Curated OER
Plant Observation and Morphology
Students use plant specimens to explore how to recognize differences in plant morphology and to develop a vocabulary to describe these differences. They brainstorm: What is a plant? What parts do plants have? What is a leaf? Students...
Curated OER
PLANT IMAGERY
Students study morphological terminology. One student is blind-folded while the other describes a nearby plant. Once the blindfold is removed, the partner tries to find the plant that was described. They share their experience...
Curated OER
Plant Collection II
Students mount their first pressed plant specimens and cover some basic plant morphology. They complete a homework assignment to practice their plant collecting and observational skills at home.
Curated OER
Amazing Bean Races
Students experiment with bean growth in varied conditions. In this plant biology lesson, students plant beans in soil and in spun cellulose (absorbent material in diapers) and measure the growth of their seedlings. They collect the data...
Curated OER
A Tree of Life Activity
Students solve a mystery of the identification of a unknown organism by comparing its morphological characteristics to those in a tree of life classification poster. They compare the observable characteristics of the specimen and...
Curated OER
Plant And Animal Adaptations
Young scholars examine plant and animal life while looking at the environments the organismisms live in. They determine how form follows function by looking an aquatic turtle and noticing its feature of adaptation features. They work in...
Curated OER
Studying Plant Development Through Metabolic Activity
A hands-on activity which allows young scholars to learn about cellular respiration. This lesson contains a range of investigations testing the rates of cellular respiration to demonstrate the relationship between metabolic rates of...
Curated OER
Plant Phylogeny
Students examine live potted plants and create a hypothesis regarding their relationships in this upper-level introductory lesson on phylogenetic reconstruction using morphological characters. The lesson can be accomplished in...
Rain Bird Corporation
Rain Forest Teaching Curriculum
Take young naturalists on an exploration of the world's tropical rainforests with this extensive collection of lessons and activities. Whether its creating leaf and flower prints or investigating the absorption spectrum of chlorophyl,...
Curated OER
Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) with Powdery Mildew Fungi
Students explore a specific method of identifying fungi, using a written key and an illustrated key. Powdery mildew fungi can be identified to genus by the morphology (appearance) of the sexual stage (cleistothecia).
Curated OER
Powdery Mildew Fungi: Classification and Ecology
Students use a written key or illustrated key to identify fungi on plant leaves into its genus based on sexual or asexual reproduction, host range diversity, and host-parasite relationships.
Curated OER
Window Gardens
Students use a plastic sandwich bag containing a damp paper towel taped to a window as a model system to observe the germination and early growth of radish seeds. They are challenged to pose a question about seed germination and growth...