Wildflowers of Ohio
BADGE REQUIREMENTS
DAISY & BROWNIE
There are 3 sections of activities to earn this badge:
1. Wildflower Basics
2. Discover Ohio Wildflowers
3. Plant a seed in others! (Share what you have learned.)
Wildflowers of Ohio
BADGE REQUIREMENTS
Wildflower Basics!
Complete all three steps:
1. Make a diagram of parts of a flower. This can be a cut-out project or coloring page;
choose from the supplemental activities or do a similar diagram you find on your
own. It can be more or less complex depending on the age and skill level of your troop
members.
2. Start a wildflower journal. Keep your drawings, pictures, and other information about flowers in one place. A
folder with paper and pockets is great, or a plastic file/envelope works well if you plan to bring it outdoors. The
first item in your journal could be your diagram from step #1.
3. Learn about photosynthesis! Introduce the topic by talking about energy. For example, how are cars able to
travel? Cars need fuel, and won’t be able to start or move without gasoline. Living things need fuel too! What
type of fuel do we need? We eat food, but where does our food come from? It begins with the sun! Plants use
the sun’s energy to make food! Glucose, is what they make, and it is a type of sugar in plants. There are diagrams
available in the supplemental activities section.
Here are some books that might be useful. These should be available at your local library. If not, ask your librarian if
they have a similar book: Living Sunlight by Molly Bang and Penny Chisholm
Photosynthesis: Changing sunlight into food by Bobbie Kalman
Discover Ohio Wildflowers!*
Complete these three steps:
1. Go on a wildflower hike! Visit a Girl Scout Camp, local park, forest, or a field by
your troop meeting site. Bring a simple field guides to learn about what you
see. Or, bring a camera, take pictures, and try to identify the flowers later using
books, doing online research, or ask an expert.
Brownies: Connect this to your Hiker Badge! This activity completes
Requirement #5 – Go on Your Hike (Option 1, 2, or 3, depending on the
type of activity you choose).
2. From the Ohio wildflowers you saw or learned about, pick one favorite.
Encourage each girl to find a different flower, but its fine if
there are repeats. Draw it in your journal, and add a picture if
possible. Try to answer these questions about your flower:
•
•
•
What color is it?
Where does it grow? (Forest, fields, roadsides, etc.?)
What time of year can you find this flower
blooming? (Spring, Summer, Autumn?)
Extra for Brownies: Does your flower have a
special purpose? Some flowers have been used
for medicine, beauty products, or have special
meanings. Find out if your special wildflower is used
by humans for something special.
3. Fun with seeds! Choose one of these activities to
complete step #3:
•
Seed snack: at your next troop gathering, sample
different edible seeds. Try something new and
see which you like best. Some ideas: Sunflower
seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds. Try them
Wildflowers of Ohio
BADGE REQUIREMENTS
as a topping on yogurt, sprinkled on a salad, or just plain! CAUTION: beware of any
potential allergies.
Brownies: Connect this to your Hiker Badge! This activity can complete
Requirement #4 – Pack a Snack for Energy (Option 1, 2, or 3, depending on how you
choose to incorporate your seed snack).
•
Hike for seeds (best in late summer/early fall): borrow some tall white socks from someone in your family.
Pull them on as high as they will go, and hike through a grassy field. How many seeds can you find?
•
Seeds on the run: Find out 3 different ways seeds can travel. Use the worksheet in the supplemental
activities or do your own research; The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle is a good storybook on this topic.
*Leaders: Use the supplemental “Ohio’s Common Spring Wildflowers” if you like. Girls can cut out pictures to
add to their journal and/or make a drawing of the flower. You could also gather flower guides from the library
or do online research as well. Here are some websites to try:
http://nativeohioplantlist.com/plants
http://ohiodnr.com/Home/Nature/wildflowers/summer_wildflowers_main/tabid/1693/Default.aspx
Plant a seed! Share what you learned about wildflowers. Choose one option from the list, or do a similar activity.
DAISY (pick one):
• Have each girl share their favorite flower with the others in the troop. If
there are lots of repeat flowers, you might have girls share as a group, with
each telling one thing about the particular flower. Leaders can participate
as well!
• Service project: Find a public place where wildflowers grow and do a cleanup (if it needs it). Make sure to be safe and use gloves when picking up
trash.
• Plant a native Ohio wildflower seed and take care of it following the
directions. Give it to someone you care about.
BROWNIE (pick one):
• Use what you have learned to make a video or display to share what you
have learned about wildflowers. Share with parents at a troop meeting or
scouting event, or perhaps ask your public library or place of worship for
permission to set up your display.
• Make an Ohio Wildflowers field guide as a troop! Each girl could choose
her favorite Ohio wildflower and make a page for the book. Alternatively,
you could make a blog post highlighting some common Ohio wildflowers.
Be sure to give credit for sources of information and get permission to use photos not taken by you! http://www.
howtostartablog.org
• Service project: Find a public place where wildflowers grow and do a clean-up (if it needs it). Make sure to be safe
and use gloves when picking up trash. You could ask a local park or nature preserve if they need help with a cleanup or other projects.