Grade 3 Students Explore the Healing Powers of Frog Leaves

In an exciting hands-on learning experience, Grade 3 students delved into medicinal plants by foraging for broadleaf plantain, also known as frog leaf. This humble plant, often overlooked and treated as a weed, has proven to be a powerful resource when used correctly. Thanks to the knowledge shared by Indigenous experts, we are learning about the many uses of this plant, and our students have been eager to explore its healing properties.

The influence and knowledge behind this project come from Cease Wyss and her daughter, Senaqwila Wyss, who have been guests at Meadowridge School several times. Both are ethnobotanists and knowledge holders of the medicinal plants around the campus grounds. Their teachings have provided invaluable insights into the uses and significance of frog leaves and the protocols and ethics of harvesting them. 

As part of Indigenous protocols, Grade 3 teacher Ms. Stephanie Morris and some students offered to the earth and the plants in gratitude for what they provide. This practice is rooted in the "honourable harvest" principle, which emphasizes the reciprocal relationship we must maintain with the earth and its more-than-human kin. 

In October, the class set out to forage frog leaves on campus. This common plant grows abundantly in our North Forest, so students had no trouble gathering enough. After harvesting the leaves, the next step was to clean and dry them, which was done over the following weeks. The drying process is essential to preserve the leaves and prepare them for infusion. At the start of December, the next phase began. The dried frog leaves were placed into jars and filled with olive oil to infuse the oil with the plant’s medicinal properties. The infusion process takes several weeks, so the jars will now sit and infuse over the winter break. During this time, the olive oil will absorb the healing properties of the frog leaf, turning it into a potent ingredient for the salve students will make in January.

When the students return, they will strain the frog leaves from the infused oil and mix the oil with melted beeswax, which will help solidify it. The final product will be divided into small tins, one for each student. This salve can soothe skin irritations like mosquito bites and minor cuts—simple, natural remedies that connect students with nature’s offerings.

This project has taught students about the healing powers of frog leaves and sustainability, the importance of Indigenous knowledge, and how natural remedies can be part of our everyday lives. By learning directly from the land and through Indigenous teachings, students have gained a deeper understanding of the science, traditions, and respect required in working with nature.

It’s a fantastic example of experiential learning, where students actively participate in the process and connect with meaningful, real-world applications of their studies.