Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rain Reasons

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore how climatic factors influence the growth of plants. They create an experiment to find how variations in water, light, and temperature affect plant growth and describe how precipitation and geography can affect the...
Worksheet
Curated OER

The Young Virginia Gardener: Windowsill Gardening-Starting the Garden

For Students 3rd - 5th
In this gardening worksheet, students choose 5 plants from a given list to include in their windowsill garden then read about how to start the garden and answer questions related to keeping it healthy.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson 6: Paniolo Country Grazers in the Dry Forest

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore grazing animals in a dry forest. In this science lesson, students act out the role of a grazer in the dry forest. Students cut their growing lawn and observe what happens after being cut. Students explore differences...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Forests and Photosynthesis

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explore the concept of photosynthesis. They investigate the effects of light on seedlings. Students grow plants and record the data. Students view satellite images that show the monthly amount of vegetation present in the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

If It Smells Good, Is Edible, and Attracts Wildlife, Then It's a Practical Garden

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students explore landscape design. In this practical gardening lesson, students design landscape plans that call for shrubs, trees, and plants that can be used for aesthetics, cooking, and wildlife.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sock Walk

For Teachers 1st
First graders, after brainstorming all the ways seeds are scattered and viewing a multitude of examples of seeds, explore how seeds travel by taking a walk outdoors wearing socks over their shoes. In addition, they assess how seeds...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hold on Tight!

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Pupils explore the relationship between plant roots and the soil in which they grow. They examine photos of uprooted trees and desert areas and conduct experiments designed to highlight this mutual relationship between roots and soil....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Salt is Good On Sunflower Seeds, But What About Cypress?

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students record their observations about growing a cypress plant and putting salt in the plant. In this cypress plant lesson plan, students observe and record what is happening as the cypress plant grows. This gives directions for...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Nuts About Peanuts

For Teachers 1st
First graders explore peanuts. In this peanut lesson, 1st graders examine the parts of peanut plants and identify them. Students plant their own peanut plants and chart their growth.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gardening for Beauty, Food, and Enjoyment

For Teachers 1st
First graders create their own garden. In this plant lesson plan, 1st graders discover the essential elements for a plant to grow. They planted their own garden and read the amount of space needed and the sunlight preferred for each...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sowing Seeds of the Future

For Teachers 3rd - 7th
Young scholars explore how to preserve native wild plants and garden crops. In this science lesson, students play the role of botanists and research North American plants. Young scholars create a presentation about their findings.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pollination Station

For Teachers K - 1st
Young scholars investigate why and how bees pollinate flowers and other plants. They define pollination, and read and sing along with the song "Yo, i'm a Flower." Students examine a diagram of a flower, simulate bees pollinating...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Seed Diversity

For Teachers 1st - 4th
Students explore agriculture by researching different seeds. In this seed identification activity, students collaborate in small groups to analyze a package of different seeds. Students utilize a magnifying glass to examine each seed...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Learning From Leaves: From Observation to Inference

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students examine the adaptation of plants to their environments. They analyze and observe the structure, shape, and internal structure of various leaves, and make inferences about the structures.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Classifying Living and Non-Living Objects

For Teachers K
Students investigate living organisms and define the properties of a living species.  In this life characteristic instructional activity, students examine plants in their class and discuss whether or not they are alive....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Observing Pods

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers observe the pistil growing into a tiny string bean-like seed pod. They then observe the development of the fertilized pods between Day 17 and Day 35 and record their observations by drawing and labeling, writing, and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plant Adaptations

For Teachers 2nd - 8th
Students identify parts of prairie plants. They sketch the plants indicating its adaptive parts and write brief descriptions of them. They present their findings to the class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth Pockets

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students identify the Earth's natural resources. In this Earth science lesson, students read the book The Great Kapok Tree and discuss types of natural resources. Students use categories such as wood, paper, and trees and list items that...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Nutrient Enrichment vs. Oxygen Depletion

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students investigate how excess nutrients enter a body of water, and the harmful effects they have on aquatic organisms.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Learning From Leaves: Adaptations To Differing Light Levels

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Pupils, in groups, examine plants with different light levels. They are given plants from a tropical and desert region. They write a hypothesis at the beginning of the experiment.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plant Growth

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students role play as text book creators by designing an animation showing plant growth from seed to maturity. They incorporate things that plants need to grow in the animation.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Musical Milfoil

For Teachers 1st - 8th
Students play a game that is a version of musical chairs to introduce them to invasive aquatic plants. In this aquatic plants lesson plan, students play 4 rounds of this game.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ph-ocusing on Photosynthesis In and Out of the Garden

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students are introduced to the concept of photosynthesis. As a class, they brainstorm a list of what they already know about plants and individually grow a plant on their own in the classroom. They record their observations daily and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Powerful Potato

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students are introduced to the growth process of a potato. As a class, they place a potato on a plate and observe how long it takes for the eyes to appear. In groups, they follow a recipe to make potato soup that is shared with the...