Plant Health Level 3: Phytoremediation in Action: From Data to Design Ages 13-17

Plant Health Level 3 — Phytoremediation in Action: From Data to Design
For learners ages 13 to 17
 
One Life Epi Solutions welcomes young scientists into a living laboratory where plants, people, and place meet. In this five-page curriculum, students become environmental detectives. They trace pollution in real time, test duckweed in the lab, and engineer a green wall that scrubs the air. Grounded in One Health thinking, every activity links biology, systems science, and civic design so learners see how caring for plants lifts communities, too.
 
They will track local pollution hot spots, measure how plants pull copper from water, and map each pollutant’s journey through an ecosystem. They will then build and test a working green wall before pitching their plant-powered fix to decision-makers. Along the way, built-in supports honor neurodivergent brains, multilingual voices, and mixed skill levels. Students leave with knowledge, agency, and a plan for action.
 
Equip the next generation to restore ecosystems, rethink city planning, and grow a cleaner future with the power of plants.
 
 
Product Snapshot
 
✨ Big guiding question
How can students use living plants to clean polluted air and water?
This NGSS aligned 5E lesson invites teens to tackle environmental injustice through real-world science, engineering, and civic action. Perfect for homeschool and classroom educators alike.
 
 
What students will do
Locate local pollution hot and safe spots with live AQI data
 
Quantify copper removal by duckweed and connect results to plant stres
Map pollutant pathways and One Health impacts using a systems-thinking flowchart
Design, build, and test a small green-wall prototype that reduces PM 2.5
Pitch an equity-focused, plant-powered solution to civic leaders
 
Why educators trust this resource
Uses the full 5E model: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate
Ready-to-use facilitator script included, optional
NGSS aligned and inquiry based for deep science learning
Works in home, hybrid, or school settings
Inclusive design supports diverse learning needs and styles
 
What’s inside
Detailed 5E lesson plan with flexible pacing
Optional facilitator script and discussion prompts
Assessment tools and reflection questions
Bonus enrichment with virtual field trips and civic science links
Adaptations for varied learners, including visual aids and flexible outputs
 
Ideal for you if you need
A no-prep, justice-minded science project that empowers youth to serve their communities
A 5E lesson that sparks genuine excitement in teens
An activity blending real data, creativity, and civic action
 
Part of the One Health Learning Series
Every resource in the One Health Kids collection grows real-world science skills while showing how all life connects. Explore the series and nurture young changemakers rooted in science, equity, and care for our shared planet.
 
Ready to bring phytoremediation to life?
Purchase the lesson today and plant the seeds of cleaner air, healthier water, and engaged young citizens.