DIY Plant Profiles - Field Test for Reading the Environment From A Traditional Perspective
- Finn Rachul
- Mar 10, 2025
- 4 min read
This blog post is sourced from our Land-Based Mind Map - "DIY for Teachers" section. It is formatted as a lesson plan but can be used by anybody, anywhere, trying to learn about their local environment through a traditional approach. Click here for more: Land-Based Mind Map | PrairieOjibweEnviro
In order for anybody to gain a deeper understanding of the ecosystems around us, they must learn to attach names to plants. In our summer training program work, the first lesson trainees learn is plant identification. When someone learns what a plant's name is, they can then begin creating a mental profile of where this plant grows, what it looks like, smells, textures, and what it coexists or fights against in its habitat. Identifying plants and creating profiles as students continue to learn about them is a building block to understanding the dynamics of our local ecosystems as a whole.
Learning Objectives
1. Importance of learning plant identification skills
2. How to identify common plants in school grounds or in surrounding areas
3. Gain skills in telling the difference between similar plants
4. Gain a basic understanding of plants and their unique personalities
Learn the basic building blocks behind understanding the environment from a traditional perspective.
Required Items
1. Notebooks and pencils
2. Various plant identification books (see resources for recommendations. Alternatively, use plant identification apps with camera capabilities)
3. Gloves for touching plants (in case of sensitivities)
4. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer (in case of reactions to plants)
5. Magnifying glasses
6. Flags or markers
Instructions
1. Prepare students for studying plants. It is key that students understand that while the main goal is to be able to identify which plant is which, they need to be observant of more than just that. Many factors, such as which plants grow around each other, what kind of soil and moisture they are growing in, how the they smell, how much sunlight they are getting, what the air movement and temperature is like during the day and night, and much more are at play. There is a learning curve when first identifying plants, but as students continue to do this exercise, they will begin to catch more and more information about each plant.
2. Find a location with some diversity of plants. School yards often have a collection of weeds and invasive plants as well as shelterbelts, grasses, ditches, and edge areas that will have a wide community of plants for students to study. As students get a handle on this exercise, moving to parks or forests is beneficial.
3. Have students mark out a square with the top facing north, roughly 30 paces by 30 paces, larger or smaller depending on the class size. Make sure to note which direction each side is facing.
4. Have teams of students split the square up into their own areas and identify as many plants as they can using their books or plant identification apps. In their notebooks, they should note the location, weather, temperature, time of day, date, identified plant names, wildlife seen, and anything else they find notable.
5. Once students are satisfied with how they've studied their area, have them meet and share what they found.
6. Repeat steps 3-5 in various areas with different plant communities.
7. Once students have become familiar with this exercise and some of the most common plants in their area, you can have them pick a plant and research its habitat, behavior, and whatever else they need to understand the "why" behind where plants are growing. Have them meet and discuss their findings and teach each other.
8. Repeat steps 3-5. Have students focus on why plants grow the way they do. They should look at all factors, including:
-Insects (ants, beetles, bees, etc)
-Animals (deer, squirrels, birds, etc)
-Soil (is it hard, soft, sandy, clay, musty or sweet smelling, etc.)
-Moisture (are there puddles when it rains, is there water nearby, does this area drain water)
-Sunlight exposure
-General temperature
-Air movement
-Surrounding plants (trees, shrubs, grasses, flowers - they all influence how other plants grow)
-What the area has been used for
-Whatever factors they think are relevant (it doesn't matter if they really are, as long as they are paying attention)
9. Now that students have practiced their plant identification, they can begin to make plant profiles. As a class or individuals, have students compile their information and being making profiles for each species found. What they note is up to you or your class, but it should include sections similar to the factors listed in step 8. Other options include if the plant has any uses for people, what it does for its environment, if its a bully plant (tough weed) or a sensitive plant (fragile or rare), and much more.
10. You can guide your students in various directions at this point depending on their grade as you see fit. In our work, we have had students lead discussions on single plant species, do presentation on ecosystems with their favorite plant, write research projects about why a plant is invasive and its effects, and much more.
Resources
Excellent sources for local plant information: https://psbotanicals.com/products/lauras-guide/
https://www.canadabookdistributors.com/product/edible-and-medicinal-plants-of-canada/
https://www.gov.mb.ca/sd/pubs/forest_lands/field_guide.pdf
App recommendations:
PictureThis
iNaturalist
For questions, recommendations, or to request a plant workshop session, please email Finn Rachul or David Scott at
Finn.rachul@gmail.com
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