SCIENCE EDUCATION

Spring 2021 PlantingScience Session Summary

With the addition of a new, pandemicfriendly module—the Tree-Mendous Bene ts of Trees (https://plantingscience. org/bene tso rees)—and the continued popularity of the Wonder of Seeds module, we have a large spring session with 28 groups! e participating schools range from in-person to hybrid to remote learning schedules, and we are thrilled and grateful to these teachers for bringing their students to the platform. We are also seeing new mentors signing up and quickly being assigned to teams. Students and mentors were busy introducing themselves and coming up with research projects.

MENTORS URGENTLY NEEDED FOR NEW TREE-MENDOUS BENEFITS OF TREES MODULE

Seven of the 28 PlantingScience groups are using the new module, thus creating an urgent rush in demand for mentors who are willing to mentor for this module. e 32 mentors who have updated their pro les are swamped! If you or someone you know might like to mentor middle- and high-school students as they work through this fun module, please update your pro le at https://plantingscience. org/login or register to be a mentor on PlantingScience at https://plantingscience. org/register now!

TEACHING REMOTELY WITH PLANTINGSCIENCE

By Dr. Catrina Adams, Dr. Jodi Creasap Gee, Education Director Education Technology Manager

Between the fall and spring sessions, we surveyed PlantingScience teachers and developed a new resource: Remote Learning Tips (https://plantingscience.org/psteachers/ remotelearningtips). is resource can help teachers determine which module might work best and how to make it work in their classes, be they remote, hybrid, or in-person. We hope it provides useful guidance for all of our teachers.

Student team names have been especially creative for the PlantingScience Spring 2021 Session. Can you pick a favorite?

Please join us at the 7th Life Discovery: Doing Science Biology Education Conference

THE 7TH LIFE DISCOVERY CONFERENCE

e 7th Life Discovery: Doing Science Conference will be held next October in Estes Park, CO, from Sept 30-Oct 2, 2021 (public health conditions permitting). e theme is “Pushing Past Barriers: Ecological Science for All.” We are still seeking education share fair proposals if you are interested in presenting ideas in development. We would love to have a larger BSA presence at the conference. is small (approximately 150 attendees) conference includes many opportunities to discuss important topics in biology education and network with others passionate about teaching. Check out the conference website for more information: http://www.esa.org/ldc.

NEW PLANTS ARE COOL TOO! EPISODE NOW AVAILABLE

Check out the latest episode of Plants are Cool, Too!, and please help amplify the reach of this botany outreach resource by sharing with your colleagues and students: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=Y1zNfODhM4o.

“Highlighting one of the coolest and most ambitious projects in the history of rare species conservation, this episode (“Team Schiedea”) takes us to Kaua’i, Hawai’i, where a group of passionate plant people are working to save some of the rarest plants on the archipelago—and tell us why we need a new generation of biodiversity lovers to help battle the extinction crisis.”