The Great Plant Hunt
Encyclopedia
The Great Plant Hunt is a primary school plant science learning initiative, developed by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
, and funded by the Wellcome Trust
. It is supported by DEFRA, Sir David Attenborough, and Science Learning Centres
in the UK.
Primary science resources kit boxes or 'Treasure Chests' developed by Kew, were sent to every maintained primary school in the UK in Spring 2009. The box contents - teaching materials and seed processing equipment - support teaching of the primary science curriculum for every year group from 5-11. The resources enable children to experience the variation and adaptation characteristics of plants. UK children will also be invited to contribute seed to Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank, supporting their research and conservation work.
All activities are linked to the National Curriculum for Key Stages 1 and 2, with a focus on the science curriculum, but also offering cross-curricular opportunities.
Forming part of the Darwin 200 initiative, The Great Plant Hunt encourages primary school children to "follow in the footsteps" of Charles Darwin
by going on nature walks in and around their school grounds. The aim is that children find out more about plants, think about the roles plants play in peoples' lives, and in the process learn key scientific skills .
Schools do not need green space to participate in the project; local parks, churchyards, and the playground can be used. Many of the activities are completely classroom-based and will be supported with online resources including video and music. Engagement may involve the whole school or just one class.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, usually referred to as Kew Gardens, is 121 hectares of gardens and botanical glasshouses between Richmond and Kew in southwest London, England. "The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew" and the brand name "Kew" are also used as umbrella terms for the institution that runs...
, and funded by the Wellcome Trust
Wellcome Trust
The Wellcome Trust was established in 1936 as an independent charity funding research to improve human and animal health. With an endowment of around £13.9 billion, it is the United Kingdom's largest non-governmental source of funds for biomedical research...
. It is supported by DEFRA, Sir David Attenborough, and Science Learning Centres
Science Learning Centres
Science Learning Centres are a UK Government initiative to address the need for improved science education and development for teachers.-Origins:...
in the UK.
Primary science resources kit boxes or 'Treasure Chests' developed by Kew, were sent to every maintained primary school in the UK in Spring 2009. The box contents - teaching materials and seed processing equipment - support teaching of the primary science curriculum for every year group from 5-11. The resources enable children to experience the variation and adaptation characteristics of plants. UK children will also be invited to contribute seed to Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank, supporting their research and conservation work.
All activities are linked to the National Curriculum for Key Stages 1 and 2, with a focus on the science curriculum, but also offering cross-curricular opportunities.
Forming part of the Darwin 200 initiative, The Great Plant Hunt encourages primary school children to "follow in the footsteps" of Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
by going on nature walks in and around their school grounds. The aim is that children find out more about plants, think about the roles plants play in peoples' lives, and in the process learn key scientific skills .
Schools do not need green space to participate in the project; local parks, churchyards, and the playground can be used. Many of the activities are completely classroom-based and will be supported with online resources including video and music. Engagement may involve the whole school or just one class.
External links
- http://www.greatplanthunt.org
- http://www.kew.org
- http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/darwin200
- http://www.darwin200.org/index.html