Plants Unit Study

Do you cultivate flowers in your yard or plant a vegetable garden? Indeed, Spring and Summer are the perfect seasons to get outside and get our hands dirty while learning all about plants. So, if you want to pass these skills to your children, consider using this plant unit study in your homeschool and encourage your budding botanists! Applicable for grades PreK-5.

Of course, don’t forget to download your 45-page printable pack at the end of the article!

Plant Unit Books

In fact, one of the best and simplest ways to gather information is through books! So, to get the most out of this plant unit study, print this list and take it with you on a field trip to your local library. Or add some to your home library by purchasing from Amazon through the links.

Nonfiction:

Fiction:

Activity Books:

Plant Unit Activities

Of course, there are many opportunities for hands-on activities when studying about plants. To begin, here are a few suggestions for plant unit activities!

  • Create a Chlorophyll Painting: This is a fun art activity to do while learning about photosynthesis. However, there are a few different ways to do this. First, you can begin with a plain white sheet of paper or a page with a tree trunk or flower stem printed on it.Study Plants Then, gather several different leaves from your yard, as each will release different amounts of chlorophyll. Also, It’s a good idea to have a handful of chlorophyll-heavy spinach on hand to get a good green color. Then, you can fold the page in half with the leaves inside and using a metal spoon, press down hard, crushing the leaves and dispersing the color. Another simpler (and more fun!) option would be just crushing the leaves in your fingers and using them as a paintbrush to create your masterpiece.
  • Make a Nature Shirt: Indeed, this is a fun, easy way to spend a sunny afternoon! First, get a T-shirt for each child – it can either be white or colored, depending on the method of painting you choose. Then, spend some time gathering some nicely shaped leaves of different kinds and lay them out on the shirt. Next, if you’re using a colored shirt, mix bleach and water in a spray bottle and spray the shirt, focusing on the edges of the leaves. However, if you want to use a white shirt, do the same with fabric spray paint like this one. Finally, let the shirt dry in the sun, then do the back if you want.
  • Grow Some Happy Hair: Another activity with variations from which to choose is this project of growing happy hair! Of course, one method would be to take a photo of your child’s face, print it off, and glue it to a clear plastic cup. Fill the cup with soil and plant grass seeds. After a few days of water and sun, your kid’s new hairdo will have sprouted! However, another way to do this activity would be to let them decorate a styrofoam cup with a face, fill it with soil, and plant the seeds.
  • *Bonus* – In fact, start a Gardening Journal to keep up with the different plants you add to your home, whether indoors or outdoors. You’ll find a page in the printable download below to start your journal!

Plant Experiments

Indeed, the homeschool science experiments one can conduct on plants are endless! Here are a few of our favorites for this plant unit!

  • Daffodil Dissection: First, gather your daffodil (or any flower of choice – though daffodils and tulips work great with this experiment because you can see inside the flower and not just see the petals), a paper towel, and a paring knife. Then, using a fresh-cut flower, you can easily explore the parts of a flower and examine how pollinationLife Cycle of a Plant Activity occurs. *If your child has severe allergies, you may want them to wear a mask so as not to inhale straight pollen.* After reviewing the outer parts of the flower, begin at the bloom and carefully slice down the stem, examining and discussing the individual parts of the flower. To see this experiment performed, visit here.
  • Build an Exploding Seed Pod: Of course, when studying pollination, we learn that one method of seed dispersal some plants employ is that of exploding seed pods. While it isn’t as dramatic as it sounds, with this method, the plant can expel the seed and launch it away from the plant to hopefully ensure survival. Cool, right? Your kids can see how this works by building an exploding seed pod with a balloon, parakeet bird seed (wild bird seed doesn’t work as well because the sunflower seeds can block the funnel), a funnel, a small cup, a plastic table cloth, a ruler, a pencil, and paper to record their findings. First, head outside and create the seed pod by attaching the balloon to the bottom of the funnel and pouring the seed in from the cup. Your child may have to do some problem-solving to figure out how to get the seed into the balloon. (Tip: Blow up the balloon and let it deflate to stretch it out and allow for the seed to fill the balloon more easily.) Then, once the seed pod is ready to go, lay the tablecloth on the ground to be able to see how the seeds disperse. Stand at the end of the tablecloth and pop the balloon! Use the ruler to measure the distance the seed traveled and record your findings. Older students can even determine the area and perimeter of the seed dispersal.
  • Find What Environment is Most Conducive to Seed Growth: This experiment uses different soil varieties to see which one is best for the plant. To start, you need 3 clear plastic cups and 3 seedlings. Next, poke holes in the bottom of the cups to allow excess water to escape, then plant your seedlings – one in rocks, one in sand, and one in potting soil. Then, add a plastic lid under the cups to catch any water that may leak out and sit the cups in a window sill. Finally, give each of them the same amount of water each day and record the growth progress.
    • Of course, this experiment can also be done using different types of liquid with which to water the plants. Use potting soil for all the containers and feed one with plain water, one with sugar water, one with vinegar, etc.
  • *Bonus* – The last few pages of our printable download feature instructions and a worksheet to record your scientific method findings for a fun plant experiment!

Plant Unit Snacks

Next, continue learning in the kitchen with these plant-themed snacks your kids will surely enjoy!

  • Eat a Tree Snack: First, create a tree for snack time using a large pretzel rod for the tree trunk. Then add small pretzel sticks for the branches, and green grapes sliced in half (peel side up) for the leaves.botany unit study
  • Eat Every Part of a Plant: After discussing different parts of plants, head to the garden (or the produce section) and grab examples of each for your child to try. Some ideas would be:
    • Roots – baby carrots
    • Stem – celery stalk
    • Leaves – spinach
    • Flower – broccoli
    • Seeds – pumpkin seeds
  • Make Flower Garden Graham Crackers: To start, get the large graham crackers and spread them with sweetened cream cheese or thick fruit dip. Then, finely crush a chocolate cookie and add it to the bottom of the cracker for the soil. Next, “plant” a pretzel stick for the stem, and create your flower from whatever kind of fruit you choose. You can:
    • Use a banana or pineapple slice and add mini chocolate chips in the center for a sunflower
    • Cut small triangles of strawberries to look like flower petals
    • Add the rounded bottom of a strawberry for the center of the flower and place blueberries around it for the petals
    • Use raisins or dried cranberries to create hyacinth petals
    • Or get creative and see what you can come up with!

Plant Learning Videos

Additionally, let screen time work for you in this plant unit with these fun educational videos!

Plant Homeschool Unit Study Workbook

Download our 45-page printable pack all about plants and continue the learning!