This online resource offers downloadable plant checklists tailored to two trails on Hawai‘i Island: the Kīpuka Puaulu loop and the Puʻu ʻŌʻō Trail. Each checklist features images and names of native plants commonly found on these hikes, helping learners practice field identification while immersing in natural forest settings.
Trail-based plant spotting: Students bring the appropriate trail-specific checklist during hikes to observe, identify, and mark plants like ʻaʻaliʻi, ʻōhelo, hāpuʻu pulu, māmane, and koa.
Descriptive writing: The checklists include space to record descriptive words that students associate with each plant’s appearance or habitat.
Compare checklists: After both hikes, students can compare which plants overlap and which are unique to each ecosystem, discussing habitat differences.
Reflection journaling: Encourage learners to reflect on why certain plants thrive in younger lava flows versus older forests in kīpuka.
Native Hawaiian plant identification in field settings
Ecosystem diversity: kīpuka old‑growth forests vs. lava‑flow environments
Descriptive botanical observation and language use
Field science practices: data gathering, comparison, and reflection
