From Salmonberry to Sagebrush: Exploring Oregon’s Native Plants

Botany Bouquet, The Secret Life of Flowers, and Survival Quest: A Pollinator Game, are just a few of the interactive lessons in the Institute for Applied Ecology’s new high school ecoregional curriculum. The goal of the curriculum is to introduce students to the wondrous biodiversity of flora, and the connections between plants and their ecosystems. It is designed specifically for Oregon’s native plants and can be adapted to different ecoregions within the state.

The curriculum’s lessons encourage students to study what is outside their door and to become informed and active citizens in local natural area issues and decisions in their future. All lessons start with a “Teacher Page,” which gives background information and essential skills. “Student pages,” assist participants in developing their literacy proficiency and becoming active in service-learning and community projects. Oregon Education Standards correlated to the lessons, recommended botanical field guides for Oregon Ecoregions, schoolyard plant species lists and Oregon ethnobotanical plants and their uses, are found in the appendices. the curriculum authors worked closely with teachers and an advisory council to develop the curriculum.

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Project Botany: Native Plants of the United States

Nature is not something found in a faraway place. Wildness is not limited to exotic locales featured on nature documentaries. Nature is all around us. Place-based environmental education is crucial to fostering an appreciation of the natural world. This curriculum is intended to serve as a guide to study the native plants that define our local landscapes with the intention that your students will gain a better understanding and appreciation of the place that they call home.

Our guiding principles of this curriculum revolve around place-based, inquiry-based and hands-on learning that foster community partnerships and service-learning. Lessons progress from basic plant identification into more advanced topics in botany, ethnobotany, ecology, and restoration. We understand that many teachers are unable to commit to the entire unit of study in their school-year planning, so lessons can be used individually.

This curriculum is developed within the framework of the NAAEE Guidelines for Excellence.

We would like to thank the following people for their contribution in producing Project Botany:
Peggy Olwell—Bureau of Land Management, Plant Conservation Lead, BLM National Program
Joan Seevers—Bureau of Land Management, Plant Conservation Lead, Oregon/Washington
Nancy Sawtelle—Bureau of Land Management, Plant Ecologist, Eugene District, Oregon

In addition we have had numerous people who have acted as advisors and have contributed botanical, ecological, or educational expertise, and painstakingly edited and re-edited materials. Thank you all, your contribution has been important and appreciated.

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Foundations in Gardening curriculum for prison Adults in Custody in the Sustainability in Prisons Project education certificate program.

Curriculum Guiding Principles

Lessons build on the learning needs of the students as well as the resources of local communities.

Place-based: The local community is the starting point for teaching concepts in science and culture; students learn about where they live
Hands-on: Students actively use all of their senses to explore nature, stewardship, and science
Inquiry-based: Students learn science by asking and answering questions as a guide to discovering the world around them
Experiential: Students don’t just learn, they DO
Service-learning: Learning activities directly benefit community, motivating students by giving extrinsic value to their work
Aligned with education standards
Fosters community partnerships: Students forge relationships with peers and professionals by taking part in their community
Interdisciplinary: Curriculum pieces integrate across disciplines teaching about native plants through science, math, social studies, art, and literacy
Developed within the framework of the North American Association of Environmental Educators (NAAEE) Guidelines for Excellence: Fairness and accuracy, depth, emphasis on skills building, action orientation, instructional soundness, and usability

These lessons encourage students to study what is outside their door and to become informed and active citizens in local natural area issues and decisions in their future. All lessons start with a “Teacher Page,” which gives background information and essential skills. “Student pages,” assist participants in developing their literacy proficiency and becoming active in service-learning and community projects.