New York Science Grade 7

Unit 4: Dynamic Equilibrium: Other Organisms

Medicinal Plants

Project Type: History

Introduction:
People have long believed in the usefulness of plants as medicine. Ancient Egyptians even thought plants were valuable in the afterlife. Today, scientists all over the world study plants to learn more about how they can be used to treat injuries and illnesses.

Task:
Investigate drugs with plant origins. Focus on one of these drugs and find out the following:

• what plant it comes from
• where the plant originated
• how it is used to help people
• how its medicinal properties were first used

Design a short slide presentation of your findings and add the location of the plant's origin to a world map in your class. Are there regions in the world that have obvious concentrations of these plants? If so, what do you think this may indicate?

Time:
1 class period to conduct research and create presentations, 1 class period for sharing presentations and discussing results

Possible Resources:

Plants
http://www.accessexcellence.org/RC/Ethnobotany/page4.html
http://www.newhope.com/nutritionsciencenews/NSN_Backs/May_00/tropical_s1.cfm
http://www.baumshealth.com/products/solaray/hrbs.htm
http://www.nutrifarmacy.com/nsn1.html
http://world.std.com/~krahe/html1.html
http://www.ars-grin.gov/duke/ethnobot.html
http://herb.umd.umich.edu/

Slide Presentations
http://www.sd43.bc.ca/etip/how_to/ht_kpslideshow.html
http://www.videohelp.com/forum/userguides/221228.php
http://www.adobe.com/education/digkids/lessons/shareyourproject.html