GK-12 Module Teacher’s Guide

Creating a garden: Evaluating native plants for suitability and cost By Sarah Lehnen National Science Foundation Graduate STEM Fellow in K-12 Education Sugar Creek Watershed K-12 Education Program The Ohio State University-Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center

Abstract: The purpose of this project was to introduce freshmen high school students to the benefits of gardening with native plants. Students were exposed to the concept of native and introduced plant species. Students were taken to the proposed site of the garden and asked to observe local conditions. Each student was then assigned a native plant species to research and each plant was evaluated for suitability and cost. After collaborating with their classmates, each student then wrote a letter recommending the plant species that would be both the most suitable and cost effective for the proposed site. Grade level: 9th (Botany) Objectives: 1) to learn about the benefits of gardening with native plants rather than introduced species, 2) use proposed garden site for place-based learning, 3) practice using the internet as a information finding tool, and 4) practice writing a formal letter. National Standards: Understanding of: Interdependence of organisms Ohio Benchmark and Academic Content Standards – Grade 10: Life Science: G.18 .Describe ways that human activities can deliberately or inadvertently alter the equilibrium in ecosystems. Explain how changes in technology/biotechnology can cause significant changes, either positive or negative, in environmental quality and carrying capacity. Life Sciences: I.24 Analyze how natural selection and other evolutionary mechanisms (e.g. genetic drift, immigration, emigration, mutation) and their consequences provide scientific explanation for the diversity and unity of past life forms, as depicted in the fossil record, and present life forms. Materials: Native plant list for Ohio Computer lab with internet access Background: Sonnenberg Village is a working historical village that will be constructed adjacent to Central Christian School (CCS). As the goals of the village include 1) ecological responsibility, and 2) inclusion of CCS students in the construction and maintenance of the project, this exercise introduced students to the project for the purpose of establishing a relationship between the students and the Sonnenberg Village project.

GK-12 Module Teacher’s Guide However, this exercise could be adapted for any situation where a school was interested in planning a native garden. Methods Day 1: Students were introduced to the Sonnenberg Village project. After a brief introduction into the definition of native, introduced, and invasive plant species, students were asked to brainstorm possible benefits of gardening with native rather than introduced species. Benefits included less need for fertilizer, herbicides and watering, less maintenance overall, and possible food and cover for wildlife species. The cons of introduced species included more need for fertilizer, herbicides and watering, more maintenance overall, and lower usage by native wildlife species. Introduced species also have the potential to be invasive and examples of invasive plant species and their impacts were given. Students were then taken to the proposed garden site to observe local conditions, such as amount of sunlight, soil moisture and drainage, and soil type. Each student was then assigned a native plant species (randomly drawn from a hat). Methods Day 2: Students were taken to the computer lab were they given a brief recap of the previous day’s lesson and a worksheet. Students then spent the class period researching their assigned native plant and obtaining a cost estimate for their plant. Methods Day 3: Students were broken into groups by plant type: tree, shrub, flower, or grass. Each group was told to rank the plants in their group according to 1) suitability, and 2) cost. Groups could also incorporate aesthetics and benefits to wildlife in their rankings if suitability and cost were equal. Each group then came to the board and recorded their rankings. Groups were then asked to provide a brief oral report of the rational for their rankings to the rest of the class. Each student was then told to copy the rankings of all plants into their notes and write a letter (due the following day) recommending which of the native plants to include in the garden and the rational for their inclusion. The letter was written in a formal style and addressed to the project leader of Sonnenberg Village.

GK-12 Module Teacher’s Guide

Native plants of Ohio (not a complete list) Benefits of native plants: Native plants are adapted to local conditions so they require less maintenance than non-native plants. Native plants also provide food and habitat for wildlife. What are some wildlife species in this area? Native Ohio Tree species: 1. Red Maple (Acer rubrum) 2. Ohio Buckeye (Aesculus glabra) 3. Paw Paw (Asimina triloba) 4. Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata) 5. Red bud (Cercis canadensis) 6. Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) 7. American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) 8. Red or Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) 9. Tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera) 10. Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) 11. Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) 12. Red Oak (Quercus rubra)

Native Ohio Shrubs: 14. Thicket Hawthorn (Crataegus punctata) 15. Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) 16. Common Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) 17. Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra) 17. Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)

GK-12 Module Teacher’s Guide 18. Maple-leaf Viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium) 19. Arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum) 20. Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago)

Native Ohio Flowers: 21. New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae) 22. Sky Blue Aster (Aster azureus) 23. Bee Balm (Monarda didyma) 24. Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) 25. Dense Blazing Star (Liatris spicata) 26. Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)

Native Ohio Grasses: 27. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), 28. Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) 29. Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) 30. Eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides) 31. Purple love grass (Eragrostis spectabilis) 32. Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparius) 33. Virginia wild rye (Elymus virgatum)

GK-12 Module Student Handout Name___________________ Class___________________ 1. What is the name of your plant (common and scientific)?

-Go to wildflower.org/plants/ -Type the name of your plant and answer questions 2-6 2. Describe your plant (average height and width, what time of year does it flower, what does it look like?). Draw a picture of your plant on the back of the sheet.

3. What conditions does it prefer (wet or dry soil, shade or sun)?

4. What benefits does your plant provide for wildlife?

5. Is your plant a monocot or a dicot? How do you know?

6. Any interesting facts about your plant?

-Go to one of the nurseries listed below 6. How much does your plant cost? Give price per unit ($18.45 for 18 inch shrub, $12.95 for 3.5 inch pot, or $3.00 for packet of 40 seeds)

Nurseries NatureHills.com

heronswood.com

wildflowerfarm.com