LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Poisonous Plants and You

This lesson is designed to teach students to identify common poisonous plants. Using a K-W-L chart, the teacher will facilitate a brainstorming session to determine students' present knowledge of poisonous plants and what is to be learned. The activities in this lesson may be used in conjunction with textbook information on this subject.

A lesson plan for grades 9–12 English Language Development and Information Skills

By Regina Woodie

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Learning outcomes

Students will identify common poisonous plants.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

5 days

Materials/resources

  • Plant catalogs with pictures of plants, shrubs and trees, and/or textbook pictures (for making the collage
  • Posterboard for each student or each pair of students (approximately 2 X 3 feet)
  • Scissors and school glue for each student
  • Access to Internet
  • Reference books on plants
  • 3 X 5 index cards(for teacher use to number the plants for the scavenger hunt--approximately 15-20, depending on number of plants you want students to identify)
  • A flip chart for creating the K-W-L
  • A teacher-generated picture plant guide for use in the scavenger hunt

Technology resources

Computer with Internet access

Pre-activities

What you Know
What You Want to Know
What you Want to Learn
(K-W-L) Chart about poisonous plants

Activities

  1. Students will create a collage illustrating poisonous plants, shrubs and trees.
  2. Students will attend a field trip to a local plant nursery.
  3. Students will participate in a scavenger hunt around the school campus to identify plants. A teacher generated picture plant chart needs to be created before the scavenger hunt for each student. (You may be able to use pictures from the website “Poisonous Plants of NC” to create this.) Students may be paired with ESL and native speakers.
  4. Students will identify plants around the school that have been pretagged by the teacher with numbered cards. They may use their picture sheet to help them identify the plants. They will record each plant name on their numbered worksheet to correspond with the number on the plant card.

Assessment

Completion of the K-W-L on the flip chart. Each student may be required to name at least one thing he/she has learned.

Using the collage, students will match the plants (now numbered by the teacher) to a word list provided to each student. Students will write the number of the plant beside the correct plant name on the list.

Supplemental information

Teachers may choose to use plants native to their area, in addition to textbook information.

Subject Area Goals and Objectives
Workforce Development: Landscape Construction Maintenance, Goal 5, Objective 3: Differentiate between hazardous and nonhazardous plants.
NC Occupational Course of Study: Goal 7, Objective 7.07: Identifies plants that are toxic to humans and the consequences of contact with these plants through touch or ingestion.

Related websites

Poisonous plants http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/publications/poison/poison.html
Poison Ivy, Oak, & Sumac Information Center http://poisonivy.aesir.com/view/pictures.html
Poisonous Plants of NC
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/poison.htm

Modifications

This lesson has modifications incorporated for English Language Learners as well as Exceptional Children.

Alternative assessments

None

Critical vocabulary

poisonous plants, poison ivy/oak/sumac, daffodils, names of other plants native to your area. This vocabulary should be taught through the use of pictures.

Comments

This lesson plan was developed during the English Language Development Standard Course of Study lesson planning institutes hosted by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and LEARN NC, June and July, 2004. It includes specific strategies, instructional modifications, and alternative assessments which make this lesson accessible to limited English proficient students. Please note that this lesson has been aligned with the goals and objectives of the N.C. English Language Development standards.

This lesson plan is designed for Workforce Development objectives; however, it can also be used with Exceptional Children in the North Carolina Occupational Course of Study. Also, plants labeled as hazardous rather than poisonous could be the criteria for the kinds of plants to identify for this lesson.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Information Skills (2000)

Grades 9–12

  • Goal 4: The learner will EXPLORE and USE research processes to meet information needs.
    • Objective 4.05: Gather information from the most effective resources (print, non-print, electronic).
    • Objective 4.07: Organize and use information.

English Language Development (2005)

Grades 9–12

  • Goal 1. Listening: The learner will EXPLORE and USE research processes to meet information needs.
    • Objective NH 1.05: Develop basic and academic vocabulary based on familiar topics (e.g., high-frequency words, Dolch words).
    • Objective NH 1.06: Respond to most questions on familiar academic topics spoken slowly and distinctly, using two-word and three-word responses, gestures, and other non-verbal communication.
    • Objective NH 1.07: Understand and follow one-step and two-step directions and instructions with modeling and prompting when spoken slowly and distinctly.
    • Objective NH 1.08: Demonstrate comprehension of simple oral presentations and stories through non-verbal responses with one-word responses, physical actions, and other non-verbal communication.
  • Goal 3. Reading: The learner will EXPLORE and USE research processes to meet information needs.
    • Objective NH 3.12: Comprehend basic academic vocabulary through visuals and/or realia (authentic objects).
    • Objective NH 3.15: Use reference materials (e.g., dictionaries).