Positives

• This article is in a list format with a small paragraph about each plant, making the content easy to follow.
• Pictures of the plants help students get an idea of how to identify them in nature.

Additional Prerequisites

• Prior to reading, it may be beneficial to discuss with students what a native plant is, though it is defined in the article.
• ELL students and younger students may need some terms defined prior to reading the article, including pesticides, fertilizers, acclimated, shrub, sinuous, and thrive.

Differentiation

• Science classes can use this article in a wider conversation about native species, non-native species, invasive species, and the effects they all have on ecosystems.
• Students can choose one of the plants mentioned in the article and create their own care guide, including best growing conditions, care instructions, and benefits of this plant. These ideas can come from the article, student ideas, and further research.
• Geography classes can discuss the impact that these plants have on people living in the region, with a focus on Native American history and culture.
• This article can be used to introduce an activity where students will conduct research to find out what plants are native to their area and the benefits of these plants.
• This article can be supplemented with a hands-on project in Oregon, where students plant native plants on the school grounds and monitor the care for these plants.
• This article could lend itself to a jigsaw activity, especially to practice summarization skills in English language arts, with groups of 5 each reading about two different plants and summarizing what they read.
• Students studying Lewis and Clark can read this article to gain additional information about their expedition and the classification they did during that time.