They use most plant parts including leaves, stems, flowers, fruit, roots, bark, and wood. The majority of medicinal plants are harvested in the growing season, but some plants and plant parts are available throughout the year. Women aided by children tend to be the primary gatherers, processors, and preservers of plant medicines. Common methods of preparing medicinal plants are boiling, simmering, or steeping the fresh or dried plant. Depending on the plant or ailment, the liquid may be taken internally or used as a wash, while the entire plant or plant parts may be used as a poultice or placed or rubbed directly on the body.
Raw plants appear to be administered externally more often than internally.
In this unit students will work with the Elders, Native educators and their teacher to determine which traditional plants are effective in healing various body parts. Students will employ traditional methods of harvesting medicinal plants under the direct guidance of the Elders and their teacher. After five days of collecting information, journaling, and analyzing, students will communicate their findings to their school peers, and demonstrate their understanding of procedures and findings by producing an area poster of some of the local medicinal plants. Since this unit targets third grade students, the emphasis is on observation, communication, comparison, and organizational skills. It does not deal with principles concerning interactions such as plant photosynthesis or making logical conclusions with which they may have limited experience.