AWF’s Habitat Lab Field Investigation Activities

Below are free activity pages related to pitcher plant gardens:

• Evidence of the Water Cycle (2nd Grade): Word Doc | PDF – Students explore the Habitat Lab for evidence of the water cycle as they record their weather observations. AL Science Standard 2nd Grade #10: Collect and evaluate data to identify water found on Earth and determine whether it is a solid or a liquid (e.g., glaciers as solid forms of water; oceans, lakes, rivers, streams as liquid forms of water).
• Parts of a Plant (2nd Grade): Word Doc | PDF– Students find two different flowers in the habitat lab to study and compare as they draw pictures of the plants and identify the plants’ flowers, leaves and stems.
• Parts of a Plant (4th Grade): Version #1: Word Doc | PDF or Version #2:  Word Doc | PDF – Students explore the habitat lab to find a plant with a flower, and then they draw it, label its parts, and answer questions about how its internal and external structures help the plant survive, grow, and reproduce. AL Science Standard #9: Examine evidence to support an argument that the internal and external structures of plants (e.g., thorns, leaves, stems, roots, colored petals, xylem, phloem) function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.
• What’s the Scoop on Soil? (4th Grade): Word Doc | PDF – Students learn about the soils in your habitat lab as they investigate the properties of four different soil samples and examine the soils’ texture, color, capacity to retain water, and ability to support plant growth. AL Science Standard #13: Plan and carry out investigations to examine properties of soils and soil types (e.g. color, texture, capacity to retain water, ability to support growth of plants).
• Evidence of the Water Cycle (6th Grade): Word Doc | PDF – Students explore the Habitat Lab to find evidence of the water cycle and water’s presence in plants and animals. AL Science Standard 6th Grade #7: Use models to construct explanations of the various biogeochemical cycles of Earth (e.g., water, carbon, nitrogen) and the flow of energy that drives these processes.
• Evidence of the Nitrogen Cycle (6th Grade): Word Doc | PDF) – Students explore the habitat lab to find evidence of the nitrogen cycle and its processes such as fixation, assimilation, and ammonification. AL Science Standard #7: Use models to construct explanations of the various biogeochemical cycles of Earth (e.g., water, carbon, nitrogen) and the flow of energy that drives these processes.
• Plants, Plants, and More Plants (7th Grade): Word Doc | PDF – Students explore the habitat lab to observe and document what animal behaviors and specialized plant structures lead to new plants growing. AL Science Standard #10: Use evidence and scientific reasoning to explain how characteristic animal behaviors and specialized plant structures affect the probability of successful reproduction of both animals and plants.