Prickles and Palms Slides Plant Passport Expedition
Prickles and
Palms
Comparing plants in the Desert and the Rainforest
Mystery Question!
A Prickly Cactus...
IN THE
...Rainforest?
What would happen to this plant if it lived here?
LOCATION 1
The Dry
Desert
Very hot sun
Very little water
Sandy soil
How does this plant survive the heat?
Why are these leaves so BIG?
LOCATION 2
The Wet
Rainforest
Lots of rain
Shady and dark
Tons of trees
Compare the Plants
Cactus
Sharp Spikes (Spines)
Thick, Waxy Skin
Holds Water Inside
Tropical Fern
Huge, Broad Leaves
Lets Water Run Off
Reaches for Light
Habitat
A Habitat is the special place where a plant or animal makes its home!
Sandy
Wet
Cold
Dark
Your Mission
1
Draw a Cactus in its Desert home.
2
Draw a Fern in its Rainforest home.
3
Circle the special parts that help them survive!
Plant Investigator Worksheet Plant Investigator
Mission: Comparing Homes
Name:
Date:
1. The Dry Desert
Draw a Cactus here. Add its sharp spikes!
What does it look like?
Prickly and Spiky
Big and Soft
Investigator's Secret:
The cactus is thick because it stores ___________ inside.
2. The Wet Rainforest
What does it look like?
Tiny Leaves
Huge Leaves
Investigator's Secret:
The leaves are big to help the plant catch ___________.
Draw a Rainforest Fern here. Make its leaves big!
The Habitat Puzzle
If we moved the Fern to the dry Desert, what do you think would happen to its big, thin leaves?
Prickles and Palms Teacher Guide Teacher Resource Lesson 1 of 5
Prickles and Palms
Instructional Guide
Objective
Identify how physical traits help plants survive in specific habitats (Desert vs. Rainforest).
Timing
45 - 60 Minutes
Key Vocab
Habitat, Adaptation, Cactus, Fern, Spines.
The Hook: The Out-of-Place Plant
Show Slide 2 (Cactus in the Rainforest). Ask students: "If we dropped this cactus into the wet, rainy forest, what do you think would happen?"
Common Misconception: 1st graders may think plants can live anywhere as long as they have water. Guide them to realize "too much" water can be bad for some plants!
Discussion Guide
The Cactus (Slide 3 & 5)
Spines: Not just for protection! They cast tiny shadows to keep the plant cool and don't lose water like flat leaves do.Thick Body: It's like a built-in water bottle.Waxy Skin: Keeps the moisture locked inside.
The Fern (Slide 4 & 5)
Large Leaves: In the dark rainforest floor, these act like "solar panels" to catch any bit of sunlight.Thin Skin: Since it rains so much, the plant doesn't need to worry about holding onto water—it lets it "drip off" easily.
Activity Support
As students work on their Plant Investigator Worksheet , circulate and ask:
Lesson Debrief
Review the word HABITAT . Remind students that plants are "specialized" for their homes. If you change the habitat, the plant might struggle to survive!
Floating Forest Friends Slides Lesson 2
Floating
Friends
Discovering plants that live in the water!
The "Frog Boat" Mystery
If we drop a Rock...
VS
If we drop a Lily Pad...
Why does the leaf stay on top?
The Giant
Lily Pad
It is Flat like a plate.
It has Air Pockets inside.
It stays on top to catch the Sun!
Deep Sea
Seaweed
Small Air Bulbs help it float.
It is Flexible and bendy.
It holds onto rocks at the bottom!
Will it Float or Sink?
FLOAT
SINK
Let's test our plant parts in the water tank!
Why do they float?
Plants need SUNLIGHT to make food!
If they sink to the bottom where it's dark, they can't grow.
Water Plant Lab Worksheet Water Plant Lab
Experiment: Float or Sink?
Explorer:
Station No. ____
Investigator Goal:
Observe how different plant parts act in the water. Which ones float to find the sun?
Plant Part Prediction Result Flat Green Leaf
(Like a Lily Pad)
|
Float
Sink
|
Circle: Float or Sink?
|
|
Thick Wood Stick
(Like a Tree Branch)
|
Float
Sink
|
Circle: Float or Sink?
|
|
Small Air Ball
(Like Seaweed Bubbles)
|
Float
Sink
|
Circle: Float or Sink?
|
Lab Discovery
Why is it important for a lily pad to FLOAT on top of the lake?
Floating Forest Friends Teacher Guide Teacher Resource Lesson 2 of 5
Floating Forest Friends
Lab Instructions
Goal
Understand that aquatic plants have features (air pockets) that help them float to reach sunlight.
Materials
Water tubs, leaves, twigs, grapes/beads (to mimic air bulbs).
Concept
Buoyancy = Access to Light.
Experiment Setup
Provide 3-4 "Water Stations" around the room. Each station needs:
Clear plastic tub with 4-5 inches of water.
Large fresh leaves (lily pad substitute).
Twigs or heavy bark.
Small bubbles (ping pong balls or beads).
Teaching Flow
1
The Hook (Slide 2)
Demonstrate placing a heavy rock vs. a leaf in water. Discuss why a frog can sit on a lily pad but not a rock. Introduce the idea of plants needing to "stay on top."
2
Concept Introduction (Slides 3-4)
Explain buoyancy using simple terms: "floaty-ness." Show how air pockets inside the leaf or air bulbs on seaweed act like tiny life jackets.
3
The Experiment (Slide 5)
Students use the Water Plant Lab Worksheet . Emphasize making PREDICTIONS before they touch the water. Encourage them to push floating leaves down and see if they pop back up.
Discussion Prompts
"Does the stick want to float? Why do you think trees grow on land and not in the middle of a lake?"
"What happens to a lily pad if it gets covered in water? Can it still 'breathe' or find the sun?"
"How does the seaweed keep its leaves near the top even if its roots are at the bottom?"
Schoolyard Safari Slides Local Expedition
Schoolyard
Safari
Hunting for plants in our own neighborhood!
The Explorer's Kit
Sharp Eyes
Look for colors, shapes, and sizes.
Field Guide
Record what you find! No plant is too small.
Gentle Hands
Observe without hurting the plants.
Search List
Tall Trees
Do they have leaves or needles?
Low Grass & Weeds
Are they growing in the sun or shade?
Plants in Cracks
How did they get there?
Our Local
Is it wet? Dry? Hot? Cold?
Leaf Rubbing Art
1
Place a leaf under your page.
2
Use the SIDE of your crayon.
3
Rub gently to see the pattern!
Safari Rules
Stay with the Pack!
Always be able to see your teacher.
No Picking!
Only collect leaves that are already on the ground.
LET'S GO!
Local Explorer Field Guide Document Official Document
LOCAL
EXPLORER
Property of Explorer:
Location:
Our Schoolyard Safari
Ready for Discovery!
Tall Trees
01
Observation Drawing:
Draw a tree you see.
Check the box:
Flat Leaves
Needles
Notes:
Leaf Rubbing
02
Find a leaf on the ground. Place it under this page and rub with a crayon!
Surprise Find
03
My Favorite Schoolyard Plant:
Draw a plant that is NOT a tree (like a flower or grass).
Where was it?
In Shade
In Sun
What color was it?
Schoolyard Safari Teacher Guide Teacher Resource Lesson 3 of 5
Schoolyard Safari
Field Expedition Guide
Mission
Connect global habitat concepts (Desert/Rainforest) to students' immediate local environment.
Skills
Observation, sketching, and identifying local climate indicators (temp, sun, shade).
Safety
Stay in sight, do not pick living plants, watch for bees/bugs.
Pre-Walk Checklist
Scope out the walk area beforehand. Find at least one "Tall Tree" and one "Low Ground Plant."
Collect a few dry leaves from the ground and keep them in a baggie as "backups" for leaf rubbings.
The Expedition
1
Preparation (Slide 2)
Hand out the Explorer Field Guides . Let students write their names on the cover to build ownership. Explain the "Gentle Hands" rule—we look but we don't pick.
2
Tall Tree Search (Guide Page 1)
Stop at a large tree. Have students look up. Ask: "Is this tree more like a desert plant or a rainforest plant? Why?" (Usually local trees have flat leaves, but they aren't as "huge" as tropical ones).
3
Leaf Rubbing Art (Guide Page 2)
This is the trickiest part for 1st graders. Demonstrate Slide 4 . Remind them to use the SIDE of the crayon, not the tip. If the ground is damp, wait until you get back to the classroom to do rubbings.
Safari Debrief
"Look at our local plants. Do they have thick bodies like a cactus? Why not?"
Guide them to realize that because we have regular rain (or it's not a desert), plants don't need to store water in thick bodies.
Habitat Sorting Cards Document Habitat Sorting Cards
Cut along the dashed lines. Page 1 of 2.
The Desert
Habitat Card
The Rainforest
Habitat Card
The Ocean
Habitat Card
The Cold Tundra
Habitat Card
Plant Detail Cards
Match these to the habitats on Page 1.
Saguaro Cactus
I have sharp spikes and a thick, waxy body to hold water.
Giant Lily Pad
I am flat and light. I have air pockets to stay on top.
Broad Leaf Fern
My leaves are giant and broad to catch sunlight in the dark.
Evergreen Tree
My leaves are thin needles so heavy snow doesn't break me.
Habitat Home Match Worksheet Habitat
Matchmaker
Sorting Record Sheet
Explorer Name:
Record your matches from the sorting game below!
Desert
Plant Name:
Draw it!
Rainforest
Plant Name:
Draw it!
Ocean
Plant Name:
Draw it!
Tundra
Plant Name:
Draw it!
Why does it belong?
Pick ONE plant and tell why it likes its home.
Habitat Matchmaker Teacher Guide Teacher Resource Lesson 4 of 5
Habitat Matchmaker
Game & Assessment Guide
The Game Mission
Students apply what they've learned about physical traits (spikes, big leaves, air pockets, needles) to sort plants into their correct homes. This checks for Mastery before the final project.
How to Play
1
Print and cut the Habitat Sorting Cards (1 set per pair of students).
2
Lay out the 4 Habitat Cards (Sun, Cloud, Waves, Snowflake) on the desk.
3
Pairs work together to read the clues on the Plant Cards and place them on the right habitat.
4
Once matched, students record their answers on the Habitat Home Match Worksheet .
Expert Answer Key
Desert
Saguaro Cactus
Reason: Thick body to store water, spikes to stay cool.
Rainforest
Big Fern
Reason: Giant leaves to catch sunlight in the shade.
Ocean
Lily Pad
Reason: Air pockets help it float on top of water.
Tundra
Evergreen Tree
Reason: Thin needles let snow fall off without breaking branches.
Justification Prompt
"It's not enough to match them—students must explain the WHY. If a student matches the Pine Tree to the Desert, ask: 'Does it have a way to hold water like a cactus?'"
Mini World Makers Slides Final Project
Mini World
Makers
Building a home for your favorite plant!
The Project Mission
1
Pick a Habitat (Desert, Rainforest, Ocean, or Tundra).
2
Add the right Soil (sand, dirt, rocks, or water).
3
Create Plants that belong there!
Creative Ideas
Water?
Use blue paper, foil, or plastic wrap for lakes and oceans.
Sand?
Use tan paper, real sand, or oatmeal for the desert floor.
Trees?
Use pipe cleaners, sticks from outside, or cardboard cut-outs.
Snow?
Use cotton balls or white paper for the cold tundra.
Show and Tell
When you finish, you will tell the class:
"I made a _______ habitat.
Start Your
Plan!
Grab your planning sheet and sketch your mini-world.
Diorama Planning Sheet Document Mini-World Planner
Designing My Habitat Diorama
Maker:
1. Pick Your World
Desert
Rainforest
Ocean
Tundra
Circle the one you want to build!
2. Sketch Your Plan
Draw Here
Show where your plants and water will go.
3. My Plant
Name of my plant:
How it survives:
Example: "It has needles," "It floats," etc.
4. Stuff I Need
Shoebox
Construction Paper
Glue and Scissors
Mini World Makers Rubric Teacher Guide Assessment Tool Lesson 5 of 5
Mini World Makers
Project Rubric & Presentation Guide
Success Criteria
Chosen habitat is clear (visuals).
Plant(s) belong in that habitat.
Presentation explains one adaptation.
Presenter Prompt
"I made a _______ habitat. My plant has _______ which helps it live there because _______."
Skill Exceeds (3) Meets (2) Working On (1) Matching Habitat and plant are perfectly matched with many details. Habitat and plant are matched correctly. Plant does not belong in the chosen habitat. Adaptation Student identifies multiple traits that help survival. Student identifies one clear trait that helps survival. Student cannot explain why the plant lives there. Creativity Unique use of materials (textures, colors). Diorama is complete and colorful. Project is messy or incomplete.
Observation Notes
Student Name:
Glowing Stars (Strengths):
Growth Areas (Next Steps):
