By Teri Silver
The future revolves around the present–and what we’re teaching our children in and out of the classroom. Environmental science is a part of that because native plants bring about ecological generations of life.
In Kentucky, teaching about native plants in the classroom is necessary for the future of our environment and the cycle of vegetative life that thrives in the Bluegrass State.
Native Plants Defined
America’s native plants have several definitions. One is that native plants in the U.S. came from overseas–way before Europeans settled into North America. Another definition is that plants have adapted to local environments for thousands of years—evolving into the ecosystems and wildlife habitats we see today. Native plant materials include grasses, shrubs, hardwood trees, and conifers.
Kentucky’s Native Plants
Teaching about native plants in Kentucky starts with learning about what they are, where they came from, and how they affect natural habitats. The Kentucky Native Plant Society promotes, protects, and preserves greenery and wildflowers for generations to come.
Kentucky’s many native wildflowers include red columbine, milkweeds, coreopsis, and purple coneflowers.
Attracting pollinators and wildlife, native shrubs, like winterberry holly, American hazelnut, and elderberry, provide nourishing fruits and nuts. Native trees, like sugar maples, dogwood, hickory, and pawpaw, offer fodder for squirrels and shelter to nesting birds.
Spreading ground cover, like common blue violets, blue mistflowers, and celandine poppies, protect soil from erosion.
With so many native plants in Kentucky, knowing what grows where will help educators teach their students how it all comes together for protecting and promoting natural habitats. Trees, shrubs, and flowers around children’s playgrounds enhance the draw of the great outdoors.
To the Classroom!
Just as knowing the subject matter inside and out is important for teaching about native plants, so is laying out a specific lesson plan suitable for each age group. Younger children who don’t fully understand life cycles, ecology, and reproduction won’t really grasp the concepts of native plants and their connection to the environment––unless it’s presented in the right way. Using a beginner’s guide to gardening with native plants in your lesson plan may help nature lovers (of all ages) plant the seeds of information in their own minds.
Lesson Learning
Environmental science classes are more fun when they allow us to get our hands dirty because plant and soil science is what botany is all about. Hands-on learning for children, teens, young and older adults helps to drive the point home.
Lesson plans may include
- Photographing and documenting each plant and its herbaceous family within the region.
- Encouraging students to identify plants with documented resources.
- Map out how wildlife and pollinators feed and carry nectar from each plant, and how that nectar encourages other flowers to propagate.
Get Dirty!
Outdoor learning is fun for kids, especially when they get to dig in the dirt. One way is to create a native greenery garden (on school property) for children to visit every few days and note any changes in plants. Let the kids do the digging, plant seeds or seedlings, and water as needed. Explain about seed germination and how plant roots are formed.
Older kids can collect and document data on how pollinators (like butterflies, birds, and bees) interact with each plant and the ways they connect to the ecosystem. Teach them how to track the seasonal changes in plants with a native plant care calendar.
Learning about plants from textbooks or the internet is only part of the journey, and field trips aren’t just for schoolchildren. The Kentucky Native Plant Society organizes field trips through some of the state’s natural areas to educate and inspire folks to protect these diverse habitats.
Teri Silver is a journalist and outdoor enthusiast. She and her husband live on 5 acres with a vast lawn, three gardens, a farm, a pond, many trees, and a lot of yard work! The best parts of the year are summer and fall when home-grown veggies are on the dinner table.