KS4 Plant conservation - Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank
Pupils visit the Millennium Seed Bank to discover its vital role in the worldwide conservation of plant biodiversity.
Level
Duration
Allocated space
Pupils visit Kew's Millennium Seed Bank, the largest wild plant seed bank in the world.
They learn about the importance of biodiversity and how the seed bank is working to conserve plant species to build a sustainable future for all.
Pupils have an introductory talk on the work of the seed bank, explore the displays in the public gallery and see scientists at work in the laboratories. Time to see some of the conservation projects in the gardens that support and complement the seed bank’s work can be agreed at the planning stage.
Learning outcomes
We design our sessions to match the learning outcomes in the national curriculum. Our sessions have a cross-curricular approach and are tailored to suit the educational needs of your group.
We aim to give pupils opportunities to work scientifically in areas that are difficult or impossible to create in the school or college environment.
This session offers pupils the opportunity to:
- Understand the importance of biodiversity for a sustainable future for humans.
- Consider the positive and negative effects humans have on ecosystems.
- Explore the seed bank gallery and see scientists at work in the laboratories.
- Identify the adaptations of plants for different environmental conditions.
- Consider further studies and a possible career in science.
Curriculum links
This KS4 visit supports and enhances the curriculum offered in schools and colleges.
Biology
- The importance of biodiversity.
- Positive and negative human interactions with ecosystems.
Links to GCSE Biology specifications
- OCR Gateway Science Biology A B5.2 Natural selection and evolution.
- OCR Twenty First Century Science Suite - Biology B Chapter B6: Life on Earth – past, present and future.
- Edexcel Topic 9 – Ecosystems and material cycles.
- AQA 4.7 Ecology
