Plant Project Wrap-Up: My Free Inquiry Reflection

When I chose plants as my free inquiry topic, I wasn’t sure how it would go but, it ended up being one of the better decisions I made this semester. It gave me a real chance to learn something I’d been putting off for a while, and it felt less like an assignment and more like something I actually wanted to do.

What I’d Tell Myself at the Start

Don’t just stick to one spot. I did most of my exploring at Elk Lake, and while it’s a great location, I wish I had been more intentional about visiting different places and ecosystems throughout the semester. More variety in environment would have meant more variety in species, and that would have made the whole project a lot more interesting. It’s a simple thing, but it would have made a big difference.

What I Enjoyed Most

This project got me outside consistently, even when the PNW weather was genuinely terrible. Having an actual reason to go out on the grey, rainy days ended up being one of my favourite parts of it.

The Most Useful Tool

iNaturalist was by far the most useful tool I used. It made plant identification accessible in a way that would have been really difficult otherwise, and it kept everything organized as I went. I’m planning to use it in my future classroom and I’ll keep using it personally. It’s one of those tools that actually sticks around after a project ends.

Overall, this was a worthwhile inquiry. It pushed me to get outside, learn something new, and engage with a topic I genuinely cared about.