Budding Botanists

Experiences in our interactive nature classroom as well as our beautiful property are all part of this adventure! Students will learn how bonsai trees are trained, observe plants through a microscope, take a tour of a greenhouse, and learn what plants need to survive and thrive in our gardens and woodlands. A guided stroll along our forested trails and around our gardens will serve to offer students a new way to experience and appreciate the role of plants in our lives.
 
Principles:
  • Botany is the study of plants, which includes a wide spectrum of organisms.
  • Plants are living organisms and have specific needs including space, water, sunlight, air and sometimes pollination.
  • Plants use sunlight to produce energy that can be used by living organisms throughout the food chain.
  • Plants are important in terms of human survival as well as healthy ecosystems.
  • Gardens can be useful in attracting wildlife, growing food and serving as a place for people to enjoy.
  • There is a large diversity of woody plant species within the mountains of North Carolina due to particular environmental conditions.
Duration: 1.5 hours
 
Cost: $5.00 per student. Payment should be given to the instructor at the start of the program. No charge for one teacher/adult for every five students.
 
Months Offered: September-May. Warmer months are preferred as there is more variety of plants in the gardens.
 
NC Science Curriculum Goals: 
            Third Grade: 1.01, 1.02, 1.03, 1.04, 1.05
           
Starting Location: In front of the Education Center at the program start time (either 9:30 am or 12:00 pm) set upon booking the program. Groups arriving early may enjoy the property and facilities. 
 
 
What do my students need?
Students should wear clothing that is appropriate for the weather. A majority of the program will take place outdoors, so students, teachers and adult chaperones should wear sturdy footwear. Students with physical disabilities or limitations are capable of participating in the walk, but the instructor should be told prior to day of the program to make any special arrangements.
 
Want to schedule this program? Contact Lauren Pyle, Environmental Education Specialist, at lpyle@ncarboretum.org or (828) 665-2492 ext. 224