Addressing “Plant Blindness” Through Reflective Reading and Creative Writing

“Plant blindness” is our tendency to take no notice of the plants surrounding us, or to conceive of them as inanimate parts of the landscape or scenery rather than as living beings. This activity aims to engage students in thinking about plants and imagining themselves as plants. By using selected children’s books where plants play significant roles, students will explore the anthropocentric biases in these stories and re-imagine them from the plants’ perspectives. This activity will help students develop empathy for plants and reduce plant blindness. The lesson includes discussion questions, creative writing tasks, and hands-on care for a class plant.