Bring your KS4/5 class to one of the most biodiverse places on Earth…
Travel to the depths of the rainforest inside the Palm House. Stand on the Treetop Walkway and observe the complex ecosystem of the trees’ uppermost branches. Explore the secrets held in each plant’s unique DNA in the Agius Evolution Garden.
Kew Gardens welcomes over 90,000 pupils each year, connecting school groups with the wonder and diversity of plant life, key to the world’s future. Led by experienced Kew teachers, inquiry-based education sessions get pupils involved in hands-on investigation in the Gardens’ iconic glasshouses and varied landscape.
They will be inspired by Kew’s scientific research, exploring nature-based solutions to some of humanity’s greatest challenges. KS4 and 5 sessions complement the GCSE and A/AS level biology and geography curricula across all exam boards, as well as BTEC and IB.
Learning journeys
Evolution and adaptation (KS4/5)
Walk in the footsteps of Darwin and Wallace to unravel the mysteries of plant adaptation. Delve into the theory of natural selection and investigate the factors driving speciation. Witness the incredible evolution of plants from simple organisms to the diverse and beautiful species surrounding us.
Pupils will explore the vast array of plant life, gathering evidence of evolution and uncovering the remarkable survival mechanisms plants have developed over time.
Photosynthesis and gas exchange (KS4/5)
Discover the complex ways plants have adapted to cope with limiting factors such as temperature, humidity or light intensity and the effects of these factors on photosynthesis and gas exchange.
Pupils will investigate how environmental conditions can affect gas exchange and photosynthesis in plants and explore how a changing climate could impact on these processes.
“Pupils will become Kew scientists and use research and enquiry skills to present scientific arguments.”
Conservation and biodiversity (KS5)
Investigate how human activity impacts biodiversity, the variety of all life on Earth. Learn about Kew’s global and national conservation work and weigh the need for conservation against the human demand for natural resources.
Tackle questions like ‘What constitutes a successful species reintroduction programme?’ and ‘Can we use natural resources sustainably?’
Pupils will become Kew scientists and use research and enquiry skills to present scientific arguments and make decisions based on their findings.
- Teaching resources – sign up for free to Endeavour, Kew’s interactive library of teaching resources all about plant science and the environment – head to endeavour.kew.org
- CPD – discover how you can use plants in school to bring your curriculum to life and engage pupils in learning new scientific knowledge and skills with our Teacher Training Days at Kew
- Newsletter – get a useful round-up of Kew’s free resources, news about the latest offers for schools and teacher CPD delivered straight to your inbox
Book your visit and empower your pupils to better understand, value and protect the natural world. For more information, call +44 020 8332 5627, email schools@kew.org or visit kew.org/kew-gardens/school-visits.
