ArtPlantae Today

Science with Plants is a collection of hands-on activities about the structure and function of plants. The interdisciplinary activities in this book were created for children ages 8-12 and are a nice blend of art, math, ecology, gardening and of course, botany. You won’t need fancy supplies to complete these activities. Most of the items you’ll need are common household items. The major themes of Science with Plants are outlined below.

Here is a brief overview of what you’ll find in this 24-page book:

Seeds
Art Activity

• : Keep a Nature Diary

Supplies Needed

• : Beans, lentils, rice, a glass jar, bean seeds

Concepts Addressed

• : Seed morphology, how to conduct an investigation, germination, phototropism (a plant’s growth response to light), gravitropism (a plant’s growth response to gravity)

Also See

• :

A Seed is Sleepy

Growing Plants
Art Activity: Create a growth chart for nature diary
Supplies Needed: Bean plants
Other Subjects: Math, measuring
Concepts Addressed: Seedling morphology, plant structure and function, plant needs, data collection
Also See: Drawings reveal children’s conceptual knowledge of plant structure and function

Plants and Water
Art Activity: Entry into nature diary
Supplies Needed: Celery, ink, any potted plant, a plastic bag, small 2” plants, a large bottle (I think one of those clear plastic containers used for mixed nuts or jelly beans from warehouse stores would work well.)
Concepts Addressed: Water conduction, plant tissues, transpiration, introduction to the water cycle

Plants Use Light
Art Activity: Leaf Print
Supplies Needed: House plants, foil, paper, crayons
Concepts Addressed: Phototropism, photosynthesis, leaf shapes, plant identification
Also See:
Comic book about photosynthesis
The chemistry of plants

Flowers
Art Activity: Entry into nature diary
Supplies Needed: Roses, common flowering plants (e.g., tulip, daffodil, iris), magnifying glass (or try a magnifying glass app)
Concepts Addressed: Flower morphology, plant-pollinator relationships, pollination

Trees
Art Activity: Observing Trees
Supplies Needed: Tree(s) in the yard or neighborhood
Concepts Addressed: Tree growth, tree canopies, deciduous vs. evergreen
Also See: Why Would Anyone Cut a Tree Down?

New Plants from Old Plants
Art Activity: Entry into nature diary
Supplies Needed: Onions, amaryllis, carrot tops, beet tops
Concepts Addressed: Bulb morphology, forcing bulbs, vegetative propagation
Also See: How to create a themed plant display

Seed Dispersal
Art Activity: Entry into nature diary
Supplies Needed: Dirt, plastic bag, assorted examples of seeds and fruit types
Concept Addressed: Seed dispersal
Also See: Seed pod project by Anna Laurent

Plants & Soil
Art Activity: Entry into nature diary
Supplies Needed: Soil, a clear glass (or plastic) jar, water, leaf litter, a plastic bag
Concepts Addressed: Soil, decomposition
Also See: A Log’s Life and the work of scientific illustrator, Robin Brickman

Useful Plants
Art Activity: Entry into nature diary
Supplies Needed: Assorted plant material from the panty and refrigerator, cotton balls, newspaper
Concepts Addressed: Recycling, economic botany
Also See: Colorful Edibles

Author Helen Edom does a wonderful job of filling this book with practical learning experiences and clear instruction. She closes her book with a section titled, Notes for Parents and Teachers, in which she provides additional information to help parents and teachers answer questions that may come up during the activities.

Science with Plants is a nice addition to any home or classroom library and will provide hours of fun and thoughtful observation.

Available from your local independent bookstore. ($5.99)