Choose your favourite activities below to design your own bespoke full day workshop to suit you and your learners

Please Note: This workshop is only available for

• 8 weeks at Key Stage 4 and Level 3 
• 6 weeks at Key Stage 2 and 3

Week One – Structure and Functions of Plants

• Introduction to the structure and functions of plants
• Anatomy of plants
• Dissection of plants
• Photosynthesis
• Investigation on factors effecting the rate of photosynthesis
• Presentation of results

Week Two – Respiration & Water Uptake (KS4 and level 3)

• Introduction to the science of aerobic and anaerobic respiration
• Structure and functions of mitochondria
• Investigation on factors effecting the rate of respiration
• Presentation of results
• Theory of the movement of water including diffusion and osmosis
• Practical to demonstrate Diffusion
• Discussion of results
• Practical to demonstrate osmosis
• Discussion

Week Three – Transpiration & Translocation (KS4 and level 3)

• Theory of translocation and transpiration
• Estimation of transpiration rates using a potometer
• Estimating transpiration rates using a potometer
• Discussion of results
• Factors effecting water uptake and loss
• Group presentation of research
• Discussion

Week Four – Plant Growth & Development

• Introduction to life cycle types such as ephemeral, annual, biennial and perennial
• Process and stages of germination
• Types of germination
• Group research on forms of pollution and fertilisation including seed production, fruit formation, dispersal, asexual and vegetative reproduction
• The theory of cell division
• Microscopic evidence of cell division in root tip
• Formation of roots, shoots, buds and leaves

Week Five – Investigation of Soil Science

• What is soil?
• Investigation of different soil types
• Discussion of observations
• The formation of soil
• Properties of soil particles
• Water holding capacity and human factors that can alter this
• Presentation of results

Week Six – Relationship of Soil & Plants

• Theory of aeration, stability and organic matter of soil
• What is pH?
• pH levels of different soil types
• Investigation of pH levels of different soil types
• Effects of soil structure on plant growth
• Group research on the benefits and problems created by cultivation methods
• Group presentation on the benefits and problems created by cultivation methods

Week Seven – Human Influences of Plant and Soil Science part 1

• Introduction to the human practices in use and management of soils that are sustainable
• The impact of deforestation and land clearance upon plant communities and soil formation processes
• Group research project on a deforestation and land formation to be presented in the form of either social media information, magazine article or video documentary
• Discussion of progress

Week Eight – Human Influences of Plant and Soil Science part 2

• Recap on objectives of week six
• Presentation of group presentation with peer and formal assessment
• Discussion
• Impact of cropping and value of cropping rotation
• Investigation of research completed on value of cropping rotation
• Discussion of research