Description: Find a plant in your school garden. + Understand and trace the history and uses of a common garden plant over a timeline. Trace a timeline (eg. horsetail, kale, potatoes).
Intention: Teaching prehistoric and timeline of species over the years and how its use has changed but still present.
For act, if deciding, judge its value. (ecosystem services)
Choose a plant (5 min)
Go to the school garden and have students select a common plant (for example, kale, mint, potato, or sunflower)
Observe and record (5-10 min)
Ask students to look closely at the plant’s features — leaves, stem, flowers, or roots. Note what makes it unique.
Research its history (10-20 min)
Have students find out where the plant originally comes from and how people have used it through time (as food, medicine, decoration, etc.).
Build a timeline (10-20 min)
On paper or digitally, draw a simple timeline showing the plant’s journey — from its ancient origins to how it’s used today.
Encourage them to include dates, locations, and short facts or drawings.
Share discoveries (10 min)
Invite students to present their plant timelines to the class. They can highlight surprising facts or global connections.
| Engage | Investigate | Create | Act |