ACTIVITY

Plants over Time – Part 1

Description: Students choos a plant and its history by creating a timeline.

Intention: Learning about the prehistoric and timeline of species over the years and how its use has changed but is still present.

In part 1 of this Brick, students choose a plant and start investigating it.
In part 2, students draw up a timeline and present their findings to each other.

Before:

Find a garden or natural space where there is a variety of plants for the students to choose from.

1

Choose a plant (10 min)
Go to the schoolgarden/a garden and give students time to wonder around and look at the plants. Then students select a (common) plant that seems interesting to them. 

2

Observe and record (10 min)
Ask students to look closely at the plant’s features ; leaves, stem, flowers, or roots. Note what makes it unique.

3

Research its history (25 min)
Have students find out where the plant originally comes from and how people have used it through time (as food, medicine, decoration, etc.).

Didactic tips:

  • Observe before researching.
    Give students a minute to closely observe their plant before they start writing or searching for information. It can be helpful to do the Brick Finding Your Own Spot in Nature – 60 Minute Field Trip sometime beforehand.
  • Use open-ended questions.
    Ask questions like “What do you notice?” or “What do you wonder?” to encourage curiosity and independent thinking. The method Statements of Wonder can be helpful.
  • Predict before you discover.
    Let students guess the plant’s origin or use first, then compare their ideas with their research findings.
GreenComp: 2.1 Systems thinking, 1.3 Promoting nature, 3.1 Futures literacy
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EngageInvestigateCreate
THEME:
Nature & biodiversity
TIME: 45 minutes
AGE: 10-12 years

SUBJECTS:

  • Nature sciences
  • Social studies

TOOLS / MATERIALS:

  • Notebook or activity sheet for observations
  • Reference books, tablets, or computers for research
  • Pencils, markers, or coloured pens
  • Optional: printed photos or plant illustrations

METHODS:

RESOURCES: