Official Site of The State of New Jersey

Botanical Literacy

Botanical Literacy is defined as the curiosity, knowledge, and skills to observe and explore the botanical world. Botanical Literacy is our greatest defense against ‘plant blindness’: an innate cognitive and cultural bias causing humans to disregard the presence and underestimate the importance of plants in our daily lives. As the foundational organisms in almost every ecosystem and the source of countless commercial goods, plants hold solutions for the mitigation of climate change. Ultimately, the botanical literacy possessed by the students of today will help shape our planet’s future. 

Allowing students the chance to develop empathy with nature and build a connection to their local landscape is just as important for creating future climate leaders as educating them on environmental systems and processes. Hands-on, experiential learning with wild plants helps children to build personal connections with these often-overlooked organisms. This empathy and personal connection extends far beyond the classroom and endures long after the conclusion of their academic careers.

The draft Botanical Literacy lesson plans are designed for informal educational settings, such as nature centers and summer camps, but are available for use by formal educators and homeschooling parents as well. Each lesson plan has a suggested age range and lists New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Science objectives that connect to the subject material. Worksheets and other materials are available on Canva to download and modify as you see fit. No matter how you use these lessons, we are interested in your feedback. Contact NatLands@dep.nj.gov.