Challenge Steps

Step one

Download materials

Click Link to get materials on Google Drive.

Step two

Level 1

Use plant photos to match physical and visual characteristics to plants in your community. Exploration Questions • What patterns are you noticing? • Are you finding some plants in different places? How do those places differ from each other? • What colors are you noticing? • Did you find any new places? • What was your favorite plant or place?

Step three

Level 2

Use the characteristics on the back of the plant photos (and the plant photos) to practice new plant-related vocabulary and learn about the ‘clues’ that botanists, plant ecologists and foresters use to identify plants. Exploration Questions • Are there certain words, phrases or characteristics that are repeated? • Are there words that you aren’t familiar with? What do you think those words mean with context clues? • Why do humans care about plants and their characteristics?

Step four

Level 3

Using the example dichotomous key provided, see if you can find the names of the plants on our list. Exploration Questions • How many plants were you able to name and identify? • What would you change about the dichotomous key? • Do you feel like you could name these plants without the key? • Did you notice plants had characteristics that differed from each other?

Step five

Level 4

Using new or existing characteristics that you noticed about each plant, create your own dichotomous key. When you’re finished, switch with a friend and see if they can use your key. Exploration Questions • Did your friend notice or use different characteristics than you did? • What differences exist between your key and the example key? • What would you change about you or your friend’s key? • Were you able to accurately identify the plants?

Step six

Level 5

Get creative! Make a map, write a story, draw a picture or do another activity to learn more about plants on the list. Exploration Questions • Can you identify all 29 plants without a key? Do you use another tool or skill to memorize them? • Describe a time when you found a plant that you thought was interesting. What did you do? Why did you find it interesting? • When you started the activities, did you notice anything about how you were grouping plants or their characteristics together?

Step seven

Earn your badge!