If you help children connect with their environment and community, add your voice here: 2026 Census of Community-Based Environmental Learning

What is a Plant?

Lesson Plans

Grades3, 4, 5Science

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Provided by Garfield Park Observatory
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What it is

  • In this lesson from the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance, students share their prior knowledge of plants, sort plants into categories, and conduct research to answer questions they have about plants. 
  • The extension activity for this lesson focuses on the different parts of the plant and the roles they play.

Teaching tips

Positives
  • The lesson plan includes discussion prompts that will get students talking. 
  • This is an active and engaging student-centered lesson plan. 
Prerequisites
  • The lesson plan contains a resource to help students with their research, although it can be helpful to preview and provide additional resources for students. 
  • Supplies for the lesson include Post-it notes, butcher paper, writing utensils, and printed copies of the worksheet.
Differentiation & Implementation
  • The lesson plan includes an extension activity. 
  • The "Intro to Plants Guidebook" contains vocabulary words and can be used to take a virtual field trip through the Conservatory.  
  • To connect this lesson to climate change, students can learn about how trees adapt to drought.
  • Learning about plants can also connect to our Green Spaces Unit Plan as students learn the role of plants in keeping us and the Earth healthy. 

From the scientist review

This resource from Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance provides teachers with a lesson plan for students to learn about plants. The lesson plan includes an extension mystery game and a guidebook. The lesson plan also includes a student worksheet, resources provided and used in the lesson plan are from reputable sources, and this resource would be a great addition to a classroom discussion on identifying plants.
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