This document discusses various approaches to using plants and Kew Gardens to educate people across different audiences and communities. It highlights programs that use plants to teach critical thinking skills and engage difficult to reach groups like youth and those with disabilities. Partnerships with other organizations help expand the reach of educational activities. Keeping educational programs fresh through theme-based festivals and utilizing online resources allows more people to engage with plants and science.

1. Plants, People andPlants, People and
PossibilitiesPossibilities
Gail Bromley MBE FLSGail Bromley MBE FLS

3. SchoolsSchools
Some different approaches…………Some different approaches…………

4. Kew’s Wildlife ZoneKew’s Wildlife Zone

5. Wildlife Zone (2)Wildlife Zone (2)

6. Using plants across the curriculumUsing plants across the curriculum

8. Nature as inspirationNature as inspiration

9. Ivy

11. Technology

13. The Palm House ‘Rap’The Palm House ‘Rap’
The Palm House ‘Rap’The Palm House ‘Rap’

20. Economic
Natural
Social
Who Decides?
(Political)
Compass Rose

21. Critical thinking skillsCritical thinking skills
Research
Observation
Solving mysteries
Recording data

22. ITT / CPD

23. Teacher training through ‘twilight’
taster sessions

24. Workshop on plant healthWorkshop on plant health

25. TrailTrail
Look at the bare patches.
Why are they there?
Look at the soil.
What has been added to it?
Some plants need help to stand up?
What supports them in the wild?
What has happened to this tree?
Why?
Does this bed look crowded?
What are the plants competing for?

26.  …….Reaching new and difficult to reach.Reaching new and difficult to reach
community audiences……community audiences……

27. The value of working togetherThe value of working together
Increased understanding
 Shared knowledge
 Broad based consensus
 Better network support
 Strength in numbers
 Direct action
 Increased ability
 Feeling of ownership
 Empowerment

28. Community AudiencesCommunity Audiences
Some of our specific audiences :Some of our specific audiences :
 Young peopleYoung people
 People with disabilitiesPeople with disabilities
 Local community groups/organisations in theLocal community groups/organisations in the
BAME rangeBAME range

29. Joint projects – ‘people and plants’Joint projects – ‘people and plants’
 Shared stories of culturalShared stories of cultural
and scientific values ofand scientific values of
plantsplants
 Understanding how ‘we useUnderstanding how ‘we use
plants’plants’
 Recognising our commonRecognising our common
HeritageHeritage
 Working on ‘oral history’Working on ‘oral history’
with local Asian womenwith local Asian women
 Stories on cotton, sugar,Stories on cotton, sugar,
rice and tearice and tea
 Stories translated intoStories translated into
dance and theatre bydance and theatre by
schoolchildren (6schoolchildren (6thth
formform
drama students)drama students)

31. Community Collaboration –Community Collaboration –
Kingcups and kangaroosKingcups and kangaroos

32. Temple of the ImaginationTemple of the Imagination

37. Animated garden- a project to engageAnimated garden- a project to engage
difficult to reach young peopledifficult to reach young people

38. BYT Experimental Theatre Group-BYT Experimental Theatre Group-
Marvellous Marianne performanceMarvellous Marianne performance

42. Key partner organisationsKey partner organisations
 Historic Royal PalacesHistoric Royal Palaces
 Orleans GalleryOrleans Gallery
 British MuseumBritish Museum
 Ealing CollegeEaling College
 Feltham ArtsFeltham Arts

43.  …………encouraging familes…encouraging familes…

44. Keeping the product fresh - Festivals
 Orchid FestivalOrchid Festival
 Spring FestivalSpring Festival
 Woodland WondersWoodland Wonders
 Summer FestivalSummer Festival
 Autumn FestivalAutumn Festival
 Christmas FestivalChristmas Festival

45. Theme: MediterraneanTheme: Mediterranean
Plus
•
Sunflowers
Lavender field
Plants and smells
exhibition
Chilli display
Build a Beach! Olive pressing
Med garden
re-vamp

59. Plan forSite
VISITOR INFO for the
KEW site to explore
maps and venues
EDUCATION pages
for information on
SCHOOLS education

61. 72% of households in the UK now have72% of households in the UK now have
internet accessinternet access

62. 87% of children over the age of 12 own a87% of children over the age of 12 own a
mobile phonemobile phone

63. Over 55s who use the Internet spend anOver 55s who use the Internet spend an
average of 42 hours online per weekaverage of 42 hours online per week

64. Who might use it?Who might use it?
“Engaged a 10 yr old who would
otherwise want to kick a ball”

67. Support for your programmes
 Web ResourcesWeb Resources
 Kew (+ Great Plant Hunt) www.kew.orgKew (+ Great Plant Hunt) www.kew.org
 RHSRHS www.rhs.org.ukwww.rhs.org.uk
 FACE / Growing Schools www.face-online.org.ukFACE / Growing Schools www.face-online.org.uk
 Plant Scientists InvestigatePlant Scientists Investigate www.plantscafe.netwww.plantscafe.net
 NetworksNetworks
 BGENBGEN www.bgen.org.ukwww.bgen.org.uk
 BGCIBGCI www.bgci.orgwww.bgci.org
 PersonnelPersonnel
 Contracted teaching staffContracted teaching staff
 VolunteersVolunteers
 Local collegesLocal colleges
 Teachers on placementTeachers on placement