Botany Bouquet, The Secret Life of Flowers, and Survival Quest: A Pollinator Game, are just a few of the interactive lessons in the Institute for Applied Ecology’s new high school ecoregional curriculum. The goal of the curriculum is to introduce students to the wondrous biodiversity of flora, and the connections between plants and their ecosystems. It is designed specifically for Oregon’s native plants and can be adapted to different ecoregions within the state.
The curriculum’s lessons encourage students to study what is outside their door and to become informed and active citizens in local natural area issues and decisions in their future. All lessons start with a “Teacher Page,” which gives background information and essential skills. “Student pages,” assist participants in developing their literacy proficiency and becoming active in service-learning and community projects. Oregon Education Standards correlated to the lessons, recommended botanical field guides for Oregon Ecoregions, schoolyard plant species lists and Oregon ethnobotanical plants and their uses, are found in the appendices. the curriculum authors worked closely with teachers and an advisory council to develop the curriculum.
Curriculum Guiding Principles
Lessons build on the learning needs of the students as well as the resources of local communities.
- Place-based: The local community is the starting point for teaching concepts in science and culture; students learn about where they live
- Hands-on: Students actively use all of their senses to explore nature, stewardship, and science
- Inquiry-based: Students learn science by asking and answering questions as a guide to discovering the world around them
- Experiential: Students don’t just learn, they DO
- Service-learning: Learning activities directly benefit community, motivating students by giving extrinsic value to their work
- Aligned with Oregon State Education Standards
- Fosters community partnerships: Students forge relationships with peers and professionals by taking part in their community
- Interdisciplinary: Curriculum pieces integrate across disciplines teaching about native plants through science, math, social studies, art, and literacy
- Developed within the framework of the North American Association of Environmental Educators (NAAEE) Guidelines for Excellence: Fairness and accuracy, depth, emphasis on skills building, action orientation, instructional soundness, and usability