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 structure that houses reproductive organs for pollination

3. acorn or any plant seed embryonic plant ready for dispersal other seed

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 PlantsPlants 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.

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 Name to the Plant Part

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

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

Match the Description to the Plant StructureThen Name the Structure