Native Plant Classes for Schools

This teacher’s guide is designed to support educators in introducing the study of local flora into a vibrant educational curriculum. Native plants aren’t just aesthetic enhancements to school landscapes; they transform schoolyards into dynamic gardens of learning, offering a wealth of opportunities for discovery and engagement. 

Here’s how to enrich your students' learning experience with the wonders of native plant life.

Understanding native plants

To effectively incorporate native plant classes into your curriculum, a solid understanding of these species is essential. Native plants have naturally evolved in a specific region and are integral to maintaining local ecosystems. 

They serve as vital habitats for wildlife and are key to sustaining ecological balance. By familiarizing students with the botany of native plants, their life cycles, reproductive methods, and ecological roles, you create a robust foundation for in-depth ecological and environmental studies.

Related Reading: Beginner’s Guide to Gardening for Wildlife with Native Plants

Curriculum development

Introducing native plant activities in your curriculum can be an enriching experience for both you and your students. It’s quite straightforward to seamlessly integrate this subject into your existing classes. For example, when teaching about ecosystems, enhance the lesson with hands-on native plant classes providing tangible examples of how these plants thrive in their environments. Your lesson plans could evolve to include:

• Discovering and documenting the diverse plant families native to your region.
• Delving into the significant role of native plants within indigenous cultures and the history of your locality.
• Engaging students with plant identification and classification exercises, fostering a direct connection with their natural heritage.

Hands-on learning

The advantage of learning to garden with native plants is an irreplaceable hands-on experience that no classroom lecture can match. For example, you can encourage your students to cultivate a native plant garden within the school premises. This live learning environment offers a chance to witness plant growth, understand the intricacies of plant care, and observe ecological principles firsthand. Propose activities that might encompass:

• Sowing native seeds or planting seedlings, coupled with regular documentation of their developmental stages.

• Keeping a detailed calendar to track the seasonal changes of local plant species and encourage research into a native plant care calendar.

• Systematically collecting and analyzing data on the interactions between plants and their pollinators, illustrating the interconnectedness of our ecosystem.

Hands-on experience and curriculum development are vital parts of gardening in school, providing a practical framework for educators to implement effective learning strategies.

Related Reading: When to Expect Emergence from Your Native Plants Each Year

National Wildlife Federation’s Schoolyard Habitats®

The National Wildlife Federation offers a fantastic opportunity to incorporate education about native plants into your curriculum by assisting schools in creating a certified Schoolyard Habitat®.  In addition to contributing towards creating a vital habitat for local wildlife, schoolyard habitats provide a unique opportunity to give your students hands-on experience in creating a native wild space. Outside of lessons, having access to a green space they have helped to create can give them a sense of pride and offer them a calm environment to relieve stress and connect with nature.

Creating a certified Schoolyard Habitat®  is an easy process that’s enjoyable for students and educators alike. Simply build your Habitat Team by teaming up with other educators, students, parents, and staff members at your school. Then, choose an optimal location for your habitat and create a work plan so that your team can stay organized. 

Work with your local community to build your new green space; it’s a great way to foster community pride in your area. Once your habitat is ready, you can apply to become a certified Schoolyard Habitat®.

To certify your Schoolyard Habitat®, you need to include the following features:

• At least three types of food for local wildlife
• A water source for wildlife to drink and bathe
• At least two places for local wildlife to shelter from the weather and predators
• At least two places for wildlife to raise their young
• Sustainable practices to help manage your habitat

Download the Schoolyard Habitat's Planning Guide

Learn more: The National Wildlife Federation At Schools

Incorporating art and history

Native plants offer a unique fusion of biological importance and cultural wealth, serving as perfect subjects for native plant activities, blending art and history. Incorporate these elements into your curriculum through:

Art projects:

• Botanical illustration: Challenge students to create detailed drawings or watercolor paintings of native plants, celebrating their distinctive features. This activity not only teaches botanical illustration but also highlights the aesthetic value of local flora.

• Pressing and herbariums: Introduce the time-honored craft of pressing plants. Guide students in creating herbarium pages that can be exhibited later as a collective garden of learning.

• Sculpture and ceramics: Encourage using clay or recycled materials to create sculptures capturing the essence of native plant forms, integrating tactile learning with artistic creation.

History integration:

• Ethnobotanical studies: Assign projects where students investigate and share how indigenous cultures utilized native plants for their medicinal, nutritional, or ceremonial value.

• Historical diaries: Build a connection with the past by having students craft diaries or narratives from the perspectives of early settlers or indigenous peoples, focusing on their relationship with native plants.

• Cultural significance: Explore the rich symbolism of native plants across different cultures, examining how these plants are woven into the tapestry of art, literature, and folklore.

Tips for teachers:

• Create collaborative projects with art and history departments to enrich the learning-to-garden experience with a cross-disciplinary approach.

• Draw on native plants to anchor lessons in the local community's history, strengthening students' connection to their heritage.

• Create opportunities for students to display their artwork and research, turning the school into a living museum that celebrates the significance of native plant life.

It’s easy to see how the study of native plants can be creatively integrated into art and history, providing a holistic educational experience marrying ecological understanding with cultural and artistic exploration.

Related Reading: The Ultimate Guide to Native Plant Gardening

Science in action: garden-based learning in practice

Transform a school’s native plant garden into a vibrant location for garden-based learning, where science education springs from every leaf and bloom. Encourage students to become young scientists, meticulously observing and documenting the complex web of ecological relationships that unfold in this green space — be it the dance between pollinators and plants or the silent stalk of predator and prey.

Activities to ignite curiosity:

• Observational studies: Initiate regular sessions where students monitor and record garden interactions, turning each observation into a lesson on ecological dynamics and the importance of native species.

• Experimental designs: Encourage older students to delve into scientific inquiry by designing experiments exploring the effects of environmental variables on native plant vitality, a practical application of teaching gardening principles.

• Soil analysis: Introduce students to the world beneath their feet with soil analysis activities. Determining soil pH and nutrient profiles can lead to enlightening discussions about the local environment's impact on plant health.

Tips for teachers to cultivate scientific minds:

• Stimulate hypothesis-driven learning by encouraging students to make predictions based on their garden observations, encouraging a hands-on approach to the scientific method.

• Integrate data collection and analytical techniques into the curriculum, teaching students how to quantify and interpret their findings within the learning-to-garden experience.

• Champion collaborative efforts, leveraging group projects to enhance teamwork and analytical skills — essential components of scientific research and education.

Through these interactive experiences, students don't just learn about science; they live it. They're not just reading about hypotheses and experiments; they're conducting them. This approach not only solidifies scientific knowledge but also instills a lifelong appreciation for the natural world.

Related Reading: Detroit’s Marygrove Community Native Plant Gardens

Conservation ethics: promoting stewardship with gardening in school

Incorporate the principles of conservation into your teaching by highlighting the critical role native plants play in sustaining local ecosystems. Address the pressing issues of habitat destruction and the spread of invasive species, and illustrate how the cultivation and care of native plants can combat these environmental threats. 

Through garden-based learning, you can cultivate a sense of stewardship in your students as they learn to value and protect their natural surroundings.

Conservation ethics tips:

• Create a conservation corner: Establish an area within your classroom or a special section in the school garden dedicated to conservation education. This space can serve as a visual and interactive display of student-led native plant activities and conservation efforts.

• Develop seed banks: Engage students in collecting and storing seeds from native plants, imparting practical skills and reinforcing the importance of genetic diversity and species preservation.

• Adopt-a-plant program: Encourage each student to become the caretaker of a specific native plant. This personal responsibility nurtures a deeper understanding of the plant's ecological role and develops a connection with the environment.

• Restoration field trips: Take learning outside the classroom by organizing field trips to areas requiring ecological restoration. These hands-on experiences are invaluable for teaching gardening and conservation practices. Some local botanical gardens offer field trips or classes. Talk about hands on!

• Guest speakers: Enlist local conservationists and botanists to share their knowledge and passion for native plant preservation, giving students real-world insights into the field of conservation.

• Eco-challenges: Challenge students with eco-friendly initiatives, like minimizing waste or encouraging the planting of native species in their own backyards, to instill conservation habits.

Incorporating these strategies will educate students about the critical importance of conservation and actively involve them in efforts to nurture and protect their local ecosystems.

Related Reading: Transforming School Campuses with Native Plants & Wildflowers

Native plants and wellness: garden-based learning for the mind and body

Engaging with native plants isn't just a boon for ecological education — it's a way to enhance student wellness and mindfulness. Incorporate the nurturing presence of native plants into your lessons, perhaps by starting a class with a tranquil moment in the school's native plant garden or by integrating native plant activities into physical education, allowing students to tend to the garden as part of their physical activity.

Native plants and wellness tips:

• Mindful observation: Initiate each class with a period of quiet reflection, where students can engage in mindful observation of native plants. This practice can help focus their minds and introduce calm by closely examining the intricate details of a plant’s life.

• Yoga among the flora: Utilize the peaceful backdrop of your garden for yoga sessions. The natural surroundings can significantly enhance the restorative practice, grounding students in the present moment.

• Garden journaling: Foster a deeper connection between students and the natural world by encouraging them to maintain a garden journal. This reflective activity can be a repository for their thoughts, creative writing, or artwork inspired by the native plants they encounter.

• Plant care responsibility: By assigning students their own native plants to care for, you instill a sense of responsibility and routine, reinforcing the importance of daily care in both gardening and personal wellness.

• Nature walks: Lead your students on educational walks through local natural habitats, identifying native plants along the way. This activity can be paired with walking meditation practices, promoting physical and mental well-being.

• Breathing exercises: Integrate breathing exercises with garden activities to accentuate the stress-reducing benefits of being among plants, further enhancing the wellness aspect of learning to garden.

• Classroom greenery: Transform the classroom into an oasis with potted native plants. This beautifies the learning space and brings the therapeutic benefits of nature right to the students' desks.

By weaving these wellness-focused practices into your curriculum, you underscore the holistic benefits of native plants, offering students valuable lessons in both environmental science and personal health.

Related Reading: Tips for Getting More from Kids Garden Month

Community engagement: cultivating connections through native plant classes

By incorporating native plant activities into your curriculum, you create opportunities for community involvement that enrich both the educational experience and local biodiversity. Consider organizing events highlighting the school's native plant garden, like a community plant sale or an open house, to actively engage families and community members.

Community engagement tips:

• Expert workshops: Enhance your teaching gardening efforts by inviting local botanists and gardeners to conduct workshops, offering a blend of academic knowledge and practical experience.

• Community garden days: Dedicate special days for community members to contribute to the school garden, reinforcing our collective responsibility for the natural environment.

• Eco-fairs: Encourage students to showcase their projects on native plants at eco-fairs, which can serve as a platform for sharing their work with a broader audience and promoting sustainable living.

• Collaborative planting events: Build partnerships with local organizations to organize native plantings, strengthening community ties and promoting ecological stewardship.

• Art in the garden: Use the garden as a gallery to display student art or as a stage for performances, highlighting the harmonious blend of culture and horticulture.

By following these tips, you can turn the school garden into a community hub for environmental education and engagement, showing the roots of learning extend far beyond the classroom.

Related Reading: Newtown, Connecticut Native Plant Garden with Catherine Violet Hubbard Sanctuary

The impact of native plants and gardens in education

Integrating garden-based learning, including native plant classes, into educational curricula has yielded remarkable outcomes, encompassing improved educational achievements and the development of essential life skills. Drawing insights from a study conducted by Cornell University, here are key findings underscoring the transformative effects of this approach.

Enhanced academic engagement

Evidence from Cornell emphasizes the academic advantages of school gardens. Elementary students immersed in gardening consistently outperform their peers in science assessments, affirming the potency of hands-on learning in fostering academic success and enhancing engagement in garden-based learning activities.

Life skills cultivation

Beyond academics, garden-based learning programs nurture valuable life skills. Students engaged in gardening initiatives demonstrate improved teamwork, self-awareness, and heightened self-esteem. These soft skills are pivotal for holistic student development and future accomplishments, highlighting the multifaceted benefits of native plant activities.

Community connections

School gardens serve as conduits to vibrant communities, fostering social interactions and creating nurturing environments. This phenomenon is particularly conspicuous in urban settings, where green spaces serve as communal focal points, strengthening neighborhood bonds and nurturing collective guardianship of local ecosystems.

These findings illuminate the profound influence of native plants and gardens in education, underscoring the transformative potential of garden-based learning for students' holistic growth and development.

Evaluating  the impact of learning to garden through native plant classes

Measuring the impact of your native plant program is crucial to understanding its effectiveness and guiding future enhancements. Here are strategies and tips for evaluating the educational impact of garden-based learning, including native plant activities:

Evaluating impact tips:

• Pre- and post-program surveys: Assess changes in student attitudes and knowledge regarding native plants by administering surveys before and after program participation. This data offers valuable insights into the program's influence on student learning and engagement in gardening in school.

• Observation diaries: Encourage students to maintain observation diaries, allowing you to access their reflections and insights. These diaries provide a qualitative perspective on the learning process and reveal patterns in student engagement with native plant classes.

• Project portfolios: Create a repository of student work tied to the native plant program. Portfolios can be used to demonstrate learning progression, depth of understanding, and the breadth of skills acquired through learning to garden.

• Performance assessments: Develop assessments aligned with the program's educational objectives to directly measure the impact of native plant activities on student learning outcomes.

• Community feedback: Seek input from parents and community members to gauge the program's visibility and influence on the community. Their perspectives offer valuable external validation of the program's value.

• Longitudinal studies: Consider conducting studies tracking the program’s effects over several years, assessing its sustainability and long-term educational benefits. This data can help refine and adapt the program for continued success.

By implementing these evaluation strategies, you can comprehensively assess the educational impact of your native plant classes and garden-based learning initiatives, ensuring your program continues to flourish and benefit students.

Overcoming obstacles to native plant gardening in school

Navigating obstacles in native plant education, such as limited resources or waning student interest, demands creative solutions. Here are strategies and tips to overcome challenges and ensure the success of your learning-to-garden initiatives, including native plant activities:

• Grants and donations: Pursue grants from environmental foundations and enlist the support of local businesses for material donations. These resources can alleviate financial constraints, ensuring the sustainability of your native plant classes. Don’t forget that Garden for Wildlife offers a plant donation program, where we donate one plant for every plant purchased on our site. You can apply to be considered for free plant donations here.

• Virtual plant walks: When in-person field trips pose challenges, leverage virtual tours offered by botanical gardens or nature reserves. This digital alternative allows students to explore native plants without leaving the classroom, enhancing accessibility and flexibility.

• Integrated learning: Build cross-disciplinary connections by incorporating native plants into various subjects. For instance, use them in math lessons to teach measurement through tracking growth rates or integrate them into literature classes by encouraging students to incorporate plants into their stories. This approach broadens the scope of garden-based learning.

• Citizen science projects: Engage students in citizen science programs centered around native plants, irrespective of school resource limitations. These programs offer opportunities for meaningful participation in authentic scientific endeavors, emphasizing the inclusivity of gardening in school. Check your state for examples of citizen science projects, like this example from Colorado.

• Creative competitions: Ignite interest across diverse student groups by organizing art or essay competitions centered on native plants. These creative challenges inspire exploration and innovation, transcending potential disinterest.

By embracing these innovative strategies, you can effectively address challenges in native plant education, ensuring your native plant activities continue to thrive and inspire students to cultivate a deep appreciation for local flora.

Cultivate curiosity with garden-based learning

Educators and nature enthusiasts alike envision a classroom extending far beyond its physical boundaries, where each planted seed becomes a profound lesson, and every blooming flower ignites a student's curiosity.

Immerse yourself in the vibrant universe of native plants, where the realms of science, history, and wellness converge. Allow every leaf and petal to enrich your teaching, establishing an enduring connection between your students and the natural world.

By intricately weaving the wonders of native flora into your curriculum, you construct an educational tapestry that seamlessly integrates ecological knowledge with practical conservation practices. Observe the remarkable growth of young minds as they flourish amidst the native greenery they've contributed to nurturing.

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