Education

The University of Dundee Botanic Garden is an excellent resource all the year round for teaching and learning plant biology and other subjects. Our educational features include:

• Glasshouses: well established tropical, temperate and desert vegetation.
• Trees and shrubs planted in 9.5 hectares according to geographical location, demonstrating methods of pollination, seed dispersal and adaptation.
• Mini-succession of native plants from mountain top and moorland to woodland and a eutrophic pond, especially good for ecological studies.
• Material closely linked to the curriculum for primary and secondary schools is available.
• Sessions are run to raise the competence of teachers in teaching plant biology.
• Special educational events are often listed among our events.
• A classroom can be booked for teaching and experimental work.

Research

Honours year and PhD students carry out research in the garden as part of their course work. The Curator (Alasdair Hood) and Education Officer (Dr Neil Paterson) can advise on the current programmes.

School Visits

You can plan a visit for your pupils in several ways. Please contact our Education Officer, Dr Neil Paterson (telephone 01382 381192, e-mail n.w.paterson@dunee.ac.uk) to discuss your needs.

• Self-guided trails.
• Activities assisted by the Education Officer.
• Activities designed by you - a pre-visit planning session is recommended.

Courses for Teachers

Please contact the Education Officer, Dr Neil Paterson (telephone 01382 381192, e-mail n.w.paterson@dundee.ac.uk), if you would like to arrange a training session for teachers.

Primary School Curriculum Resources

• Basic structure and growth of seed plants.
• Life cycle of seed plants.
• Feeding relationships of living things.
• Major groups of land plants and use of keys.
• Threatened plants and impact of humans on the environment.
• Plant adaptation.

We have a variety of resources applicable to the 5-14 curriculum but our Welcome to the Rain Forest Trail (PDF format) and Plants for People Trail are particularly popular with teachers.

Secondary School Curriculum Resources

A programme for all Secondary School levels is under-development from Environmental Studies 5-14, Levels E and F onwards. We particularly invite teachers to discuss their specific requirements with the Education Officer, Dr Neil Paterson (telephone 01382 381192, e-mail n.w.paterson@dundee.ac.uk).