Each year, PlantingScience gives 6th-12th grade students
a chance to talk -- REALLY talk -- to plant scientists around the world.
At this stage of their lives, students are coming to terms with who they are, where their interests are leading them, and what this means for their future. At the same time, the disciplines of plant science is becoming more important than ever. As a PlantingScience teacher, you'll be offering your students a rare opportunity to plant some important seeds!
Students who participate in a PlantingScience session will not only experience authentic hands-on, up-close science explorations that highlight how amazing and important plants are, they'll also be mentored by real plant scientists along the way! Through authentic conversation via our platform, your students' mentors will provide insight, suggestions, and a glimpse into what the real life of scientists is like!
What you need to participate:
Funding.
Nope! We are grateful to be funded by our amazing partners and the National Science Foundation, so there is no cost to teachers to participate!
A fancy greenhouse or lab
Nope! Most of our explorations require only basic equipment, and in some cases we'll send you materials!
A strong understanding of plant science concepts.
No! We hope you'll cultivate a deeper interest in and understanding of plants along with your students, but our materials will provide the content information you'll need. Our scientists are here to support you.
- Permission from your principal
Yes! Because students will interact with their mentors on our platform, your principal does need to sign off on your participation.
- Permission from parents
Yes, legal guardian permission is required for any participating students who are aged 13 or under. This is important to ensure compliance with COPPA.
- 1-to-1 Technology Availability
Not necessarily. Students do need access to an internet-capable device to connect with their mentors, but a classroom/shared device is usually fine.
How to participate:
- Register for an account on our website.
Registration is free, and will give you access to all of our resources!
- Look over our Investigation Themes and select one that works with your schedule.
We offer nine themes that are designed to incorporate plant science concepts that align with most state standards. They can be used as standalone units or as a complement to your current curriculum plans. Most Theme investigations take two to three weeks to complete (allowing time for plant growth, etc.), but theme-based instruction is flexible and need not be consecutive.
- Select an upcoming session.
Sessions are held every spring and fall semester. Your class can start their projects at any point during the session, as long as they can finish their projects before the session ends.
| Session | Session Starts | Session Ends | Application Opens | Early Bird | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | 2nd Monday in September |
November 30th | May 15th | July 15th | August 15th |
| Spring | 2nd Monday in February |
April 30th | October 15th | December 15th |
January 15th |
- Apply to participate!
Watch your E-mail. Each session we send out a notice when the application for the upcoming session has gone live. The link to the application will be provided in the Notices box on your account dashboard.
Contact Us
Please contact PlantingScience staff by email (psteam@plantingscience.org) or phone (314-669-1489) if you have any questions about the program or how to join! We are happy to help in any way we can!