Plant Scavenger Hunt

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plant part that collects water hydration collection structure. 5. moss moss nonvascular, non-seed-bearing, green plant. 6. fern fern (or clubmoss) vascular ...
Plant Scavenger Hunt

This activity is more about learning plant vocabulary and traits than searching for items. It also works for all age levels by just adapting the vocabulary. You can develop your own list by touring your schoolyard to see what is available. Below are 10 suggested things that can be adapted for your plant hunt. This version includes the list with the appropriate vocabulary for three age levels: 2-3, 4-6, 7-adult. Make sure to describe the exact area within which they can hunt for the objects. Also, obviously no one can collect a tree, so tell them that if the object is too big (or will hurt the plant to collect it), they can just name or draw it on their answer sheet. Ask them to find the following things:

2-3 (Answer Key) 4-6th Grade 7th Grade to Adult 1. leaf plant part that collects sunlight photosynthetic collection structure 2. flower

plant part that attracts insects for pollination

structure that houses reproductive organs

3. acorn or other seed

any plant seed

embryonic plant ready for dispersal

4. root

plant part that collects water

hydration collection structure

5. moss moss nonvascular, non-seed-bearing, green plant 6. fern

fern (or clubmoss)

vascular, non-seed-bearing, green plant

7. any green plant

plant with green stem and leaves

vascular, seed-bearing, herbaceous plant

8. tree

plant with trunk and branches

vascular, seed-bearing, woody plant

9. grass

plant leaf that grows as a lawn

sample cultivated leaves used to carpet large areas

10. plant stem

part that holds plant upright

structure that houses xylem transport system

Bonus: 11. rock

abiotic mineral object

abiotic mineral object

©Sheri Amsel

www.exploringnature.org

Vascular Plants vs. Nonvascular Plants Plants are broken down into two main groups. They are either vascular or nonvascular. Nonvascular Plants include the mosses, liverworts and hornworts. These are also called bryophytes. They are small, short plants found in wet places. Their gametophyte generation dominates. The sporophyte generation grows from it and depends on it for food. Vascular plants make up about 80% of all plants. They have special tissues in their stems to move water and nutrients up and down the plant. This allows the plant to grow to a much larger size. They are also characterized by their reproductive phase. In vascular plants the sporophyte generation is dominant. Vascular plants are broken down into three groups: 1. Seedless vascular plants – the ferns, horsetails and clubmosses. 2. Naked seed vascular plants - the conifers. 3. Protected seed vascular plants – the flowering plants, grasses and deciduous trees. Use the following poster to illustrate the differences. Then try the Plant Terminology Quiz.

Match the Name to the Plant Part

Age: 2-3rd grade ______ 1. leaf ______ 2. flower ______ 3. seed ______ 4. roots ______ 5. moss ______ 6. fern ______ 7. plant ______ 8. tree ______ 9. grass ______ 10. trunk of tree

©Sheri Amsel

www.exploringnature.org

Match the Description to the Plant Structure Age: 4-6th grade ____ 1. plant part that collects sunlight ____ 2. plant part that attracts insects for pollination ____ 3. any plant seed ____ 4. plant part that collects water ____ 5. moss ____ 6. fern (or clubmoss) ____ 7. plant with green stem and leaves ____ 8. plant with trunk and branches ____ 9. plant leaf that grows as a lawn ____ 10. part that holds plant upright

©Sheri Amsel

www.exploringnature.org

Match the Description to the Plant Structure Then Name the Structure Age: 7th grade to adult ____ 1. photosynthetic sunlight collection structure ____________________________ ____ 2. structure that houses reproductive organs for pollination ____________________________ ____ 3. embryonic plant ready for dispersal ____________________________ ____ 4. hydration collection structure ____________________________ ____ 5. nonvascular, non-seed-bearing, green plant ____________________________ ____ 6. vascular, non-seed-bearing, green plant ____________________________ ____ 7. vascular, seed-bearing, herbaceous plant ____________________________ ____ 8.vascular, seed-bearing, woody plant ____________________________ ____ 9. cultivated leaves used to carpet large areas ____________________________ ____ 10. structure that houses xylem transport system ___________________________________

©Sheri Amsel

www.exploringnature.org