School Workshop: The Great Plant Explorers

Workshop overview

The Great Plant Explorers gives an opportunity to travel to far reaching corners of the globe and unique environments and wonderful cultures. The task is to travel as far as possible in the time allowed, visiting as many countries as possible, and all the while tracing links and connections to the people and places of this planet.

Your pupils are set a challenge to explore the world in a day, gathering information about the plants found in everyday food products. They are introduced to the Development Compass Rose which will help direct their journey. Using teamwork and mapping skills, pupils work together to solve the clues that will lead them to the correct plants.

On their journey around the Biomes pupils gather facts, figures and images relating to the plants, and record their findings in their Explorers' Passports.

On their return to the classroom, we unpack some of the issues associated with our global food market. Our exploration uses the Development Compass Rose and delves into the environmental (N for Natural), economic (E) and social (S) issues relating to our global inter-dependence. Finally the groups consider W – Who decides - and come up with their own ideas for positive action.

Visiting teacher from Grampound Road School

“ Finding cocoa, bananas and coffee beans in the tropical biome really excited the children. They couldn’t believe that chocolate began life in one of those pods. ”

Practical information

This workshop enables students to:

investigate everyday plants; their uses and geographical origins
discover our connections to people and places around the world through the plant products we use
investigate sustainability issues relating to these connections
use mapwork skills and coordinates to find their route

We've designed the workshop to help teachers cover the following subject areas:

In Geography, pupils should be taught to locate the world’s countries and describe and understand them in terms of keys aspects of physical geography (climate zones, biomes) and human geography (for example trade links, economic activity and sustainable development). In addition pupils will use field work skills such as 4 and 6 figure grid references and record their observations clearly.

The workshop costs £7.95 per pupil with a minimum charge of £159 per group (includes VAT). Maximum group size is 35. The cost includes:

a facilitated workshop with our Education Team
free access to the Eden site for the day
all equipment needed for the workshop
free teaching resources enabling your class to prepare for the workshop and to follow up on the activity
a personal welcome from the Education Team at the entrance
a base for your bags in our purpose-built education centre, The Core
a space to eat your own lunch

The price includes free entry for accompanying adult helpers, whose participation is essential to the success of the day (please note our suggested adult/pupil ratios are as follows: Early Years Foundation Stage, 1:3; Key Stage 1, 1:6; Key Stage 2 and 3, 1:10; Key Stage 4, 1:15; Key Stage 5, 1:20). You’re welcome to bring more helpers if you’d like. Additional helpers are charged at our group booking rate.

We also offer a free preparatory visit to Eden for teachers wanting to plan their school trip, which should be booked in advance.