Botany for All Ages is a collection of sensory-based environmental education activities created by volunteers and educators at Garden in the Woods in Framingham, MA. This book was written for parents, classroom teachers and informal science educators.
Written as a collaborative effort between Jorie Hunken and the New England Wild Flower Society,
Botany for All Ages begins with 26 short chapters offering instruction about how to lead environmental education activities. In their introduction to teaching with plants, Hunken and the Society address topics such as how to structure outdoor activities, how to enhance observational skills and how to develop a vocabulary that can be used to identify plants. Included in this section are study sheets to activities that call upon students to observe, listen, experiment, explain, draw, write or teach about the plant topic at hand.
Most of the remaining 101 short chapters are comprised of activities through which botanists of all ages can learn about plant morphology, plant physiology, pollination, seed dispersal, plant growth, plant succession, plant/insect interactions and soil science. There is even an activity involving transects encouraging thoughtful observation and the use of drawing to record changes in plant species.
This book has so many activities and tips that it is impossible to explain them all here. Also included is a glossary of terms and a bibliography of resources about environmental education, flowers, seeds, plant function, and ethnobotany.
This title is still available as a used book. Search for copies of Botany for All Ages at your favorite online used book provider.
Literature Cited
Hunken, Jorie. 1993. Botany for All Ages: Discovering Nature through Activities for Children and Adults. Second edition. Old Saybrook, CT: The Globe Pequot Press.
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