Botany Study

botany
I recently put together a botany study for my boys.  We are using a handful of books, a few DVDs, lots of Youtube videos, and plenty of time in the dirt.  Everything is listed chronologically in the order we plan to do them.  I realize the outline format listed below isn’t consistent, but if you are looking for resources it should give you an idea of what is covered and when it is covered in the study.  This study will probably take at least 2 months to complete.  We are going through this botany study in the spring and early summer.

Read Introduction pg 6-9 Essential Atlas of Botany by Barrons

Plant Anatomy

Read George Washington Carver: An Innovative Life by Elizabeth MacLeod pg 4-9

Plant Physiology

Read George Washington Carver: An Innovative Life by Elizabeth MacLeod pg 10-15

Plant Reproduction

Read George Washington Carver: An Innovative Life by Elizabeth MacLeod pg 16-21
Read George Washington Carver: An Innovative Life by Elizabeth MacLeod pg 22-29

Ecology

Kingdom Protista

Kingdom Fungi

Kingdom Plantae

 Non-Vascular Land Plants (bryophytes)

Private Life of Plants Video – Seed Travelling http://vimeo.com/6984507

Vascular Land Plants (tracheophytes)

Seed Plants (spermatophytes)

Angiosperms

Beech Tree
Apple Tree
Peas

 

Olive Tree
Grapes
Carnation
·         Growing carnation from seed after watching
·         Draw carnation flower http://www.ehow.com/video_6198399_draw-carnation-flower.html
·         Carnation experiment http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMvEVnAFCNA
      1. Rose
·         Rose cuttings http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5qhp11rgYI
·         Types of roses http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITuDKT5piww
·         Start cuttings from roses
      1. Clover
·         Clover lawn and honeybees http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoO62dWLg-U
·         Benefits of eating clover http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjiFfB2owzs
·         Sprout clover seeds to eat http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JCpJV78-OY
·         How to find 4 leaf clover http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHYZ_EsufPY
·         Search for 4 leaf clover
      1. Alfalfa
·         Grazing alfalfa http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIPahL3tIwo
·         Chopping alfalfa crop http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNW4bQkYiFQ
·         Alfalfa planting  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNq2K3-bCJc
      1. Daisy
·         Time lapse bloom http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nG5lsCZnBA
·         How to find daisy seeds http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5IALgUY1qI
·         Harvest and plant Daisy seeds http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySRAe2P8nxg
      1. Cacti
·         Different types of cacti http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aL8mKGOlkLA
·         How to grow a cactus plant http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Grow-a-Cactus-Plant-517026948
·         Buy a small cactus plant and replant it in a larger pot.
      1. Sweet Potato
Sprout a sweet potato
·         Plant when lots of leaves and roots appear.
·         Sprout a sweet potato http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtgb5Vkgy2Y
·         Sprouted sweet potato http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9BZIQ0YEmE
·         Put 3-4 toothpicks in a sweet potato and rest it in a glass of water.  Put in a warm and dark place until roots appear and then move to sunny place.
·         Cut 1 foot long slips and root them in water
·         Plant the slips with roots in the ground.
Project – Visit gardens and take pictures of different plants and write down their names.
      1. Read Monocotyledons pg 68-69 Essential Atlas of Botany by Barrons
      2. Banana tree
        1. Growing bananas show (4 parts) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBlu8A68_Pc
      3. Bamboo
        1. Bamboo forest http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmunAx2-FYE
        2. Types of long bamboo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmUCEfWGqR4
        3. Types of short bamboo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxA9ewnZafk&NR=1
        4. Bamboo dome http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7g1-lBvvN9M&NR=1
        5. Bamboo bike http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mk2i1rB17iA
      4. Orchids
        1. Orchid care http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNtNFxBqfkw
        2. Pictures of different orchids http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvqdHXeWw6Y
      5. Irises
        1. Different irises http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V511CLkybWw&NR=1
        2. How to plant iris http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYyDdS53l4c
        3. Iris blooming time lapse http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-m1chc04ZQ
        4. Origami iris http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJGC4aGfGoQ
      6. Agaves
        1. Getting nectar from the agave plant http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJQlQkumrvU
        2. Harvesting agave plant http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mi2CQgXu7kE
      7. Onions
        1. Planting onion bulbs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEu295tkfoA
        2. Growing onions http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZYFtPN_jAk
        3. Plant sprouting onions from kitchen
      8. Gladiolus
        1. Gladiolus overview http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvGxQ4mJWuM
        2. How to care for them http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiBIumjGDXo
      9. Asparagus
        1. Asparagus time lapse http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAQ3PmS3D0U
        2. How to grow them http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSrgI1tBDo0
        3. Make and eat lemon roasted asparagus http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zVu9t2sob4
      10. Yucca
        1. Prune a  yucca plant http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km8wQ4Q7Xbk
        2. Caring for yucca plants http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-FqlfqpYCE
        3. Prune and transplant Yucca plants outside
      11. Coconut tree
        1. Harvesting coconuts http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-jhkMo0BUs
        2. Coconut extraction machine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knK2IiFSH2s
        3. How to crack open a coconut  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C37qMgGiXMc
        4. Crack open a coconut and try the coconut water and meat
      12. Go on a hike and collect flowering plants and determine if they are monocots or dicots
Project:  Compile pictures of plants.  Look up their scientific names and write them down.
Edible Wild Plants
      1. Morel mushroom
        1. How to find moral mushrooms http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNh_RC5rSm4
        2. Preparing moral mushrooms http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fasWd74taY
      2. Blackberries
        1. Picking wild blackberries http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_sgvP7THhI
        2. Eating wild blackberries http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEzN9ChlqnE
      3. Pine nuts
        1. Harvesting pine nuts and other edibles from the pine tree http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HA39XQ8UAr4
        2. Try pine needle tea and attempt to find a cone and get pine nuts out.
      4. Wild chestnuts
        1. Finding and preparing wild chestnuts http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymNSnBaTmyE
        2. Roast a few chestnuts and eat them
Project:  Sort pictures of plants according to their classification
Medicinal Plants
      1. Read Medicinal Plants pg 84-85 Essential Atlas of Botany by Barrons
      2. Chamomile
b.      How to harvest it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtqyUhSZxi0
c.       How to use it as a remedy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MN_02xKg134
      1. Willow bark
a.       How to harvest and use http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePsvtj2amrM
      1. Nettles
        1. Hair loss prevention demonstration http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ynblyb9CKdA
Aromatic Plants
      1. Read Aromatic Plants pg 86-87 Essential Atlas of Botany by Barrons
      1. Labiates family: Common mint
        1. How to grow and use mint http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLKzW6AUjVs
      1. Labiates family: Lavender
        1. Varieties of lavender http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ds9yC22DiQ
      2. Labiates family: Basil
        1. Plant basil in pot with pruned cutting from grocery store http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFxcJBDK7lY
        2. Using basil http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gop9S-8u9Hs
      1. Ubellifers family: Wild chervil
        1. Identification of wild chervil http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXLaTdM4nzA
      1. Ubellifers family: Anise
        1. Describing anise http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k75vN8zcsAE
      2. Ubellifers family: Carrot
        1. How to grow carrots http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQsKs4B2LAo
        2. Farmer harvesting carrots http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WunwmZbIHY
      3. Ubellifers family: Cilantro
        1. Growing cilantro in a pot http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rnb_4Qi8-5A
      1. Perfume present only in flower: Jasmine
        1. Jasmine plant http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Q2bo737bkc
      2. Perfume present only in flower Violet
        1. Time lapse violet plants http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpQtQrirV4I
        2. How to grow and care for African violets http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoV-J5sEWYY
      1. Plant a small herb garden in a large pot with plants from a nursery.
Plants for Production
      1. Read Plants for Production pg 88-89 Essential Atlas of Botany by Barrons
      2. Wheat
        1. Wheat production basics and possible problems http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVktysjCnWI
        2. From wheat to pasta http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5ifBXqQTzU
        3. Wheat farmer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66UOLWOk1_g
        4. Planting winter wheat http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_sev04KfeU
      1. Rice
        1. Rice farming in Sri Lanka http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZR3HVelt6Ys
        2. Rice growing time lapse http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbUVNBSwyLQ
        3. How to grow rice http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXL1oMdCFUM
        4. Harvesting rice the modern way http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hzM4UPPfGE
        5. Harvesting rice by hand http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyO0EMpkuNQ
        6. Rice processing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y43E_67IR3I and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SPmY7CXYtQ
      1. Corn
        1. Planting corn http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3nNIqhGKbI
        2. Picking sweet corn http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laov42n9jXA&NR=1
        3. Sweet corn husker http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l9z9fqan9U
        4. Corn cutter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8o_EXsUO2I8
        5. How corn flakes are made http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DtpYcxnS4M
        6. How tortilla chips are made http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzIdZGOR9vo
      1. Grapes for wine
        1. Visual tour of vineyard http://vimeo.com/13827401
        2. Vineyard and winery – year round work http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeLhRjrWaSI
        3. I Love Lucy grape stomping http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXlFIdu8NJU
        4. Wine making http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57X-GAtTbeA
      1. Coffee beans
        1. Coffee harvesting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmFUQxsYQ-U
        2. Coffee production from the bean to the cup http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xa4tei_caravan-coffee-video-tour_school
      2. Tea leaves
        1. Growth and production of tea http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJFaYKEDle4
        2. Tea farm in Sri Lanka http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FQZ60XEg7U
        3. Black tea production http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTygb0ll2qE
      1. Cotton
        1. Planting cotton http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvZOFI_x8Vg
        2. Picking cotton http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHE82R4i2Vo
        3. Processing cotton http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0gx21jF51k
        1. Hemp
        1. Hemp, Hemp Horray.  Uses and benefits of eco-friendly hemp http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTZbB9dsRww 1 hour
Project:  Arrange pictures into a video with scientific names and organized according to the species.
Watch BBC Life: Plants episode

4 thoughts on “Botany Study

  1. Just found your link on wtm when I was looking for an alternative to apologia botany. Thank you so much for sharing, this looks great!

  2. This is absolutely amazing!! Thank you so much for sharing. This really means a lot to me. We are beginning our journey into homeschooling, I have been unsatisfied with a lot of the science curriculum available because it seems so textbookish. This plan is fantastic and gives me some great ideas to pursue with my 3rd grade son.

    Thanks,
    Rachel

  3. Wow! What a wonderful set of resources. Thank you for sharing your hard work with us! We’re doing a lot on garden science these next couple of months and I’ll be back to check out this post a lot!

    Oh–and by the way, I’m new to your website, but am going to add it to my list of websites to visit frequently!

    Kind regards,
    Liesl

  4. Wow, this looks like a great Botany study. I hope to put something similar together for 9th grade science. A whole year with a course in Botany: horticulture, agriculture, aquaponics, medicinal herbs, edible herbs, gardening, etc.
    Blessings
    Diane

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