Botany Unit Study

botany

A few years ago I put together a botany unit study for my boys.  We used 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 did them.  Because we have long winters here we did this study over a summer.

Introduction

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

Vascular Land Plants (tracheophytes)

Private Life of Plants Growing

Seed Plants (spermatophytes)

Private Life of Plants Flowering

Angiosperms

Beech Tree
Apple Tree
Peas

Watch The Queen of Trees – 60 minutes

Olive Tree
Grapes
Carnation
Rose
Clover
Alfalfa
Daisy
Cacti
Sweet Potato

Private Life of Plants the Social Struggle http://science.docuwat.ch/videos/?alternative=2&channel_id=0&skip=0&subpage=video&video_id=58

Project – Visit gardens and take pictures of different plants and write down their names.

Monocotyledons

Bananas
Bamboo
Orchids
Irises
Agaves
Onions
Gladiolus
Asparagus
Yucca
Coconuts

Go on a hike and collect flowering plants and determine if they are monocots or dicots

Private Life of Plants Living Together http://science.docuwat.ch/videos/?alternative=2&channel_id=0&skip=0&subpage=video&video_id=57

Project:  Compile pictures of plants.  Look up their scientific names and write them down.

Edible Wild Plants

Morel mushrooms
Blackberries
Pine nuts
Wild chestnuts

Private Life of Plants Surviving http://science.docuwat.ch/videos/?alternative=2&channel_id=0&skip=0&subpage=video&video_id=52
Project:  Sort pictures of plants according to their classification>

Medicinal Plants

Read Medicinal Plants pg 84-85 Essential Atlas of Botany by Barrons

Chamomile
Willow bark
Nettles
Aromatic Plants

Read Aromatic Plants pg 86-87 Essential Atlas of Botany by Barrons

Labiates family: Common mint
Labiates family: Lavender
Labiates family: Basil
Ubellifers family: Wild chervil
Ubellifers family: Anise
Ubellifers family: Carrot
Ubellifers family: Cilantro
Perfume present only in flower: Jasmine
Perfume present only in flower Violet

Plants for Production

Read Plants for Production pg 88-89 Essential Atlas of Botany by Barrons

Wheat
Rice
Corn
Grapes for wine
Coffee beans
Tea leaves
Cotton
Hemp

Project:  Arrange pictures into a video with scientific names and organized according to the species.

Watch BBC Life: Plants episode

7 thoughts on “Botany Unit Study

  1. Just wanted to say thank you for sharing! Found your site via search for secular science curriculum. I’m a Christian, too, but don’t feel like that means I need to adopt a dogmatic, single-perspective interpretation of design/creation in our science studies. We’re covering botany & intro to geology this year, so I’m going to use this unit study (whatever we get thru over summer/early fall) with a intro earth science (maybe the CPO… it might be a little advanced for my kids, oldest is 4th grade). TO SUM UP: I’m encouraged AND you’ve saved me approximately 27 hours of my life. Big thanks!

  2. I have to add that you have inspired me! I’ve been considering homeschooling my kids and have been researching for the last two years. You inspire me!

    1. Thank you Cait 🙂 I just find a spine that seems to cover a topic well and break it down into a general outline. I then fill in the outline with things I think my kids will enjoy (videos, activities, etc).

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