School Tours at Franklin Park Conservatory



	Columbus Counts Outreach Target Audience: 4th-12th grade students Cost: $120 for 1st class and $60 for each additional class in the same day Grade Level: 4th/5th Site Requirements: Paved area for chalk drawings (minimum of 100’ X 100’ area) Time Requirements: 50-60 minute program Columbus Counts is a cross-disciplinary, interactive educational program that will inspire your students by exposing them to the great outdoors in your school’s own backyard, while enhancing their environmental knowledge about personal energy consumption and conservation. During this one-hour lesson, your students will gain a deeper understanding of tree physiology and function, and they will explore their creative side by drawing a life-sized tree! In the process, they will discover the important role trees play in removing carbon from the air we breathe. Special Notes: There is an outdoor component to this program. The pavement must be dry for this program, so it is weather dependent. Grade Level: 6th/8th Site Requirements: Outdoor space with at least 3 trees, preferably more. Time Requirements: 50-60 minute program Students will examine trees around the school campus and use practical math and science skills to quantify tree growth patterns. Through this process students will make a comparison between carbon uptake and tree growth, explore carbon sequestration of trees and analyze human impact the carbon cycle. Special Notes: There is an outdoor component to this program, but it can facilitated indoors in inclement weather. Grade Level: 9th/12th Site Requirements: Outdoor space with at least 3 trees, preferably more. Time Requirements: 50-60 minute program Students will participate in a hands-on lesson to learn how to accurately collect authentic scientific data about the forest carbon content of Columbus’ urban forests. Students will gain a deeper understanding of carbon sequestration and will have the skills to calculate the carbon content of a given stand of trees on your school campus. The collected data will act as a platform from which each student can evaluate his carbon footprint. Special Notes: There is an outdoor component to this program, but it can facilitated indoors in inclement weather. School Garden Initiative During each visit the students will explore a particular aspect of nutrition and how it connects to the garden. The students will have an opportunity to taste new and familiar edible plants during each visit. The Grow on the Go program will connect health and wellness to science concepts in a fun and hands on atmosphere. Visit 1: February 7-11 Garden Connection: Soil Components Nutrition Connection: Minerals Tasting Challenge: Food rich in calcium, magnesium & iron Visit 2: February 28- March 4 Garden Connection: Seeds & Germination Nutrition Connection: Protein Tasting Challenge: Seeds and sprouted beans Seed starting activity: Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce and/or parsley Visit 3: March 21-25 (March 28-April 1 as Spring Break alternative) Garden Connection: Plant Parts Nutrition Connection: Vitamins Tasting Challenge: A variety of fruits and vegetables Seed starting Activity: Tomato, pepper, eggplant and/or marigold Program Highlights Your classroom will be fitted with a grow station; an indoor seed starting station in which students will take responsibility for the growth of plants for a school garden. The grow station will include a stand that houses seed starting trays and domes, a light fixture, florescent light tubes, seedling heat mat, and a soil thermostat. The grow station will remain in your classroom throughout the duration of the school year. The Grow on the Go curriculum combines nutrition and life sciences in an experiential program that will get your students excited about the how’s and why’s of gardening. The learning doesn’t end when the Franklin Park Conservatory educator leaves your classroom! Supplemental activities will be provided to extend the learning. The activities will include lessons, games and experiments that can be used before, after and in between visits to enhance the Grow on the Go experience. As a requirement to participating in the Grow on the Go: School Garden Initiative, garden leaders within your school will be required to attend relevant workshops provided through Franklin Park Conservatory. These workshops will empower your school in creating and sustaining a successful school garden. Contact Julia Hansel, Education Manager, for more information! (614) 645-5945