1. Lesson 1: Plants
Ask students which street they prefer and why. Ask students how they think we benefit from plants? (food, clean air, shade, paper, house materials, habitat for animals, beauty, places to play).

2. What are plants?
A large group of living things that use sunlight to make their own food.
Review definition of a plant: A large group of living things that use sunlight to make their own food (photosynthesis). Most plants have leaves, stems, roots and either flowers or cones. Plants use a green pigment called chlorophyll to absorb energy from sunlight. Grasses, trees, vines, vegetables, fruits, ferns and mosses are all plants.

3. Plants Types MOSSES FERNS GRASSES VINES SHRUBS TREES FRUITS VEGETABLES
Plants are so important to us and our environment. Ask students how they think we benefit from plants? (food, clean air, shade, paper, house materials, habitat for animals).

4. Leaves Stem Roots Flowers Fruits Plant Parts
Have the students name the parts of a plant. Most plants have leaves, stems, roots and either flowers or cones. 
Leaves make food for the plant by using sunlight, carbon dioxide (what we breathe out) and water. This is called photosynthesis. Leaves also release oxygen, which is what we breathe.
Stem is like a straw, drawing up the water and nutrients (food) in the soil to the other plant parts. The stem also holds up the leaves and flowers/fruits.
Roots act as a sponge, absorbing all the nutrients & water from the soil. They also hold the plant in the soil so it doesn’t blow over or wash away…like an anchor.
Flowers help the plant reproduce by attracting insects with their pollen and nectar. The flowers can grow into fruits and the fruits protect the seeds inside as they grow.

5. Photosynthesis means to put together with light.
Leaves make food for the plant by using sunlight, carbon dioxide (what we breathe out) and water. This is called photosynthesis. Leaves are release oxygen for us the breathe.
What is photosynthesis? Photo means “light” and synthesis means “to put together”.
Photosynthesis means to put together with light.
Plants breathe in carbon dioxide, which is what we exhale.
Photosynthesis is a process in which green plants use energy from the sun to transform water, carbon dioxide, and minerals into carbohydrates (or food) for the plant.
The plants also release oxygen.
Photosynthesis gives us much of the oxygen we need in order to breathe and it cleans the air. We, in turn, exhale carbon dioxide that is needed by plants.
Photosynthesis Graphic: <a href=" vector created by brgfx -

6. Pollinators = fruits = seeds
All Living Things Have a Life Cycle…even plants! Ask your students what a human (baby, toddler, child, teen, adult) or a butterfly (egg, caterpillar, chrysalis/pupa, butterfly).
Seeds hold a tiny plant with its own food supply. With space, water, and sun…the seed begins to grow into a stem with a few leaves…called a sprout.
The sprout gets taller, more leaves, and the roots continue to spread out.
Finally the plant grow into a mature (adult) and develops flowers.
Insects and birds pollinate the flowers so they can produce fruits.
Inside the fruits will grow seeds….which will start the process all over again.
Pollinator photos: I’iwi bird (endemic), honey bee (non-native), Pulelehua/Kamehameha butterfly (endemic & endangered).
Pollinators = fruits = seeds

7. How Do Plants Move Around?
Plants can’t walk…so how do they move around?
The three W’s: Wing, Wind, Wave
or in Hawaii…The thee M’s: Makani (wind)  Moana,(Ocean) Manu (bird/wing)
Some seeds get eaten by other animals like birds, rat, mice and pigs when they eat fruits. When the animals move or fly around, they carry the seeds with them until they excrete (poop) them out. This is one way plants can move around.
Some seeds will have hairs on them that allow them to be spread around by the wind.
Some seeds can float around in streams and the ocean. Your students may have seen mangrove seeds when they are at the beach. The seed pods will float onto land and start to grow a new plant.
Seeds can also “hitchhike” on our shoes and even in the hooves and paws of animals like pigs, goats and dogs and on the feathers and feet of birds.
marcanderson.photoshelter.com

8. Botany: the study of plants
IRONWOOD TREES: Are they the same tree?
Botany is the study of plants and scientist that study plants are called botanists. Because botanist are studying the same subject from all around the world, they use scientific names of plants so they don’t get confused.
Tree’s scientific names often come from their appearance, location, or even named after a person.
Both of these plants have the same common name “IRONWOOD”. Are they the same tree? What’s similar? What is different?
This is why botanist use scientific names which are the same all around the world.
*Casuarina equisetifolia is an introduces, invasive plant in Hawaii. It is native to SE Asia, French Polynesia and Australia. The Ostrya virginiana is native to eastern North America.
Casuarina equisetifolia
Ostrya virginiana

9. Scientific Names… what do they mean?
Casuarina equisetifolia
Casuarina – means cassowary, which is bird with droopy feathers
Scientific names are a language called “Latin”. Each name has a meaning…
Casuarina equisetifolia = droopy horse hair!
Equisetifolia- means “horse hair”

10. Scientific Names… what do they mean?
Ostrya virginiana
Ostrya – “Bone-like”
Virginiana – means “from Virginia”
Ostrya Virginia’s common name is ironwood because it’s so hard. It’s often used to make fence posts and difficult to cut though.
Ostrya means bone like…bones are hard and strong.

11. What did we learn about plants?
LEAVES
Part of plant that makes food?
Part of plant that holds it in the ground?
Can you name a type of animal that is a pollinator?
Why are plants important?
ROOTS
*Answers are animations and will appear with mouse click.
Part of plant that makes food? Leaves
Part of plant that holds it in the ground? Roots
Can you name a type of animal that is a pollinator? Birds or insects
Why are plants important? This is an open-ended question…feel free to discuss with students and use examples.
BIRDS OR INSECTS