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  Nature Elective


Lesson Plan 37:
Four Groups of Land Plants
First posted June 24, 2004 Last updated June 24, 2004

( Grade Level 9-12)

Remember these points from the Lesson Plan Homepage:

(1) These lesson plans are not rigid requirements, but a starting point for the Nature Counselor's plan for teaching a particular day's experience.
(2) The activity should be fun and emphasize active learning on the student's part: ask a question, don't just state a fact.
(3) You should employ hands-on as much as possible.
(4) Plan each session to also allow time for making entries in the Nature Journal.

Prior to the session

(1) Review the section on the Four Groups of Land Plants. Most students will know a few members of each group.
(2) Be ready with examples from around Cazadero. Know where to find some of them, and plan where you will stop for discussions and drawing.
(3) Have some tape for taping leaves in the Journal.

Session

(1) Start with walking around camp, observing various types of living things, especially if you have already done the Five Kingdoms of Life. Be sure to have them look at members of each of the kingdoms.

* Where does the Plant Kingdom fit in? (Plants create food via photosynthesis, animals eat food, fungi absorb food, bacteria are single celled and small).
* Go over the Five Kingdoms.
* Mention the Four Groups.

(2) Find an area where you can examine a moss.

* Notice that they do not have leaves or stems.
* Do they like wet or dry areas?
* Look for a dry moss, wet it and watch it turn green.
* Draw a picture of a moss.

(3) Find an area where you can examine a fern.

* Notice that they have leaves, but all come from the base.
* Look for sori (sporangia containing spores on the underside of the leaves)
* Can you find both a bracken fern and a sword fern? How are they different?
* Draw a picture of a fern. Put a leaf in the Journal (ony dry ones)

(4) Find a conifer and cones.

* Examine the needles, how are they different from fern leaves? Other plant leaves?
* Can you find redwoods and Douglas-firs?
* Look for their cones, how are they different? (Be sure to talk about the mouse feet and tails on the Douglas-fir cones.)
* Draw a picture of a conifer. Put a leaf in the Journal.

(5) Find a flowering plant.

* Examine the leaves. How are they different?
* Find a flower on a plant, discuss how important they are, mention fragrance, have them sniff it.
* Draw a picture of a flowering plant. Put a few kinds of leaves or flower petals in the Journal.

References

Back to the Lesson Plan Homepage