Montessori Botany
Montessori Botany Mastery Worksheets: Types and Parts of Plants
Quick lesson and free interactive worksheets for: (1) types of plants, (2) parts of a leaf, (3) parts of a leaf blade, and (4) leaf venation. Links to printable versions of these worksheets are also provided below.
When it comes to botany — or indeed any other subject in the Montessori curriculum — there’s no substitute for going out into nature.
With plants, the kids can go out and look at the plants that are already growing in the outdoors, identifying parts and types in their natural environment. Or they can even grow their own plant and watch as it transforms from seed to seedling to full-grown plant, identifying each part as it makes its debut into the world.
The following interactive Montessori botany worksheets are intended for mastery work: for repetition that can hasten recall. They are also useful for when children cannot go outdoors, as for health reasons or during inclement weather. Have fun learning!
Montessori Botany: Types of Plants
There are many ways to classify plants. This first worksheet differentiates between trees, vines, herbs, and shrubs.
- A tree has a single main woody stem, called a trunk, which is usually brown and has branches on the upper part of the plant.
- An herb has a herbaceous stem, which is usually green and does not live over from year to year.
- A shrub has no main stem. Rather it has a number of woody branches that arise from ground level.
- A vine has a stem that needs support.
A free printable PDF copy of this worksheet can be found here: Montessori Botany Types of Plants Worksheet (PDF)
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Montessori Botany: Parts of a Leaf
A leaf is the part of a plant that is thin and flattened, usually green in color, grows on the stem, and has veins.
- The petiole is the narrow stalk that grows from the stem to the leaf blade.
- Many plants have stipules that are found at the base of the petiole. They look like leaves and are there to cover and protect the young leaf.
- The veins are little tubes that carry food and water to and from other parts of the plant. They also give the leaf some structure so that it does not easily get torn by wind or rain.
- The blade is the flattened part of the leaf. It is also called the lamina.
A free printable PDF copy of this worksheet can be found here: Montessori Botany: Parts of a Leaf Worksheet (PDF)
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Parts of a Leaf Blade
The leaf blade itself has several parts.
- The margin is the outer edge of the leaf blade.
- The base is the part of the leaf blade attached to the petiole.
- The apex is the distant tip of the leaf blade.
- The midrib is the large main vein that grows from the petiole, through the base, to the apex of the leaf.
- The lateral veins are the smaller veins that branch out on either side of the midrib or primary vein.
A free printable PDF copy of this worksheet can be found here: Montessori Botany: Parts of a Leaf Blade Worksheet (PDF)
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Leaf Venation
The veins of a leaf may be structured in many ways.
The netted or reticulate venation is the most common and is found in dicot leaves, while the leaves of monocot plants mostly have parallel venation.
A free printable PDF copy of this worksheet can be found here: Montessori Botany: Leaf Venation Worksheet (PDF)
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