Prairie Forbs (Teacher Directions)

PRAIRIE FORBS
Activity for Middle or High School

Objectives
Student will be able to:
1. Explain what a forb is.
2. Match a picture of a forb with a plant on the prairie and count other examples of the plant.
3. Draw observable parts of the plant.

Materials
Colored photographs of prairie forbs, overhead transparency and copies of student reporting sheet; pencils; lap boards.

Procedure
Teacher will initiate a discussion of prairies by asking, "What is a prairie?" and, eventually "What is a forb?"
Students will hear about native grasses and forbs on a prairie.
Teacher will explain the purpose and procedure for the activity, using the overhead transparency.
Students each will receive a reporting sheet, pencil and lap board.
Student pairs will be assigned a picture for matching.
Teacher will explain that students should examine forbs on the prairie until they have matched their picture with a plant.
Teacher will lead the students outside to complete the activity.
Teacher will circulate and help students by asking questions such as, "Do the leaves in the picture match this plant?" or "Are the petals on this plant drooping in the same way as those in your picture?"
Teacher will give certain students hints, such as, "Your forb is in seed."
Teacher will encourage students to notice each other's forbs.

Note: This activity is intended to introduce students to the skill of identifying plants, by encouraging them to look at all parts of the plant, including stem and leaves as well as bloom.