WEB SITES ON PLANTS AND GARDENING

 

Access these sites through your computer’s Internet connection.  Open the underlined address (URL).  Information can be printed or downloaded to your computer.  Be sure to follow links to other sites and find your way back with the “Back” button.   Also, we note where we found broken links in our sampling of links within a site.  Teachers will need to replace these links with their own.

 

All of the sites listed were active as of January 10, 2007.  The evaluation is by the AVA Center staff according to the amount of information given, the general appearance of the site and its potential use in the classroom.   This list is also sent through email if you have a school email address. Let us know if you would like to be added to our mailing list.

 

Note: Several of the sites have commercial sections.  We do not endorse any product.  The sites are included if their non-commercial content is good.

 

 

THE BUTTERFLY ZONE                                                                                                               

http://www.butterflies.com/

Tips on creating a butterfly garden where plants are chosen specifically because they attract butterflies.  Tells how to attract butterflies to your garden, even in an urban setting.  The Butterfly Guide shows the types of butterflies you might find.   The site has been revised.  Sections: Butterfly Gardening, Butterfly Artwork, Butterfly Releases, Butterflies of North America, Butterfly T-Shirts, The Essential Butterfly Guide and more.  Excellent

 

COMPOSTING IN SCHOOLS        NEW URL!                       

http://www.css.cornell.edu/compost/schools.html

Information on setting up a composting system for the school.  Sections: Why Composting?, Teacher’s Page, Ideas for Student Research Projects, Compost Quiz, Science and Engineering, Composting Indoors, Composting Outdoors, Weird and Unusual Composting, Frequently Asked Questions, and a Glossary.  Excellent

 

DIRTY DOZEN GARDENING CLUB                              

http://www.geocities.com/yosemite/geyser/3546/kids.html

A site to get children interested in gardening.  Has a large number of projects for kids in the garden.  Click on the Go to scroll down to find a large number of gardening topics such as Bird Houses and Nesting Information, Composting and Recycling for the Garden, Gardening with Disabilities and more.  Excellent

 



4-H CHILDREN’S GARDENS                               

http://4hgarden.msu.edu/main.html

Explore 56 theme gardens at Michigan State University.  Includes lots of photos.  Most gardens have Quick Time video virtual tours.  (Note: See end of flyer for how to navigate a Quick Time Video)  As an example, the Cottage Garden is planted with “old-fashioned” plants mentioned in Mother Goose tales.  An outstanding site for ideas.   Note: Use this URL for the direct link to the garden tour index.   http://4hgarden.msu.edu/tour/contents.html        Outstanding   Excellent

 

 

GARDEN AT SCHOOL – MY FIRST GARDEN              NEW!

http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/firstgarden/planning/school.html

A site for elementary schools on setting up a school garden. Includes tools you will need, tips for successful gardening, books and website links.  Excellent

 

GARDENING FOR KIDS              

http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Glade/3313/

Student level information on setting up and managing a garden.  Sections:  Basic Tips, Favorite Links, Flower Combinations, Kid-Friendly Plants, Heath & Heather, Bulbs, Flower Archives, Kid Critic Archives, Gardening Links and Plant Facts.  Excellent

 

 

GARDENING FOR WILDLIFE                  NEW!

http://www.wildkids.org.uk/teachers/wildgarden.htm

Tips for teachers on gardening to attract wildlife.  Sections: Teacher’s Notes, Getting Help and Advice (these are UK resources, not US), Activity Ideas K-12, and Children’s Activities.  Excellent

 

THE GROWING EDGE – JUST FOR KIDS                    

http://www.growingedge.com/kids/

Information for students on hydroponic gardening.  Sections:  Projects You Can Do, Growing Information, What Other Kids Are Doing, Ask the Experts and Resources for Educators.  Excellent

 

KID’S VALLEY WEBGARDEN                 NEW URL!

http://www.copper-tree.ca/garden/index.html

Sections include: Planning, Planting, Keeping Plants Healthy, Showing Your Plants, Flowers, Veggies, Herbs, Shrubs, Links and a Glossary.  Excellent

 


KIDS WORLD – NC DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

http://www.agr.state.nc.us/cyber/kidswrld/index.htm

Kids site from the North Carolina Dept. of Agriculture on gardening and everything to do with agriculture.  Includes games, a quiz, nutrition and much more.  Sections: General Ag & History, Food Safety, Nutrition, and Plant Nutrition.  Includes links.  Excellent

 

KIDSGARDENING

http://www.kidsgardening.com/

A wealth of information on kids gardening both at home and at school.  Sections include: Parents’ Primer, Classroom Stories, Activities, All About Plants, FAQs, Online Courses, Newsletter, Email Pals, Chat, Youth Garden Grants, A Garden in Every School, and more.   Excellent

 

KINDERGARDEN

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/kindergarden/kinder.htm

An introduction to gardening for children.  Sections include: Children’s Gardens, Fun Page for Kids, Take a Survey, Research on Children’s Gardens, and Special Tips for Gardening with Kids.  Excellent

 

MAKING YOUR OWN SEED TAPES

http://www.boldweb.com/greenweb/g_tape.htm

How to make your own seed tapes – an easy way to plant a row of seeds with precise spacing.  A fun project for the classroom in preparation for gardening.  Excellent

 

MY FIRST GARDEN                                                                        

http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/firstgarden/

A site for 4th grade students to introduce them to gardening and growing things.  Includes a teacher’s guide.  Sections: Teacher’s Guide, Show Me the Basics,  Gardening FUNdamentals, Planning My Garden, and Garden Gallery.  Excellent

 

NATIONAL GARDENING ASSOCIATION

http://www.garden.org/

A major gardening site with just about everything you would want to know.  Sections: Flowers & Bulbs, Fruits, Veggies & Herbs, Home & Hearth, Lawns & Landscaping, Garden Care & Pests, and Kidsgardening.com.   Excellent

 

THE OFFICIAL SEED STARTING PAGE

http://www.chestnut-sw.com/seedhp.htm

Information by plant species on how to grow the plant from seed.  Divided into Flower, Vegetable and Herb seeds.  Good quick information source.  Excellent

 

PLANT ANSWERS INDEX                                                            

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/web.html

An archive of questions and answers from the plant experts at the Texas Agricultural Extension Service.  Click on Answers for the index of questions and answers.  Also includes tips, recipes, and more.  Excellent

 


PLANTS                     NEW!

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/plants/

Activities and information on plants for grades K-5.  Includes: Illustrated Plant Dictionary, Plant Print-outs, Dichotomous Key, Printouts of Plant Growth Charts, plus books, crafts and themes. Excellent

 

PLANTS DATABASE                       NEW!

http://plants.usda.gov/

A database of plants from the USDA.  You can search by scientific name, common name, symbol and state.  Includes a 30,000+ Image Gallery, Facts, Guides, Downloadable Checklists and much more.  A gateway to a huge amount of information on plants.   Excellent

 

REGEN KIDS                                                                 

http://www.kidsregen.org/

A new site for kids promoting healthy living.  Kids learn how to garden, about healthy foods, physical fitness, and much more.  Includes an Educator’s section with lesson suggestions.  Excellent

 

SCHOOL GARDEN WIZARD                    NEW!

http://www.schoolgardenwizard.org/

A reference for teachers and students on planning and creating a school garden.  Sections: Make Your Case, Plan for Success, Create the Garden, Learn in the Garden, and Keep It Growing.  Excellent

 

SECRET GARDEN

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/secretgarden/index.html

Companion site to the PBS episode “The Secret Garden”.  Includes: Hidden Life, Backyard Biodiversity, the Home Gardener, Resources, Teachers’ Guides, Puzzles and Fun and more.  Excellent

 

SEEDS OF CHANGE GARDEN                 NEW URL!

http://www.mnh.si.edu/archives/garden/

A Smithsonian/NEH garden education site showing the history of agriculture in North America and garden activities for children.  “This is an educational web site, created on the initiative of the Smithsonian Institution, which teaches about diversity and history by looking at the evolution of agriculture and cuisine throughout the world. It is designed so that it can be browsed for enjoyment and exploration, or to provide a basis for more in-depth classroom or home activities, for which support materials are included here.”  Sections: History of the New World, Garden Activities for All Seasons, and Learning About Each Other.  Excellent

 

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION BUTTERFLY HABITAT GARDEN 

http://www.si.edu/gardens/butterfly/smith.htm

Explores the Smithsonian Butterfly Habitat Garden.  Includes Fun Facts about Butterflies, How to Create Your Own Butterfly Garden, the Butterfly-Plant Relationship, Traits of a Good Butterfly Plant, Beneficial Insects and more.  Note: Follow arrows from section to section.  Excellent

 


S.H.A.R.P.- THE SUPER HYDROPONIC AWESOME RADISH PROJECT     NEW!

http://library.thinkquest.org/C0110342/

A site by students for middle school students on hydroponics.  Shows a project to grow radishes hydroponically.  Includes how to grow plants using hydroponics.  Includes 5 lesson plans.  Outstanding.  Excellent

 

YOUTH EDUCATION – TEACHING THE NEXT GENERATION TO VALUE TREES

                                                                                                NEW!

http://www.arborday.org/kids/index.cfm

A youth site from the National Arbor Day Foundation.  Includes sections for Pre-school through 3rd Grade, 4th Grade and Up and Educator Resources, Activities and Training.  Download the free Nature Explore Activity from A Nature Explore Adventure.  Carly’s Kids Corner includes games and lesson plans.  Excellent

 

 

ALFY’S PICKS FOR PLANTS                    NEW!

http://www.alfy.com/teachers/teach/thematic_units/Plants/Plant_1.asp

Links for young students on plants.  Very Good

 

BIGGS WILDLIFE POND               NEW URL!

http://bigsnestpond.net/

Exploration of a home pond and garden in California.  Good photos and information.  Very Good

 

BUILDING AND USING A HYDROPONIC/AQUACULTURE SYSTEM IN THE CLASSROOM                           

http://www.accessexcellence.com/AE/AEC/AEF/1995/nicol_aquaculture.html

Detailed instructions for constructing a hydroponic system for the classroom.  Includes materials, how-to and costs.  Very Good

 

BUTTERFLY CAM                                                        

http://www.dcboces.org/sufsd/nassau/vitek/butterfly/

A student created site including a videocam of butterflies.  Sections: Butterflies, Plants, Life Cycle, Puzzles and Poetry, Festival, Butterflies Live!, Journal, Resources and more.  Note: The live cam was not showing anything when we checked.  Very Good

 

THE BUTTERFLY WEBSITE                     NEW!

http://butterflywebsite.com/

A website with a great deal of information and photos of butterflies.  Check out the Education section for lesson plans.  Also includes: Articles, Photo Gallery, Gardening, Checklists, Conservation, Butterfly Exhibits, Clip Art, FAQs, Inspiring Stories, and more.  Includes some commercial content.  Very Good

 

COMPOSTING FOR KIDS

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/sustainable/slidesets/kidscompost/cover.html

A scripted slide set on composting.  Aimed at kids with bright, simple information.  Very Good

 

FUN SCIENCE FAIR PROJECTS USING PLANTS                   

http://www.accessexcellence.org/RC/CT/fun_science_fair_projects.html

Slightly off-topic but good advice for using plants or growing plants to use for a science fair project.  Very Good

 

GARDENING WITH CHILDREN                        

http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/4DMG/Children/children.htm

An informative site on gardening with children. Although intended for parents, the site has good information on projects to do with children in the garden, adaptable for the classroom.  Very Good

 

GARDENS FOR BEGINNERS

http://www.geocities.com/mastergardener2k/

Basic information for starting a garden.  Not geared for children but good basic information on how to get started.  Very Good

 

THE GARDEN GATE                                                              

http://garden-gate.prairienet.org/

Good basic information on gardening, from links to plant lists and more.  Sections: The Reading Room, The Teaching Garden, Garden Shop, Sun Room, Down the Garden Path…, Mailing Lists, Newsgroups & Web Forums, Holding Bed, and Gardening in Illinois.  Very Good

 

GARDEN GUIDES               NEW!

http://www.gardenguides.com/

Online gardening information.  Sections: Garden Plants, Garden How-To’s, Community, Garden Pests, Garden Resources and Garden Supplies.  Very Good

 

GARDENING – 42EXPLORE                     NEW!

http://www.42explore.com/gardening.htm

Basic information on gardening for elementary students.  Includes activities, webquests and links also.  Very Good


GARDENING GURU’S PAGE

http://members.tripod.com/~Gardeningguru/

Includes Gardening Tips for the Month, Questions and Answers, Plant of the Month, Horticulture Equipment, IPM (Integrated Pest Management) Page, Plant a Row for the Hungry and more.  No specific section for children.  Note: You need to scroll down to get to the information.  Very Good

 

GARDENING QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS                 NEW URL!

http://www.usna.usda.gov/Gardens/faqs/faqs_main.html

Email them and the gardening experts at the National Gardening Association will send back the answer to your gardening question.  There’s also a Question of the Week and lots more information.  Very Good

 

GEMS FROM THE GARDEN: DIGGING UP ACTIVITIES FOR ALL AGES – A LESSON PLANNING ARTICLE                   NEW!

http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson167.shtml

An article for teachers on gardening resources for lesson planning.  Very Good

 

GROWING A SUNFLOWER HOUSE FOR YOUR KIDS                      

http://www.rain.org/~philfear/sunflowerhouse.html

Instructions for growing a sunflower house in the garden.  Includes diagrams and complete how-to’s.  Also check out the Anarchy Garden link and info on violence-free methods of repelling pests.  Very Good

 

HORTIPLEX PLANT DATABASE            

http://hortiplex.gardenweb.com/plants/

A huge plant database with information and images.  Note: You can search by common name or botanical name.  Includes sources also.  Very Good

 

PLANTS AND OUR ENVIRONMENT                  NEW!

http://library.thinkquest.org/3715/

A site for elementary students by students on plants.  Sections: What is a Flower?, Spreading Seeds, How Plants Grow, Photosynthesis, Pollination, Monocots and Dicots, Germination and Our Environment.  Click on Plants and Our Environment Activities for activities about plants.  Very Good

 

 


PLANTS THEME PAGE                  NEW!

http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/plants.html

A page of links to websites on plants.  Very Good

 

POND DIPPING

http://web.ukonline.co.uk/conker/pond-dip/index.htm

Pond information for kids (on a site created by kids).  Sections include: Frogs & Toads, Tadpoles, Newts, Pond Bugs, Other Creatures, How to Pond Dip Safely, How to Make a Wildlife Pond, Winter Pond Care and more.  Very Good

 

SCHOOL GARDEN START-UP GUIDE               NEW!

http://celosangeles.ucdavis.edu/garden/articles/school_startup_guide.html

A PDF downloadable guide to starting a school garden.  Very Good

SCHOOL GARDENS

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/nutrition/schoolgardens/schgard.html

Information on school gardens including: Introduction to School Gardens, The Benefits of School Gardens, Nutrition and School Gardens, How to Start a School Garden.  Very Good

 

SETTING UP AND RUNNING A SCHOOL GARDEN   NEW!

http://www.fao.org/docrep/009/a0218e/a0218e00.htm

An online manual for teachers and parents on setting up and running a school garden.  Intended for students in the U.S. and abroad.  Very Good

           

 

2007 SCHOOL GARDEN AWARDS                      NEW!

http://www.kidsregen.org/gardens/index.shtml

“School students nationwide, grades K through 12, are invited to enter this Organic School Garden Awards competition. If you're a kid who loves working in your organic school garden to improve your health and the health of the earth, this contest is for you!”  Includes instructions on how to enter.  Good

 

ALL ABOUT PLANTS                                 NEW!

http://library.thinkquest.org/3608/

A site by students for students on plants.  Says it’s for 6th grade but better for lower grades. Includes: How Plants Make Food, How Plants Grow, How Plants Reproduce, Glossary, Poetry, Books, Movies, Songs, Strange Things Plants Do, and Jokes.  Good

 

BOTANY GARDEN INSECTS                    NEW!

http://www.botany.wisc.edu/spalding/naturephotos/botanygarden/gardeninsects.htm

A list of butterflies and dragonflies seen at the University of Wisconsin’s Madison Botanical Garden.  Useful because it gives close-up photos of each species along with its name.  Good

 

THE CHILDFUN FAMILY SITE- GARDEN ACTIVITIES                    

http://www.childfun.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=171

Activities to prepare young children for gardening and growing things.  Includes rooting a sweet potato, a planting song, a birdseed garden (in a plate) and more.  You need to look around the page for the article. Good

 

CREATING A BACKYARD WILDLIFE HABITAT                     NEW!

http://birdwebsite.com/backyard.htm

Links to information on creating a backyard wildlife habitat.  A Backyard Habitat is the manipulation of your yard into a garden that provides essential resources for different kinds of wildlife, such as birds, butterflies, small mammals and other creatures. This could entail something as simple as planting a few host plants for butterflies or as elaborate as creating a place that provides food, water, summer shade, winter refuge, perches, nesting sites, and hiding places for all kinds of wildlife. This ecologically-minded gardening is especially critical in areas of excessive development. Natural wildlife habitat is disappearing quickly. Creating a Backyard Habitat is the perfect way for you, your family, and your schools to help conserve wildlife while being able to enjoy observing it every day in your own backyard.”    Good

 

DR. BOB’S GARDENING TIPS                 NEW!

http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/gt/

An alphabetical list of gardening tips.  Good

 

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GARDENS                  NEW!

http://commserv.ucdavis.edu/CESanDiego/Schlgrdn/SchoolGardens.html

Starting and maintaining a garden may seem like an overwhelming task, however, some simple guidelines and suggestions can make a gardening project manageable and rewarding.”  Sections: Getting Started, Growing Tips, Learning & Activities, School Gardens Tour, and Resources & Links.  Good

 


 

FLOWERING PLANTS WORD SEARCH PUZZLE        

http://www.proteacher.com/cgi-bin/outsidesite.cgi?external=http://www.thepotters.com/puzzles/flowers.html&original=http://www.proteacher.com/110013.shtml&title=Flowering%20Plants%20Wordsearch%20Puzzle

A printable word search puzzle on flowering plants.  Good

 

FLOWERS COLORING PAGES                NEW!

http://www.coloring.ws/flowers.htm

A large selection of printable coloring pages on flowers, also fruits and vegetables and flowers with insects or animals.  Good

 

FLOWERS COLORING PAGES                NEW!

http://www.thekidzpage.com/colouring_menus/flowers/index.htm

Printable coloring pages on flowers.  Good

 

FREE BIRDHOUSE PLANS                       NEW!

http://www.craftybirds.com/birdhouses.html

Free plans for different types of birdhouses.  Check the links on the left for Butterfly House plans, too.  Includes commercial content.  Good

 

THE GARDEN                     

http://home.freeuk.net/elloughton13/eric.htm

A British site in which students explore the components in and around a garden such as birds, insects, plants, woods, etc.  Good

 

THE GARDEN BENCH                   NEW!

http://www.thegardenbench.com/

A gardening site about backyard habitats.  Visit a real backyard habitat in Marlton via photos.  Includes online articles, downloadable lists  and more.  Good

 

GARDEN WEB GLOSSARY OF BOTANICAL TERMS

http://glossary.gardenweb.com/glossary/

A major database of botanical terms.  Good

 

GARDENING FOR WILDLIFE                  NEW!

http://www.bbg.org/gar2/topics/wildlife/

A page of links from the Brooklyn Botanical Garden on gardening to attract wildlife.  Good

 

GRANTS FOR SCHOOL AND YOUTH GARDENS                    NEW!

http://www.kidsgardening.com/grants.asp

The National Gardening Association works with sponsoring companies and organizations to provide funding and in-kind grants to projects that actively engage kids in the garden and improve the quality of life for their communities.

To be eligible for these awards your school or organization must plan to garden with at least 15 kids between the ages of 3 and 18. (The Mantis Award is also open to non-youth organizations.)

Please note that starting with the 2006/2007 grant cycle, all grant winners are required to complete a year-end impact report (see individual grants for details).”  Lists several grants available.  Good

 

INTEGRATING HORTICULTURE INTO THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL   CURRICULUM                                  NEW!

http://www.hort.vt.edu/HORT6004/network/index.html

Horticultural activities and school gardens are excellent interdisciplinary teaching tools that provide hands-on learning opportunities. Research and experience have shown us that gardening can make a positive impact on students' knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviors. This site provides information and links for teachers, parents and volunteers interested in creating new or adding to existing classroom horticulture activities and gardens.”  Good

 

IT’S SO EASY TO GARDEN FOR WILDLIFE                 NEW!

http://www.nwf.org/backyard/

Information from the National Wildlife Foundation to create a backyard wildlife habitat and get it certified.  Good

 

KIDZCORNER- I CAN GARDEN

http://www.icangarden.com/kidz.htm

Lots of ideas for kids gardening projects both at home and at school.  Good

 

NOBLE FOUNDATION PLANT IMAGE GALLERY

http://www.noble.org/imagegallery/

In image gallery with specific descriptions and photos of different plants.  Sections: Forbs, Grasses, and Woodies.  Good

 

PLANT EXPLORER             NEW!

http://www.naturegrid.org.uk/plant/index.html

A fun site for primary students on plants.  Sections: Find the Flower!, Parts of the Plant, Eating Plants, What Do Plants Need?, Plants for Food, Plant Glossary, I Didn’t Know I Ate That!, and links.  Good

 

PLANTS                     NEW!

http://library.thinkquest.org/04oct/00232/

A site by students for middle school students on plants.  Sections: Edible Plants, Poisonous Plants, List of Edible Plants, Other Uses.  Good

 

PLANTS                     NEW!

http://www.mcwdn.org/Plants/PlantsMain.html

A variety of information on plants.  Sections: How Plants and Animals Differ, Photosynthesis, Algae, Mosses, Fungi, Ferns, Gymnosperms. Angiosperms, Leaves, Roots, Stems, Seeds, Flowers, and Links and Activities.  Good

 

POISONOUS PLANTS AND PLANT PARTS                  

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/publications/poison/poisonlinks.html

Several links to lists of poisonous plants and their effects.  Not really a site for children but a helpful reference.  Good

 

SCHOOL COMPOSTING               NEW!

http://journeytoforever.org/edu_compost.html

Composting information and links for schools.  Includes a simple way to test your soil composition.  Good

 

SCHOOL GARDENING                  NEW!

http://www.chicagobotanic.org/schoolgarden/

Sections: Why Garden with Your School?, Sample School Gardens, Support for Developing a School Garden, Resources for Teachers, and Interested in Supporting School Gardens?  Good

 

TREE PLANTING TIPS                   NEW!

http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/eco_info/topics/climate/tree_planting/

Tips for kids on planting trees.  Includes: Why Plant Trees, Getting Started-Tree Planting Basics, Tree Planting Day, How to Plant Seedlings, Caring for Your Trees, Projects & Activities, Possible Funding Sources, and Other Tree Planting Resources.  Good

 

TREES ARE TERRIFIC….TRAVELS WITH PIERRE               NEW!

http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/trees1/index.html

Animated information on trees for primary students on the structure and function of trees.  Includes a Teacher’s Guide with ideas for activities. Good

 

WILDFLOWERS IN BLOOM

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/wildseed/tamuhort.html

Extensive information on wildflowers with photos and growing information on each kind.  Very Good

 

LESSON PLANS & CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

 

ALL ABOUT PLANTS – LESSON PLAN              NEW!

http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/allaboutplants/

A lesson plan for grades 3-5 on plants.  Students will 1/Identify and describe the parts of a flowering plan; 2/Differentiate between types of plants; 3/ Describe the needs of plants; 4/Define the term photosynthesis.”   Excellent

 

BEES – LESSON PLAN                   NEW!

http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/killerbees/

A lesson plan for grades 6-8 on bees and their role.  “Students will understand the following: 1/ Bees use the pollen from flowers as food; 2/ When they land on flowers to collect pollen, they spread pollen from one flower to another; 3/ Many plants cannot grow unless they are cross-pollinated by insects such as bees; 4/ Because bees cross-pollinate so many fruit and vegetable plants, they play a vital role in the food production all over the world.”  Excellent

 

THE BLOSSOMING OF FLOWER POWER: UNDERSTANDING FLOWER REPRODUCTION: A DISSECTION LAB FOR THE SCIENCE CLASSROOM – LESSON PLAN                 NEW!

http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19990803tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons

A lesson plan for grades 6-12 on flower reproduction.  “In this lesson, students explore the reproductive functions of flowers by participating in a flower dissection lab.”  Excellent

 

BOTANY LESSON PLANS             NEW!

http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/lessons.cgi/Science/Botany

A list of lesson plans from Educator’s Reference on botany.  Excellent

 

BUILDING A MINI-PARK AND BIRD SANCTUARY – CURRICULUM UNIT  NEW!

http://www.learningtogive.org/lessons/unit11/

A seven lesson unit for grades 3-5 on planning and building a mini-park and bird sanctuary.  “Students will take an active role and gain pride in adding beauty to their surroundings. The long-term result will be to create a quiet area for students and others to read or study in a pleasant outdoor environment or location in the community or neighborhood to be shared by all.”  Excellent

 

THE CREAM OF THE CROP: COMPARING ORGANIC AND CONVENTIONAL FARMING METHODS – LESSON PLAN                     NEW!

http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20000822tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons

A lesson plan for grades 6-12 comparing organic and conventional gardening.  “In this lesson, students work in small groups to investigate the similarities and differences between organic and conventional agricultural practices. Students coordinate and present their findings to the class. Students assimilate their knowledge by composing reflective essays.”  Excellent

 

DESIGNING A NATIVE PLANTS GARDEN – LESSON PLAN            NEW!

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/08/gk2/tggarden.html

A lesson plan for grades K-2 on using native plants in a garden.  “In this lesson, students will compare native vegetation in different parts of the United States. They will then explore Web sites to learn about native plants in their own region, and design gardens containing those local plants.”  Excellent

 

FROM SEED TO PLANT – LESSON PLAN                     NEW!

http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Science/Agriculture/AGR0010.html

A unit plan for grades 1-3 on plants.  “I created this unit by compiling materials from many sources. Most teachers have many ideas up their sleeves. Here are some of my favorite ideas that I use. I will be teaching this unit over a twelve-day period for approx. 45 minutes at a time although the lessons can be adapted for longer or shorter time periods.”  Excellent

 


A GARDEN OF GROWING ACTIVITIES                               

http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson229.shtml            

A group of classroom activities related to garden.  Excellent

 

GEMS FROM THE GARDEN: DIGGING UP ACTIVITIES FOR ALL AGES 

http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson167.shtml

Ten different garden and plant activities for the classroom.  Excellent

 

THE GREAT PLANT ESCAPE

http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/gpe/tg/tg-main.html

Help Detective LePlant and his partners unlock the amazing mysteries of plant life.  The Teacher’s Guide gives activities for 4th and 5th grades for both individual and group work.  Excellent

 

GROWING PAINS: ASSESSING THE COMPLEXITIES IN PLANT GROWTH AND REPRODUCTION – LESSON PLAN                     NEW!

http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20030617tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons

A lesson plan for grades 6-12 on plant growth and reproduction.  “In this lesson, students compare common food items with the parts of a plant. They then grow their own plants to assess the difficulties in assisting a plant’s growth and reproduction.”  Excellent

 


HOW DOES MY GARDEN GROW? WRITING IN SCIENCE FIELD JOURNALS – LESSON PLAN                    NEW!

http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=846

A lesson plan for grades K-2 on planting a garden and using a field journal to record observations.  “Science field journals have been in use for many, many years. In fact, Lewis and Clark were asked to keep a field journal by President Thomas Jefferson. Their journals included detailed observations of the land, plants, and animals they saw. This lesson plan invites students to observe and explore their environment in much the same way. Students work together to plant a garden and study its growth using the inquiry process of questioning and exploring. As they research and study, students record their observations in a field journal, to be shared with others—just like Lewis and Clark!”  Excellent

 

LET IT GROW: AN INQUIRY-BASED ORGANIC GARDENING RESEARCH PROJECT              NEW!

http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=804

A lesson plan for grades 6-8 on gardening.  “Struggling readers at the middle school level often become frustrated with research projects because of their low literacy skills. However, they are often very creative, kinesthetic learners and when a research project is scaffolded properly, are able to work independently, think critically, and accomplish a finished product they can feel proud of. This project motivates students to learn about organic gardening by developing their own research questions, conducting research, and gardening at their school. They then create signs about their plants and present their research to the class so that other students can learn about each plant.”  Designed to cover 9 45-minute sessions.  Excellent

 

PLANNING AND CARING FOR YOUR FIRST GARDEN – UNIT   

http://www.suite101.com/course.cfm/16654/lessons#top

Eight lessons which study in detail planning a garden.  1/Preparing the Soil 2/Planning Your Garden 3/Disease and Pest Control 4/A Labor of Love 5/Annuals, Perennials and Biennials 6/Trees and Shrubs 7/Vegetable Gardening 8/Raised Beds and Container Gardening.  Outstanding.  Note: You need to scroll down past a few sponsored links to get to the lessons. Excellent

 

PLANT LIFE TEACHING THEME                        NEW!

http://www.teach-nology.com/themes/science/plants/

A collection of links on plants.  Sections: Bulletin Board Set, Downloads, Hands-on Activities, Resource Materials, Sites for Background Information, Webquests, Interactive Sites for Students, Lesson Plans, Worksheets and Worksheets You Can Customize.  Excellent

 

PLANT POLLINATION – LESSON PLAN                        NEW!