Native plants are not typically the kinds of plants that are used in elementary classroom studies of plant biology. More commonly, students sprout beans or investigate with fast plants. At the time the authors started their plant unit (November), the school-yard garden had an abundance of native plants that had just started seeding, including whorled milkweed ("Asclepias verticillata"). The authors thought this would not only be a free resource but also an opportunity to introduce students to the plants growing right under their noses. Unfortunately, native plants are disappearing at an alarming rate due to human activities such as urban development, agriculture, and the introduction of invasive species. The loss of native plants and native plant communities decreases the amount of genetic diversity within a community and reduces the habitat for wildlife. This article presents a four-day unit for upper elementary students includes lessons on extreme plants in extreme locations, basics of plants (including roots, stem, leaves, seeds, xylem, and phloem), exploration of plant features, and a research study. The unit integrates reading and writing in science. The preassessment revealed that students knew very little about native plants.