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Plant Observations in the campus’ Pollinator Garden

Implement this lesson:

This lesson needs to be outside, so choose a good weather day.

Objective:

Students will become more familiar with the biotic parts of a plant.

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

6.11(A) research and describe why resource management is important in reducing global energy poverty, malnutrition, and air and water pollution

6.11(B) explain how conservation, increased efficiency, and technology can help manage air, water, soil, and energy resources

6.12(A)* investigate how organisms and populations in an ecosystem depend on and may compete for biotic factors such as food and abiotic factors such as availability of light and water, range of temperatures, or soil composition

6.12(B) describe and give examples of predatory, competitive, and symbiotic relationships between organisms, including mutualism, parasitism, and commensalism 

6.12(C) describe the hierarchical organization of organism, population, and community within an ecosystem

6.13(A) describe the historical development of cell theory and explain how organisms are composed of one or more cells, which come from pre‐existing cells and are the basic unit of structure and function

6.13(B) identify and compare the basic characteristics of organisms, including prokaryotic and eukaryotic, unicellular and multicellular, and autotrophic and heterotrophic 6.13(C) describe how variations within a population can be an advantage or disadvantage to the survival of a population as environments change

7.10(A)* describe the evidence that supports that Earth has changed over time, including fossil evidence, plate tectonics, and superposition 7.10(B)* describe how plate tectonics causes ocean basin formation, earthquakes, mountain building, and volcanic eruptions, including super volcanoes and hot spots 

7.11(A)* analyze the beneficial and harmful influences of human activity on groundwater and surface water in a watershed 

7.11(B)* describe human dependence and influence on ocean systems and explain how human activities impact these systems

7.12(A)* diagram the flow of energy within trophic levels and describe how the available energy decreases in successive trophic levels in energy pyramids

7.13(A)* identify and model the main functions of the systems of the human organism, including the circulatory, respiratory, skeletal, muscular, digestive, urinary, reproductive, integumentary, nervous, immune, and endocrine systems 

7.13(C)* compare the results of asexual and sexual reproduction of plants and animals in relation to the diversity of offspring and the changes in the population over time 

7.13(D)*describe and give examples of how natural and artificial selection change the occurrence of traits in a population over generations

7.14(A) describe the taxonomic system that categorizes organisms based on similarities and differences shared among groups

8.10(A) describe how energy from the Sun, hydrosphere, and atmosphere interact and influence weather

8.10(B) identify global patterns of atmospheric movement and how they influence local weather 

8.10(C) describe the interactions between ocean currents and air masses that produce tropical cyclones, including typhoons and hurricanes

8.12(B) describe how primary and secondary ecological succession affect populations and species diversity after ecosystems are disrupted by natural events or human activity

8.12(C) describe how biodiversity contributes to the stability and sustainability of an ecosystem and the health of the organisms within the ecosystem

8.13(A) identify the function of the cell membrane, cell wall, nucleus, ribosomes, cytoplasm, mitochondria, chloroplasts, and vacuoles in plant or animal cells 8.13(C) describe how variations of traits within a population lead to structural, behavioral, and physiological adaptations that influence the likelihood of survival and reproductive success of a species over generations

8.13(B) describe the function of genes within chromosomes in determining inherited traits of offspring

What Are Pollinator Plants?

These are plants that produce nectar and/or pollen that pollinators (like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds) feed on. Some also serve as host plants where butterfly or moth caterpillars can grow. In the Gulf Coast region, native pollinator‐plants are especially important because they’ve adapted to local climate and soils. gonativelandscaping.org+2Texas Master Naturalist+2

Why They Matter Along the Gulf Coast

  • Pollinator plants help keep nature working: flowers get pollinated, fruits and seeds get made, and animals that depend on those fruits and insects survive.

  • Along the Gulf Coast, many migratory insects and butterflies (like the Monarch Butterfly) and hummingbirds pass through and need nectar and habitats.

  • Native plants are better adapted to salty air, sandy or wet soils, and the Gulf climate—so using native pollinator plants helps nature stay strong. gonativelandscaping.org+1

Some Pollinator‐Friendly Native Plants for the Gulf Coast

Here are a few plant favorites that work well in Gulf region gardens or wild areas:

  • Texas Frogfruit (Phyla nodiflora) — “This provides nectar to butterflies and insects, and is a larval host for some butterflies.” Texas Master Naturalist+1

  • Gulf Coast Penstemon (Penstemon tenuis) — “Provides nectar to butterflies, hummingbirds, bees…” Texas Master Naturalist

  • Texas Lantana (Lantana urticoides) — “Provides nectar to butterflies, hummingbirds, and nectar insects. Blooms April to November.” Texas Master Naturalist+1

  • Antelope Horn Milkweed (Asclepias asperula) — Important for nectar and as a host plant for butterflies. Texas Master Naturalist

  • Gregg’s Mistflower (Conoclinium greggii) — “Provides nectar to butterflies, bees… blooms April to November.” Texas Master Naturalist

How YOU Can Help Pollinators

  • Plant some of these native pollinator plants in your yard or garden (or even in pots).

  • Avoid heavy use of pesticides—these chemicals can hurt bees and butterflies.

  • Create little “nectar stations” with plants that bloom at different times so pollinators always have food. Texas Master Naturalist

  • Use plants that handle Gulf Coast conditions (salt spray, sandy soils, heat) and support native pollinators.

Possible Books:

  • The Little Gardener by Emily Hughs
  • The Great Pollinator Count by Susan Edwards Richmond
  • Save the Bees by Bethany Stahl
  • Bees Like Flowers by Rebecca Bielawski

Materials Needed:

  • Nature Walk Journaling card
  • Pencil and colored pencils
  • Various Plant
  • Identification books

Lesson Plan:

Advanced Prep:

  • To save time, students will prepare the NATURE WALK Journal card 1-2 days prior to taking a nature walk.

Engage:

  • Nature walk observing biotic and abiotic parts of an ecosystem.
  • Main focus will be on the biotic organisms within the Pollinator Garden at our campus.
  • Students will specifically observe the visible part of the plants.

Explore:

  • Each student will choose a small plant and a big plant to record their observations using a NATURE WALK JOURNAL card.
  • Their observations recordings will include words, pictures and numbers. 
  • A small plant is defined as a plant shorter than them. A big plant is defined as a plant taller than them.
  • Using NATURE WALK data recording: Students will record the metadata – date, location, time, temperature, and outdoor sky observations. S
  • tudents will be given prompts to record onto the NATURE WALK card: I notice…. I wonder…. It reminds me of….
  • Students will reflect on these prompts and record their response while making  observations.

Explain:

  • Teacher will explain about Gulf pollinators and their biotic factors

Elaborate:

  • The following day, students will use plant identification books to locate the common name of their plant as well as the scientific name.

Evaluate:

  • Students should have recorded the metadata onto their card.
  • Their pictures should take up their whole card.
  • They should have words, pictures and numbers recorded.

Lesson by: Ada Anderson