Killip First Graders Learn about Plant Identification at the Arboretum

Killip teachers worked closely with their students to integrate materials learned in class with discoveries made at the Arboretum.

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Killip Elementary School first grade students visited the Arboretum at Flagstaff as part of their ongoing fall Problem Based Learning unit focused on the life cycle of plants. Family members and teachers worked alongside students as they identified baby plants by leaf and stem details, juxtaposing their information with adult plants to identify matches.

Students had a fun time seeing how young and adult plants can be alike in many ways yet different in others. The first graders concluded their visit by stopping by the butterfly exhibit to witness a few of the many pollinators in the Flagstaff region. Check out their work below!

A Killip first grader studies unidentified Baby Plant C to collect data used for adult plant identification of Red Cinquefoil (Potentilla Thurberi).
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Killip first graders analyze the leaves and stems of unidentified Baby Plant B to be used for adult plant identification, Golden Columbine (Aquilegia Chrysantha).
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Killip first graders sketch pictures of unidentified Baby Plant A to be referenced when matching with adult plant, Coral Bells (Heuchera).
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Written by Lee A. Haferkamp