Second Set Of Botany Cards
Made by Nienhuis Montessori · shipped by Heutink International (Netherlands) About the maker
The second botany card set, covering roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds, and going further than the first into the parts of a bulb and the parts of a mushroom. Bulbs and mushrooms are worth their own cards because neither behaves like the plant a child has already learned: one hides its structure underground, the other is not a plant at all in the way the others are. Sorting them alongside the familiar parts is where classification starts to have edges. Cardstock, for ages 3 to 6.
“The senses, being explorers of the world, open the way to knowledge.”
The Second Set of Botany Cards presents root vegetables, fungi, and plant structures through precise illustrated nomenclature cards, addressing the child's need to classify and understand the natural world beyond basic plant forms. These cards in protective plastic sleeves build upon foundational botanical knowledge by introducing specialized plant categories that children encounter in daily life but rarely examine systematically.
- Distinguishes between true roots and underground stems through visual comparison
- Identifies common root vegetables and their botanical classifications
- Recognizes different fungi types and their distinguishing characteristics
- Builds specialized botanical vocabulary for plant structures
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The detailed illustrations on each card isolate specific botanical features, allowing children to perceive subtle differences between underground stems and true roots, or between various fungi types. This second set fulfills the developmental need for increasingly refined classification skills as children progress from general to specific understanding. The cards' focus on root vegetables connects botanical study to familiar foods, while fungi cards introduce life forms that blur traditional plant-animal boundaries. By presenting these diverse plant structures through clear visual nomenclature, the cards satisfy the absorbent mind's hunger for precise language and detailed observation of nature's variations.
How to present it
Follow the Montessori method of presentation for optimal child development.
Arrange cards on a mat in three groups: root vegetables, fungi, and plant structures. Ensure good lighting for examining illustration details.
- 1
Begin with root vegetables, presenting 3-4 cards showing carrots, turnips, and radishes
Point out the actual root versus stem portions on each illustration - 2
Introduce vocabulary using three-period lesson: 'This is a taproot,' showing the carrot card
Trace the root shape with your finger to emphasize its form - 3
Compare fungi cards, noting differences between mushrooms, bracket fungi, and molds
Discuss how fungi differ from green plants - no roots, stems, or leaves - 4
Match plant structure cards to real specimens when available
Bring in actual vegetables or mushrooms for tactile comparison - 5
Create sorting games: 'grows underground' versus 'grows above ground'
Include both root vegetables and fungi to challenge assumptions
Every Child Is a Little Creator
Heritage
Since 1929
In classrooms
Around the world
European brands
Nienhuis, GAM, Educo
AMI approved
To the association standard
Second Set Of Botany Cards
