Leaves of three, let it be! Why does poison ivy produce such a terrible, itchy rash? Young outdoor enthusiasts get acquainted with urushiol, poison ivy's rash-producing natural oil, with a video from the American Chemical Society's Reactions playlist. The narrator enlists the help of a chemist to explain how urushiol works in the body, its freakishly long lifespan outside of the poison ivy plant, and how to get some relief from the resulting rash.

Concepts

skin, the integumentary system, dermis, plants

Show More Show Less

Additional Tags

science

Show More Show Less

Instructional Ideas

• The video makes a great addition to an integumentary system lesson or a plant biology unit
• Challenge pupils to look into poison oak and poison sumac as well, since the effects are similar to poison ivy
  

Classroom Considerations

• Does not require any prior knowledge ... and many of your students may have first-hand knowledge!
  

• This video is hosted on YouTube

Pros

• The content is humorous and interesting at the same time
• Uses several shots of the plant itself throughout the video, helping viewers identify it more easily
  

Cons

• None

Common Core

SL.9-10.2