Experiments

 

Disclaimer: Many of these ideas come from other education sources, they will be attached as a link so you will be able to go and check out thorough instructions! All I provide is a small summary of these projects. 

Can Plants Stop Soil Erosion? - Science Buddies 

Students will be posed the question, can plants stop soil erosions? This project is a great way to introduce students to erosion as well as how plants are a vital and necessary part of the environment. Teachers can later enrich students with questions asking how plants impact the human environment. 

Celery Experiment - KiwiCo

Through the celery experiments, students can observe how roots absorb water! This experiment allows students to explore through vocabularies such as xylem and capillary action as they watch dyed water being absorbed. Alternatively, you can have students use paper towels for a similar learning effect! 

Do Seeds Need Light and Dirt to Germinate? - LifeWithMooreBabies

This experiment helps students learn what seeds only need to grow, it could be a very fascinating experiment for your student especially when they think seeds need sunlight and soil to germinate. It is a cost-efficient experiment that will have students discussing it throughout the week. It will create discussions in your classroom about how seeds survive. 

What Soil is the Best Type for Growing Seeds

The goal of this experiment is for students to learn the growth of seeds and the effect different soils have on this growth. Just like the title of this experiment, students will be exploring how seeds grow in different soil. Once the experiment is conducted, this would be a great opportunity to discuss with students about plant adaptation and climate change--as soil changes due to environmental concerns, what will happen to our plants?  

Algae and Pollution Experiment 

The goal of the experiment is to talk about how pollutants affect algae growth. This experiment also provides student research material that educators can use. This experiment layout embraces enhanced learning as it provides questions that students can really think about by using real-life scenarios. Students can learn and observe how pollutants affect plant life and how it can damage our ecosystem. 

Sprouting Sweet Potato Experiment 

A fun experiment to teach young scholars about plant growth. Students will be amazed to see a half-cut sweet potato grow roots and sprout! The experiment is very simple to do and does require some time, this is a great opportunity for students to be involved in daily writing and observation in their engineering notebooks. 

Parts of a Plant Lollipop 

Okay maybe it doesn't involve actual plants, but it involves plant parts! Students can create their own model of parts of a plant. This is a fun and easy experiment to introduce (or reintroduce) part of a plant to students. Students then can draw this model in their notebooks to use as a reference for later (because we all know that lollipop is going to disappear). 

Growing a Self-Sustainable Plant Ecosystem 

This experiment teaches about plant growth, the water cycle, and the ecosystem. Students will create their own self-sustainable ecosystem in the classroom. All that you need is some soil, a plastic soda bottle, water, and some seeds. Throughout this project, students can do weekly observations on changes they notice in their self-sustaining ecosystem. 

Films and Documentaries

Children's Films

The Lorax (2012): Of course, Dr. Seuss published The Lorax in 1971 and the message remains important to this day. The theme in the 2012 film edition of The Lorax does not hide the underlying theme of the destruction of our plants and trees and the impact it has on our lives. Students can create a discussion about sustainable living and seed preservation. 

MPAA Rating: PG 

Moana (2016): The Disney film shows a clear message about sustainable communities. The island community grows taro, bananas, and coconuts which are important crops of the people. When something threatens the health of the crops, Moana takes it upon herself to save her people. It creates a positive message about how everything we do impact our natural world. 

MPAA Rating: PG 

WALL-E (2008): A film that takes place 700 years into the future, the Earth becomes a deserted, trash-covered ghost town. The film's protagonist, robot WALL-E finds his way into space and tries to convince humans to return back to Earth. The film urges viewers to notice how their actions affect the environment. 

MPAA Rating: G

Films for Older Kids/Teens

The Martian (2015): An astronaut's sole colonization of Mars is not a far-fetch tale anymore. Older students can discuss the potential of life on Mars and how humans can succeed in survival. This film can bring in a discussion about how the basic necessity to ensure human life and the potential reality of humans living in space. 

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for strong language, serious injury, and partial nudity. 

 Documentaries 

Nature: What Plants Talk About (2013): Do plants behave like animals? You're not crazy if you think they do! In this documentary, viewers will observe how plants behave in their environment. Students will be mind-boggled as they watch plants interact with one another in order to survive. This is a great documentary to talk about adaptation for plants. 

Rating: TV-G 

BCC - Life (Episode 9) - Plants (2009): Viewers will watch how plants endure daily struggles for water, nutrients, and light. This episode shows how some plants adapt to environmental extremes, through timelapse videos. 

Rating: TV-PG

TV Programs 

The Magic School Bus Series: You can never go wrong with Ms. Frizzle's magic school bus! Based on the book series, viewers will take outrageous (but educational) field trips with Ms. Frizzle and her class. Here is a list of specific episodes that talk about plants: 

• "Goes to Seed" (Season 1, Episode 11): The class is planting a garden and Phoebe is in need of plants. The topic of this episode is seeds and the life cycle of plants. 
  
  
• "Get Planted" (Season 3, Episode 10): The topic of this episode is photosynthesis. 
  
  
• "Tim and the Talking Tree" (Season 6, Episode 10): The topic of this episode is how plants and animals interact and communicate in their environment. 

Bill Nye the Science Guy: Another timeless classic in the classroom. Viewers will be intrigued by Bill Nye's quirky explanations of concepts. Here is a list of specific episodes that talk about plants: 

• "Flowers" (Season 4, Episode 10): viewers will learn how plants reproduce, get pollinated, and the types of flowers that exist. 
  
  
• "Plants" (Season 3, Episode 3): Bill Nye explains to views how plants breathe, make food, and defend themselves. 

Applications

PLANTSNAP 

PlantSnap is ideal for students who do not recognize certain plants. First, students will take a photograph of the plant and the app will do its best to recognize it. Once it figures it out it provides the name of the plant. One of the cool features of PlantSnap is Augmented Reality Plant Identification where students can watch AR animations over the plants. It also has a library where students can save their images while realizing how many different plants they are able to identify! 

Application download: App Store / Google Play

LEAFSNAP
Similar to PlantSnap, LeafSnap can use photography to identify plants, mushrooms, and cactae! Students are able to pick up a leaf, take a photo of that leaf, and LeafSnap will identify which tree it comes from. The app claims 90% accuracy but it allows students to become familiar with leaves and trees. At the moment, LeafSnap focuses on plants in the Eastern United States. 

Application download: App Store / Google Play 

STARTING WITH SOIL
This app allows users to plant seeds, build compost piles, drag a microscope to view different organisms in the soil, and see how symbiosis works in various plants. Starting with Soil also allows users to observe slow-motion pollination along with a time-lapse video of plants starting as seeds to adults.    

Application download: App Store 

iNATURALIST 
This app takes observation to a whole new level. Students can take pictures of local plants and record them. Students can help or ask for identification through a local botanist. Otherwise, students can also travel the world and observe plants in different parts of the world. They can observe how plants differ from their community based on the need for adaptation and environmental differences. 

Application download: App Store / Google Play 

FLORA MOBILE APP 

This is a local app created by the Flora of Virginia Project. Similar to its printed guide, the application identifies and provides information of native species not only in Virginia but also surrounding states such as West Virginia and Maryland. The app also tells users information about rare or threatened species, species invasion, and conversation ranks. 

Application download: App Store 

BEESMART

This app is used as a guide to selecting what plants are best for pollinators in your area. It includes regionally specific plant lists and identifies plants based on your preference of pollinator type, flower color, soil type, sunlight, and plant type. This app is good to use in the classroom when discussing the importance of pollination and researching types of pollinators vital to your local area. 

Application download: Google Play 

VIRGINIA WILDFLOWERS 

This app is similar to other identification apps. It includes 3,266 species of plants found in Virginia. It is easy to navigate as users can narrow down plant preferences based on plant type, color, petals, leaf arrangement, and location. This is great for students learning about what qualities make certain plants types group together. 

Application download: Google Play

Books!

Children's Book 

The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle 

The Tiny Seed follows a tiny seed as it faces dangers throughout its journey to becoming a flowering plant. The book is great for the classroom as it introduces to students the lifecycle of a flower through the adventures of a tiny seed. 

Not only does the book share the life cycle of a flower, but it also shows the ways that a seed may not end up becoming a flower. Which is a great way for students to learn the importance of the environment and how it affects growing. 

Grade Level: K-1

Purchase on Amazon / AbeBooks 

Oh, Say Can You Seed by Bonnie Worth

You can never go wrong with Cat in the Hat! In this Seussical rhyme and presentation, students can follow a journey with Cat in the Hat to learn about the various parts of seeds, flowers, and plants. 

Oh, Say Can You Seed is a great science-based text to teach students about plants especially as children learn about photosynthesis, plant life-cycle, and pollination! Near the end of the book, there is a glossary of scientific terms that will be incredibly helpful for students to recognize. 

Grade Level: K-2 
Purchase on Amazon / AbeBooks

Wiggly Worms at Work by Wendy Pfeffer 

It may not be about plants, but the Wiggly Worms at Work talks about the relationships between worms and plants and why plants need them. The book is a great way to have students connect their units on plants and habitats and how all living systems rely on one another in order to survive. 

Purchase on Amazon

The Magic School Bus Plants Seeds by Joanna Cole

Alongside The Magic School Bus video series, kids can experience the journey through this book. Ms. Frizzle and the kids explore the cycle of seeds and plants as they go through Phoebe's flowers. They will also learn what it takes to grow the seeds (maybe a little bit of sunshine here, a little bit of soil there...). 

Grade Level: 2-4 
Purchase Amazon / Abebooks

From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons

This book uses simple language that students can understand! Pollination, seed formation, germination are introduced to students through illustrations. This book is a great way to introduce young readers to the plant life cycle.

Grade Level: 1-3
Purchase on Amazon 

We Plant a Seed by Sharon Gordon 

We Plant a Seed follows the journey of an elementary class as they learn how seeds grow! This book is a great book to introduce a project relating to growing seeds in the classroom. This can be a prototype of expectations and observations students can do in a classroom project. 

Grade level: K-2

Purchase on Thriftbooks / Free online 

Living Sunlight: How Plants Bring the Earth to Life by Sallie W. Chrisholm 

Living Sunlight allows students to learn about photosynthesis and the importance of the sun as an energy resource. Light is an important resource to all living creatures on earth, students can create discussion on how light plays a role in their classroom and in their lives. 

Grade level: 1-4 

Purchase on Amazon / Abebooks

How a Plant Grows by Bobbie Kalman 

How a Plant Grows has full-color photos and illustrations of plants! It introduces to students the life of a plant from the beginning to the end. The most exciting part of this book is that it introduces carnivorous plants that students would be in awe about! 

Grade level: 3-5
Purchase on Amazon / Abebooks

Native Plants for Northern Virginia - Plant NoVA Natives 

A guide that focuses on the plants native to Northern Virginia. The guide provides information about each species of plant as well as fun facts that students can learn about. There are images of each plant as well as their scientific and common name. Plant NoVA Natives provides a free PDF file on their website but a hardcopy can be purchased online or selective locations.

Grade level: 3-12 

Field Trips

 Field Trip Ideas 

    Green Spring Gardens - Alexandria, VA 

Green Spring Gardens is a public park located in Alexandria, VA. It is open year-round and provides plenty of activities for students to learn and experience. As of Fall 2020, they introduced a new program known as the "Choose Your Nature Walk" where tours are customized based on the eductors liking and what their classroom is learning about. Other programs they include is a tour with a Historian, Nature Scavenger hunts, and Field trips for All. Field Trips for All focuses on the Virginia SOL as teachers can pick a trip to Green Springs Gardens for K-5. 

     Hahn Horticulture Garden at Virginia Tech - Blacksburg, VA 

Hanh Horticulture Garden is located in Blacksburg, VA. They offer formal tours for youth and adult groups. 

    Norfolk Botanical Garden - Norfolk, VA 

Norfolk Botanical Garden is located in Norfolk, VA. Due to COVID-19, the team at Norfolk Botanical Garden has changed their programs to ensure that teachers and students remain safe but can still experience their garden. They provide Self-Guided Programs, Outreach Programs (via Zoom), LearningLabs, and digital activities for students, all guided by Virginia SOLs.

    Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden - Richmond, VA 

The Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is located in Richmond, VA. They offer a range of programs for elementary to high school students as well as teacher workshops. Due to COVID-19, the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden has yet to release a program for activities for the classroom. At the moment, they offer virtual trips. 

Prince William Forest Park - Triangle, VA 

Prince William Forest Park is located in Triangle, VA but extends to as far as Dumfries, VA. They hold Ranger-Led programs that vary from learning about invasive species to learning about the works of habitats. The activities range from lower elementary to high school students. 

Virtual Field Trips 

United States Botanical Garden

Through Google Street View, there is 360-degree imagery throughout the garden. The classroom explores inside and outside the gardens. This virtual trip works best through a screen projector or smartboard. 

Norfolk Botanical Garden 

Norfolk Botanical Garden uses short 2-4 minute clips and tour guides to share about the wonders of the garden. They also provide an online plant database so students can learn about the different plants they nurture. 

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden 

The Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden provides real-time virtual tours as well as video tours that can be done anytime in the classroom. On top of virtual tours, the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden also has virtual activities for the classroom such as Virtual Story Time. For teachers, they provide PDF resources such as book listing, guides, and identification tips for students. 

Links

Additional Resources

Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora 

The Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora was created by the Virginia Botonical Association (VBA). The goal of the Digitial Atlas of the Virginia Flora is the online successor to the Atlas of Virginia Flora (1977-1992). The information provided in the Digital Atlas is on the flora of Virginia and out-of-space herbaria. New information and taxonomic/nomenclatural changes are updated when they are found. The Digital Atlas also updates on invasive species in Virginia as well as new discoveries found in herbaria. 

The Digital Atlas also provides information on plants based on county. For example, if I searched for plants in Prince William County, the Digital Atlas will provide a list of herbaria that were found in that county. They also categorize the plants through Group, Family, and Genus. 

Virginia Native Plant Society

The Virginia Native Plant Society was founded in 1982 as the Virginia Wildflower Preservation Society. The website offers publications such as brochures, checklist, nursery source information, as well as a list of invasive plants in Virginia. They also list field trips that are available throughout the state as well as programs that talk about the native species in Virginia (some programs are available through Zoom). 

Virginia Department of Education's Natural Resources Education Guide 

The VDOE has designed and created lesson plans for teachers that revolves around Virginia's natural resources. The lesson plans are designed for elementary and middle school SOL requirements. 

Virginia Agriculture in the Classroom 

Virginia Agriculture in the Classroom focuses on providing resources for teachers. They provide lessons based on the Virginia SOL for PreK-5. Instead of only focusing on science, the site also integrates history, language art, and math with a focus on agriculture. They also have an interactive region map, where students can learn the prominent crops, plants, and animals in each region of Virginia.