Find the Ginkgo Tree

Summary

In your local area, you will have students learn to use a nature journal to identify and sketch local flora.  In doing so they will learn key characteristics of identifying a plant and describing the habitat that it is found in.

Primary Learning Objective:

Your students should be able to identify major plant taxa including mosses, ferns, gymnosperms, ginkgos and angiosperms.   They should also be able to identify the native plants and how they are adapted to their environment.

Lesson Timespan: 90 to 110 Minute

Materials Needed:

Nature Journal Notebook or folder Pencil, pens, and color pencils Copy of "A Key to Common Trees of Alabama"

Technology Resources Needed:     
Classroom computer with A/V connection Access to Internet resources

Background/Preparation:     
Review the life cycle of plants and methods of classifying plants.

Procedure

1. Review life cycles of Mosses, Ferns, Gymnosperms, and Angiosperms
2. Give students a key to common plants in the area.
3. Have students take a photo of each plant and upload the images onto the computer. With our help pic the best ones to upload to UntamedScience.
4. Try and have students take at least 10 plant photos.
5. Have the students take their photos and work with a different group to compile 20 photos of plants into a presentation. The presentation should give at least one fact about each plant.

modified from a lesson first posted by Nancy Caffee [1]