In this Activity, students will explore the medicinal benefits of plants on horses and their potential treatment for certain ailments and/or conditions.  Students will also develop an understanding that plants harbor healing medicinal properties and can therefore be used to treat ailments and/or illnesses rather than using synthetically prescribed medications.
 
Contents in order of use: 
1. Activitiy 10 Pre-assessment 
2. Activity 10 Medicinal Plants
3. Activity 10 Dried Medicinal Plants for Horses
4. Activity 10 Plant Identification Template
5. Activity 10 Medicinal Horse Plants & Garden
6. Activity 10 Post-assessment
7. Rating 
 
Subject domains:  
Speaking and Listening (Comprehension and Collaboration): Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3, 4, and 5 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.  
Math (Represent and interpret data): Generate the measurement data by measuring lengths using rulers marked with halves and fourths of an inch.  Show the data by making a line plot, where the horizontal scale is marked off in appropriate units- whole numbers, halves, or quarters.  
Math (Geometric measurement): Understand concepts of area and relate area to multiplication and to addition.  
 
Skills:  
Students will learn that plants harbor medicinal properties which can be used to heal and treat ailments.  
Students will learn that medicines, such as apirin, actually originated from willow and meadowsweet (two plants).  
Students will appreciate how plants are a much better source of medicinal properties rather than synthethically manufactures drugs from pharmaceutical companies.  
Students will learn that horses and burros are foragers and NOT grazers like livestock (cattle and sheep).  
Since horses and burros are forages, they they pick and choose what to eat in order to meet their daily nutritional needs.  
Students will explore both fresh and dried medicinal plants which are beneficial to horses.  
Students will design a foraging garden for a local horse rescue.  
Students will participate in a science experiment with regard to the most effective fertilizer: cow poop; chicken poop; horse poop; control (no poop).  
Lastly, students will understand how foragers (horses and burros) positively impact the environment, whereas grazers (cattle and sheep) negatively impact the environment.