{"id":6129,"date":"2010-05-27T09:00:07","date_gmt":"2010-05-27T13:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nybg.org\/wordpress\/?p=6129"},"modified":"2010-05-27T09:24:38","modified_gmt":"2010-05-27T13:24:38","slug":"new-online-resource-invites-students-to-become-plant-hunters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nybg.org\/blogs\/plant-talk\/2010\/05\/learning\/new-online-resource-invites-students-to-become-plant-hunters\/","title":{"rendered":"New Online Resource Invites Students to Become Plant Hunters"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kids Learn Science Through Virtual Exploration of Haupt Conservatory<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/td>\nElizabeth Fisher is Associate Manager for Education Marketing and Public Relations.<\/em><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\"\"<\/a>The New York Botanical Garden has launched a new online resource that brings the wonder of its extensive plant collections into homes and classrooms around the world. Plant Hunters<\/a> is an innovative tool that provides a virtual exploration of Earth\u2019s vast biodiversity inside the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory and serves as a dynamic way for students and families everywhere to discover the beauty and importance of the world\u2019s plants. <\/p>\n

Plant Hunters combines digital illustrations and interactive games with expert-developed plant science content as an engaging way to teach users about topics such as pollination, plant evolution, and how plants may be used for medicine, food, and shelter. Users can navigate the Tropical Rain Forest and Desert Galleries of the Haupt Conservatory, explore 64 different plants in more detail, watch videos of Botanical Garden scientists, play seven different Plant Challenges, and much more! Learning as they play, kids can progress from a \u201cBeginning Biologist\u201d to a \u201cCool Conservationist\u201d and finally to a \u201cProfessional Plant Hunter.\u201d<\/p>\n

The site\u2019s amazing graphics provide a delightful and vivid virtual experience of the Haupt Conservatory\u2014the largest Victorian-style glasshouse in America. Now visitors to the Garden can supplement their experience by clicking on and learning about their favorite plants from home; families and school groups have virtual access to the Conservatory; and educators have an exciting new tool to foster science literacy among their K\u20138 students. <\/p>\n

Chantal Nelson, a science teacher at C.S. 211\u2013The Bilingual School, in the Bronx, said, \u201cI like that [my students] are able to take what I\u2019ve been teaching them in class and find it on the [Plant Hunters<\/em>] site and explore more. There\u2019s a lot more information on that site than I\u2019m able to give them in 45 minutes.\u201d <\/p>\n

Students at the school also enjoyed Plant Hunters<\/em>. Here\u2019s what some of them had to say:<\/p>\n