In China, hibiscus is known as the shoe flower because it is used to polish shoes, while in Hawaii, it is honored as the state flower. Young scientists learn about the structure and function of flowers. They dissect hibiscus...

Learn about dichotomous keys, plant identification, and how to care for the planet with a lesson that includes several hands-on and innovative activities. Kids go on a plant scavenger hunt and classify the plants that they find...

Students examine types of plant structure. In this plant biology lesson, students observe various types of plants, such as ivy and grapes, and discuss the differences in structure. Additionally, students plant sugar snap peas, using a...

Life science learners investigate live cells. They examine wet mount slides of cyanobacteria and Elodea plants. They peer into the dynamic microscopic world of protists. Afterward, they construct a model of a cell, including rudimentary...

Without structure, there wouldn't be function. Scholars examine the meaning of structure and function with a hands-on experience. Using balls from different sports, they compare and contrast their structures and then analyze how each...

Jump into the classification of animal and plants cells, through this inviting lesson comparing Elodea leaves and Epithelial cells. Middle school learners will create wet mounts, write journal entries that compare specimens, and finally...

Use science to solve the mystery of the Poplar murder. Pupils use forensic botany to determine if a suspect could be the killer. By analyzing images from a Transmission Electron Microscope, learners determine if the material found on the...

Here is an opportunity for your first graders to take a close look at plants: what they need to survive, how they grow, and the names of each plant part. The book, Corduroy's Garden is used to open the lesson. Then, youngsters utilize...

Get some competition going in your life science class. Give lab groups a variety of plant parts, all of them fruits, except one. Their mission is to make observations, compare and contrast, in order to be the first to identify the...

Students study three structures of a plant as well as their locations and functions.  For this botany lesson students complete several activities on plant organs and their functions.

Young scholars examine the structure of Velcro and its function then relate it to seeds and seed stock.  For this experimental lesson students test seed activity and what its function is for the plant, examine seeds under a...

Written to examine seeds that grow in Kansas, you can adapt this lesson to anywhere you live. Learners sort a mixture of five different seeds to by any characteristic of their choice. When your budding scientists are exploring the life...

A one-page worksheet displays a large diagram of the organelles within a plant cell. There are 10 structures to label and a line to write the name of each.  There unfortunately are a lot of little dots that you might want to...

Study everything about plants! The 12-part series of lessons continues with an examination of many aspects of plants. Components of the laboratory activity address the growth and structure of plants by evaluating familiar plants. The...

Incorporate multiple facets of the cell into your next high school lab! Through an introduction to cell organelles, class members observe each cell type and draw visuals to further demonstrate understanding of cellular processes in both...

Create the perfect conditions for osmosis. Young scholars use a microscope to observe plant cells exposed to distilled water or sodium chloride. They observe how osmosis creates turgid or plasmolyzed cells.

Plant roots are the focus here. Pupils discover that some plants actually store food in their roots, that roots provide water for plants, and that gravity and sunlight have an effect on plants. This terrific, six-page plan has two...

Even pirates know not to steal stuff you can make yourself! Read The Pirate's Parrot Stole the King's Carrot to engage your class. Then, plant carrots with your class. If this isn't possible with your kiddos, consider cutting out paper...

Students use picture cards to familiarize themselves with plant structures and characteristics. They collect plant specimens without destroying the plant and mount them creating a class herbarium.

Students examine plant parts. In this botany lesson, students examine various edible plants and how their adaptations help them to grow. They observe stems, leaves, roots and flowers of plants and discuss the relationship between the...

High schoolers microscopically observe various subcellular components. They determine the effects of different salt solutions on Elodea plant cells. They detect the presence of chloroplasts, cell walls, and cell membranes of Elodea.

Identify the different cell organelles in prokaryotes. Modelling the cells using Jell-o and candies will be a fun way to experience the cell in a hands-on way (different to using play-doh!). They observe cells under a microscope and draw...

Students identify local trees and plants by their leaf shapes and structures, foliage patterns, and colors. They recognize different leaf vien structures, and make labeled prints to show each of them. Students study their leaves and...

Students investigate parts of a cell. In this plant cell lesson, students determine the difference between plant and animal cells. Students discover that coral is an animal based on cell characteristics. Students create puppets to...