Royal Botanical Gardens Videoconferences

It’s virtually the real thing!! Interact with the educators and scientists at Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton, Ontario and explore topics like biodiversity, conservation, botany, plant ecology and the environment through engaging, curriculum-linked, plant-based videoconferences.

Some of the programs currently available:

Creatures with Wings and Crawly Things (Primary): Is it an insect or not? Learn about the characteristics and needs of insects with the help of Pierre, the Praying Mantis puppet, through songs, poetry and live specimens. Discover their connection to plants.
Seeds on the Go (Junior / Intermediate): How do plants move around and start to grow in new areas? Did you or something else help them?
Plant Adaptations: Mediterranean Biome or Wetlands: (Junior - Senior): How do plants survive in extreme environments such as wetlands or the dry Mediterranean zones? We can look at the plant adaptations of either a wetland ecosystem or the Mediterranean biome or both.
Wetland Ways (Junior/Intermediate): What makes up a wetland? How do plants and wildlife depend on each other? How do we depend on wetlands and what can we do to preserve them?
Pollination Partners (Junior/Intermediate) Are insects and birds able to pollinate the same plant? What determines what a pollinator pollinates? Why is pollination mutually beneficial, and how does it affect your life?
Good Things come in Trees (Junior/Intermediate): Did you eat or use a plant today? No? Let’s find out how many plants we rely upon.
Vegetative Reproduction (Intermediate / Senior): Clones or copies—what’s the fuss? Plants have been reproducing vegetatively since they first evolved. Let’s discover how and explore the advantages.
Healing Plants (Intermediate / Senior): Ever wonder where modern medicines originated from? Did you know that over 80% of the world’s population uses plants as medicine (and you probably do too!)? Let’s look at what plants are used and how they help heal.

All programs are interactive and can be requested at a date and time that is convenient for you. Upon confirmation, you will receive a teacher’s package that contains a presentation outline, pre- and post-conference activities as well as a list of resources. I would be happy to consult with the teacher to deliver a program suited to the classes’ needs. Point to point interactions are preferred, but a multipoint with up to 3 locations is possible.

Not only do we present school programs, but I can also do a short introduction to teachers via videoconference about our programs, the technology used and types of activities that are incorporated (FREE). Consider this for your next staff, department, or professional development meeting.

Requesting a program: Please email your request directly to kdavidsontaylor@rbg.ca. These programs are also listed on http://www.cilc.org/ where you can submit a program request.

Cost: $125

Connection: IP at a minimum of 384 kbps; Connecting sites using ISDN are responsible for their own bridging and own line charges.