Invasive Species Council of British Columbia

For Educators

Unit: We Care for the Land- Activity 9: Plant ID and Schoolyard Stewardship

Grade: 4 to 6

Duration: 45 minutes - 1.5 hour

Setting: Indoor/outdoor

Subject: Science

Physical Activity: Yes

Plant identification is an important skill that connects us with nature and can help us to protect local biodiversity by preventing the spread of invasive species. Head outdoors with “plant viewers” and other identification tools. Then create a plant map and consider a plan to enhance native biodiversity.

This is the ninth activity in the Grade 4-6 Learning Resource, We Care for the Land and Prevent the Spread of Invasive Species. Please see the Overview for this resource for more information, including the lesson sequence.

This resource was created through the financial support of the Provincial Intermediate and Middle Years Teachers’ Association (myPITA).

Learning Objectives

By participating in this activity students will

  • identify basic plant parts and explain their function
  • name and identify some invasive plant species
  • understand how plant identification can help us to protect the environment.
  • apply their knowledge to consider ways they can protect and enhance biodiversity in the area
Inquiry Questions
  • What plant features can help me to identify plants?
  • How are plant structures related to their functions?
  • What are some common features of invasive plants?
  • What can I do to help protect and restore native biodiversity in my community?
BC Curriculum Links

Science Big Ideas

  • All living things sense and respond to their environment (Grade 4)
  • Multicellular organisms have organ systems that enable them to survive and interact within their environment (Grade 5)
  • Multicellular organisms rely on internal systems to survive, reproduce, and interact with their environment (Grade 6)

Science Curricular Competencies

  • Observe objects and events in familiar contexts (Grade 4); Make observations in familiar or unfamiliar contexts (Grades 5-6)
  • Demonstrate curiosity about the natural world (Grade 4); Demonstrate curiosity about a scientific topic or problem of personal interest (Grades 5-6)
  • Make observations about living and non-living things in the local environment (Grade 4)
  • Collect simple data (Grade 4); Observe, measure, and record data (Grades 5-6)
  • Experience and interpret the local environment (Grades 4-9)
  • Contribute to care for self, others, school and neighbourhood (Grade 4) /community (Grades 5-6) through personal or collaborative approaches
  • Cooperatively design projects (Grades 4-6)
  • Identify some simple environmental implications of their and others’ actions (Grade 4); Identify some of the social, ethical, and environmental implications of the findings from their own and others’ investigations (Grades 5-6)
  • Identify First Peoples perspectives and knowledge as sources of information (Grades 4-6)

Science Content

  • First Peoples concepts of the interconnectedness in the environment (Grade 5)
  • First Peoples knowledge of sustainable practices (Grade 5)
Materials

Documents to Download

  • Plant Viewers (Coastal-native, Coastal-invasive; Northern/Interior-native, Northern/Interior-invasive) Photos of some common native and invasive plants with a “viewing window” in the middle so you can compare with plants you are looking at.
  • Looking Closely at Plants – A datasheet to help guide students in observing and identifying plants and their features.
  • Optional Materials
    • Clipboards and pencils
    • Maps of the exploration area (printed or hand-drawn) where people could note the approximate location of the plants
    • Field guides to the plants of your region (See Additional Resources section)
    • Magnifiers to look closely at plant parts
    • Nature journals and pencils to make sketches or collect samples of abundant and common plants
    • Digital devices (tablets, cameras) to take photos of plants and species ID programs to help identify photos when in the field or back in the classroom. See the Teacher Tips on Community Science for information on species ID and reporting programs, and their application for student use.
Background Information

Plants are the base of the food chain and a foundation for all ecosystems. Native flowering plants support native pollinators. Plants are hosts for caterpillars and other insects, which in turn nourish native birds, bats, and other wildlife. Native plants provide food and shelter to wildlife and people alike. Indigenous people have relied upon native plants for food, medicines, materials, and cultural uses for thousands of years.

Many plants in our gardens and neighbourhoods have been introduced from other parts of the world, and some of these garden plants are invasive. Invasive plants can have negative impacts on biodiversity and communities. They may start in our gardens but can spread along roadsides and move into natural areas. Invasive plants displace native plants that native wildlife rely upon. Invasive plants can spread and take over, causing harm to ecosystems that have been here for thousands of years.

By looking closely at plants we can learn more about their features and adaptations, giving insights into how and where they grow and thrive. Close observations- and knowing what features to look for- can help us to identify plants. And once we know a plant’s name we can connect to it in an even deeper way, such as by discovering its traditional uses by local Indigenous people, how it supports local wildlife, or whether the plant is invasive to the region. By knowing what plants are in an area- and what ones aren’t- we can make a plan to support and enhance biodiversity by removing invasive plants and planting appropriate native ones.

Warning! Some plants, such as giant hogweed, leafy spurge, and daphne (spurge laurel) can cause skin irritations, rashes, or burns. Others, like Himalayan blackberry and thistle, have spines. Do not touch, pick, or taste any unknown plants and move with caution around spiny plants!

Plant Structures and Functions

When looking closely at plants, one can start to consider the function of the plant features and how they help the plant to reproduce and survive. Here are some examples:

  • Hairs, spines, and milky sap may prevent herbivores from eating the plant
  • A flower’s colour and shape attracts certain pollinators.
    • Hummingbirds tend to like red and pink, tube-shaped flowers.
    • Bees tend to be attracted to blue, yellow, and violet flowers with a ‘landing pad’ shape from which they can rest and feed.
    • Butterflies are attracted to brightly-coloured flowers, whereas moths are attracted to pale-coloured and night-blooming flowers.
  • Seeds may have structures, like burs, hairs, or ‘wings’ that help them to be dispersed by animals or wind. Seeds contained within a juicy or colourful fruit might attract birds or mammals. These animals eat the fruit and then digest/poop out the seed in a new location where the seed will germinate and grow into a new plant.

Invasive plants have certain adaptations that help them to thrive and take over where they are introduced. Some clues that you might be looking at an invasive plant include the following:

  • Many seeds (invasive plants have high reproductive rates)
  • Easily establish (look for plants growing out of sidewalk cracks, alongside roads or ditches, in disturbed areas, the first to grow in spring)
  • Easily spread (look for seeds, stems, or other parts that easily cling to clothing or that can spread with the wind; or seeds that are dispersed far from the plant by popping out of seed pods; spread through a network of rhizomes/underground roots)
  • Lack predators and diseases (look for plants that don’t show signs of having been eaten by insects or herbivores; plants with structures or chemicals that prevent being eaten, such as spines, thorns, hairs, milky sap, or strong-smelling parts).
  • Outcompetes native plants and takes over (look for a plant that dominates a large area). Some invasive plants release chemicals into the soil that prevent other plants from growing. This is called allelopathy.
  • Some invasive plant examples:
    • Thistle seeds are dispersed by wind; Eurasian watermilfoil and yellow flag iris have seeds that float in water; velcro-like Burdock seeds stick to fur or clothing; and English holly, English ivy, and Himalayan blackberry have fruits that are eaten by animals, dispersing the seeds.
    • Hawkweeds and thistles have spines and hairs to deter animals from eating them. Leafy spurge, daphne, and giant hogweed have toxins that prevent herbivory and are also toxic to people or can cause skin burns.
    • Purple loosestrife and Himalayan balsam have colourful and fragrant flowers that are such an attraction to pollinators that they are drawn away from native plants.
    • Scotch broom, Himalayan blackberry, butterfly bush, common tansy, and many other invasive plants grow well in sandy or rocky soils or in disturbed areas, such as along roadsides or in ditches.
    • Knotweeds have large leaves that shade surrounding native vegetation.
    • Purple loosestrife and yellow flag iris have large root systems or a taproot that hogs water and nutrients.
Preparation
  • Help prepare students for this activity by building outdoor routines and observation skills, such as those fostered in Notice Nature with All Your Senses, Sit Spots, or Nature Journal Discoveries.
  • Choose a location for the activity with a variety of trees and plants, such as in the school garden, another schoolyard area, in the neighbourhood or at nearby green spaces. Try to find a place that has some plants that you already are familiar with or can easily identify, ideally including some plants shown on the Plant Viewers (Materials section). If you have permission from your school district, consider downloading the Seek app to help with ID while in the field. (Seek does not collect any personal or location information.)
  • Print copies of the Documents to Download (Materials section)
    • Plant Viewers (Coastal or Interior/Northern version, depending upon your location). Print double-sided so that the native plants are on one side and invasive plants on the other. Print one for each or every 2-3 students.
    • Looking Closely at Plants. One copy for each student or small group.
  • Gather materials: Plant Viewers, and other optional materials such as maps of the area, field guides, digital cameras, magnifiers, nature journals.
Procedure
  1. Introduce the activity. We will be exploring outdoors to look closely at the plants growing nearby. We will look closely at their features to help us learn more about their functions and to identify what types of plants they are. By identifying plants, we will be able to learn more about them, including if they are native, non-native, or invasive, and their role in the ecosystem.
  2. Explore the area together. First go to a plant that you know or have already identified, or one that is on the Plant Viewers. Even if you already know what it is, look at it closely as a group to demonstrate how we can look for features that help with identification. This also demonstrates that even when we know what something is, we often don’t really “see” it!. Use the Looking Closely at Plants datasheet to help guide observations and data collection.
  3. Identify. See if you can identify the plant starting with your Plant Viewer, and then perhaps by looking at other field guides or ID apps. Remember that depending on the season, not every plant will have fruits, flowers, or other helpful identifying features! Learning how to ID trees in winter by looking at bark and buds is a skill!
  4. Structures and functions. After you take a good look at the features of the plant, consider the function of the structures you observed. How might they help the plant to survive in its habitat? Does it have features of an invasive plant? (See Background section for some tips).
  5. Record. Keep a record of the plants that you have observed, what you think is the name/identification of the plant, the features or structures that helped you to identify it, and whether it is a native, non-native, or invasive plant. Also describe its location or note where it is on a map so that you can relocate it.
  6. Small group exploration. Split up into small groups and explore separately, looking for plants on the Plant Viewer or trying to ID other plants in the area from field guides or apps. Continue to look closely at identifying features, consider structures and their functions, and record the names of plants identified, their locations, and if they are native, introduced, or invasive. If students are taking digital photos they will be able to report invasive species back in the classroom.
  7. Play Clean Go. Do a quick buddy check to ensure that boots, clothing, and gear are clean. Remove any plant parts and mud before leaving the area. This will ensure we don’t accidentally spread invasive plants to a new area!
  8. Stewardship planning. Make a class list of the plants that were identified. Note the locations of the most abundant ones or species of interest on a group map (a sketch or from an online source like Google Maps). Take particular note of the invasive plants identified and their locations. Brainstorm ways that you might be able to help the native plants of your area and habitats that you explored. Some ideas could include:
    • Are there areas of the schoolyard where invasive plants could be removed? 
    • Are there any areas where native plants could be planted? 
    • How could you inform others in your school community about plants of interest in the schoolyard? (Make signs or label plants?)
    • Report invasive plants that you identified. See the Reporting section in Additional Resources for more information and tips.
    • Is there a community group or land manager that you could connect with to join an invasive weed pull in your area? Check with your Regional Invasive Species Organization or municipality to find out about possible opportunities. Visit Invasive Species Contacts in British Columbia to find the contacts in your region.
Reflections and Assessment
  • What tools or observations helped you the most to notice features of the plants or identify them?
  • What was the biggest challenge in doing this activity?
  • Were most of the plants identified native, non-native, or invasive?  Why do you think that was the case?
  • Name an invasive plant that you observed or identified. What features of the plant did you notice that might indicate that it is an invasive species?
  • What can be done to help protect and enhance native species and habitats in this area? 
Accessibility and Adaptations
  • Using magnifiers and recording observations on the Looking Closely at Plants datasheet or in nature journals can help keep students on task.
  • Give roles to students who might otherwise be less engaged, like carrying field guides and tools or helping to find a particular plant.
  • Bring it indoors. If students are unable to go outdoors due to inclement weather or mobility challenges, take photos of plants in the area (or a small sample of the actual plants if they are abundant) and have students try to match them to the Plant Viewers or field guides.
Extensions
  • Share with students the Ecosystems of BC descriptions: Grasslands; Montane Forests; Lakes, Rivers, and Wetlands; Northern Forests; and Temperate Rainforests. Focus on the ecosystem that is associated with your region or the area that you explored. Did you find any of the native and invasive plants described?  Look up some of the native and invasive plants included in the write up that aren’t familiar to learn more about them. See if you can find them on future outdoor walks.
  • Make a field guide to the plants in your schoolyard or neighbourhood based on your exploration (a paper or digital field guide). Each student could make an entry for a native and an invasive plant. For native plants, include traditional and cultural uses and its role in the ecosystem. For invasive plants, include information on where it is originally from, its impacts and how to prevent its spread. Here is a lesson plan for more ideas.
  • Take Action! Put your stewardship brainstorm to work. Adopt a spot in the schoolyard or nearby to care for. See the Become Land Stewards! Plan a Weed Pull Lesson Plan and planning considerations for organizing a weed pull with students.
Connections to First Peoples’ Perspectives

“ Invasive species management is important to deal with because it can adversely affect the enjoyment of your rights and the enjoyment of your land. It can restrict access to harvesting sites, it can restrict access to berry-picking sites, it can destroy native species and plants that you rely on and it can destroy wildlife habitat and affect your ability to go harvest moose and deer. It’s a very important issue to tackle. So make it a priority.” –Jake Archie (1976 – 2020), Canim Lake First Nation

See the Additional Resources section for resources on Traditional and Indigenous Uses of Native Plants in BC.

Additional Resources

Native Plant Guides

  • Grow Me Instead. Native and non-invasive alternatives to invasive plants for the garden.
  • Native Plants in the Coastal Garden. Pettinger, April and B. Costanzo (2003). Timber Press, Oregon.
  • Plants of Coastal British Columbia. Pojar, Jim and A. MacKinnon (eds.). 1994. Lone Pine Press
  • Plants of Southern Interior British Columbia. Parish, R., R. Coupé, D. Lloyd (eds.). 1996. B.C. Ministry of Forests and Lone Pine Publishing, Vancouver.
  • Plants of Northern British Columbia. MacKinnon, A., J. Pojar, and R. Coupé. 1992. Lone Pine Press.
  • Trees, Shrubs, and Flowers to know in British Columbia and Washington. Lyons, C.P. and B. Meriless. 1995. Lone Pine Press, Whitecap books, North Vancouver B.C.
  • Trees of BC Field ID Cards, Volume 1: Needles and Scaled Leaves. (HCTF Education). Available in English and French, for sale or as a free download.
  • Trees of BC Field ID Cards, Volume 2: Broad Leaves. (HCTF Education). Available in English and French, for sale or as a free download.

Traditional and Indigenous Uses of Native Plants in BC

  • The Boreal Herbal: Wild Food and Medicine Plants of the North. Beverly Gray. Aroma Borealis Press, Whitehorse, 2012.
  • Food Plants of Interior First Peoples. Nancy J. Turner. Royal BC Museum, 1997.
  • Held by the Land: A Guide to Indigenous Plants for Wellness. Leigh Joseph. Wellfleet Press, 2023
  • Ktunaxa Ethnobotany Handbook, ‘?a-kxam̓is q̓api qapsin’ (All Living Things).
  • Luschiim’s Plants: Traditional Indigenous Foods, Materials and Medicines. Luschiim Arvid Charlie and Nancy J. Turner. Harbour Publishing, 2021.
  • Pacific Northwest Plant Knowledge Cards, Strong Nations.
  • People and Plants Field ID Cards (HCTF Education) Available for sale or as a free download.
  • Plant Technologies of First Peoples in British Columbia. Nancy J. Turner. Royal BC Museum, 1998.
  • Saanich Ethnobotany: Culturally Important Plants of the WSANEC People. Nancy J. Turner and Richard J. Hebda. Royal BC Museum, 2019.

Invasive Plants in BC

Report Invasive Species