest
Fourth graders investigate the ecosystem and how forests are disappearing. In this environmental protection lesson, 4th graders analyze the changes in their school for 2 weeks. Students practice identifying trees, birds, and foliage...
Curriculum Corner
Coniferous and Deciduous Trees
What are the differences between coniferous and deciduous trees? Supplement your tree lessons with a set of activities that has learners describing, naming, comparing, and reading about deciduous and coniferous trees. The activities are...
Curated OER
Disposable Diaper Comparison and Mystery Powder Identification
Students investigate which diaper is the most absorbent. In this chemistry lesson, students calculate how much water is absorbed by diapers. They identify an unknown powder based on physical and chemical properties.
Nuffield Foundation
Biodiversity in Your Backyard!
Take your enthusiastic ecologists outdoors to explore the biodiversity right in their own schoolyard! In preparing for this activity, it may be worthwhile to research websites with local flora to help in the plant identification portion.
Curated OER
HFS-What do we have growing on the school grounds?
Learners observe school grounds and take pictures of plants, trees, and bushes for identification. In this plant life lesson, students identify plants with the help of guides and resources.
Chicago Botanic Garden
Leaf Litter Ecology Lab
Some organisms spend their entire lives in leaf litter. The third in a series of six is a great lesson exploring the community of leaf litter. Groups gather and then spread leaf litter over white paper and remove leaves/twigs while...
Curated OER
Seed Diversity
Learners explore agriculture by researching different seeds. In this seed identification lesson plan, students collaborate in small groups to analyze a package of different seeds. Learners utilize a magnifying glass to examine each seed...
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
Creating a School Herbarium
Students develop working knowledge of common plants and awareness of plant diversity by starting a school herbarium.
Curated OER
Plant Life for Kids
In these plant life worksheets, students complete a worksheet about parts of a plant, plant life, plant life cycle sequence, and then complete a plant life mini book.
Curated OER
Tree Rings
Fourth graders explore tree rings. In this plant biology lesson, 4th graders construct a KWL chart on tree rings and examine real tree rings. Students identify the changes that happened during the tree's life and its actual age. Students...
Curated OER
University of California Botanical Garden Field Trip
Pupils explore plant species and the climates and conditions in their environment. They explore this living museum on the Garden's thirty-four acres to encounter over 13,000 plant species from around the globe.