YEAR 8 WISLEY GARDENS TRIP

During Science Week fourteen year 8 students took part in 4 workshops at RHS Wisley Gardens, all linked to the photosynthesis topic that is studied in year 8. First of all they became plant detectives – they had to observe what was wrong with the plants and then determine the cause using keys and hand lenses. The greenhouse was our next port of call where they used microscopes to look at the different insects and plants that might be found at Wisley, as well as playing a food web game.  After a picnic lunch in the new educational garden, the pupils got a guided tour of this area, learning about the different plants and herbs that can be grown and their uses. Next came the chance to improve practical skills by using equipment to find out the temperature of leaf surfaces and the water content of soil. The final workshop was located on the other side of the gardens at RHS Wisley and in order to get there we strolled through the gardens looking at all the different areas including the beautiful mini-waterfall area and through the alpine green houses, where lots of photos were taken of the wide variety of plants that come into this category. When we reached the herbarium the pupils learnt about classification before seeing how to mount a pressed plant species. They then got to mount their own sample as well as finding out the family, genus and species of their particular plant.

The whole day was informative, with all the staff and volunteers being both helpful and friendly. With the high practical content, the year 8s had a fantastic chance to  learn more about plants and the jobs that are on offer if you take an interest in plants and insects. Thank you to everyone at RHS Wisley for such a fun day.