Embrace the Outdoors: Sunflowers

Brighten your homeschool day with the "Embrace the Outdoors: Sunflowers" unit study. This cheerful and informative guide invites children to explore the fascinating life of the common sunflower, moving beyond its beauty to understand the complex science that makes it a "sun follower."
 
What’s Inside the Sunflowers Unit?
This unit provides a detailed look at the biology, behavior, and lifecycle of one of nature’s most iconic flowering plants.
Heliotropism Explained: Discover the secret behind the sunflower's movement! Learn how young buds and blossoms track the sun from east to west throughout the day and why mature, heavy flower heads eventually settle into a permanent eastward gaze.
Anatomy of a "Flower": Did you know a sunflower head is actually made of thousands of tiny flowers? Explore the difference between the bright "ray florets" (the petals) and the fertile "disk florets" in the center that produce seeds.
Sunflower Growth & Habitats: Learn about the physical characteristics of the Helianthus annuus, including its towering height—reaching up to 12 feet—and its preferred homes in prairies and open areas.
The Lifecycle of a Sunflower: From a tiny seed to a giant bloom that self-pollinates, students will track the stages of development and seed production.
 
Engaging Activities & Visual Learning
This pack includes several hands-on components to help children connect with the botanical world:
Interactive 3-Part Cards: Use the "How to Use" guide to master sunflower vocabulary and identification through matching games with picture and word cards.
Anatomy Posters: Visualize the internal and external structures of the sunflower with high-quality, labeled posters that make complex botanical terms easy to understand.
Observation & Record Keeping: Students are encouraged to use their senses and scientific skills to observe sunflowers in nature, noting their height, stem texture, and head direction.
Nature Checklists: Pair this unit with a walk through a garden or prairie to see these "sun followers" in action and identify the various parts learned in the study.
 
Whether you're planting a garden or studying plant biology, this unit offers a sunny and educational perspective on the remarkable world of sunflowers.
 
* This is a digital product. No physical item will be sent.