Teachers, Schools, and Field Trips

While the U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory is not open, we are currently not booking field trips. We encourage you to visit our Resources page for lesson plans, our Self-Guided and Resources tab below, and our virtual tour opportunities to connect your students with the plant world.

Field Trips

Thank you for thinking of the U.S. Botanic Garden as an extension of your classroom. Whether through art, science, storytelling or wonder, our living classrooms offer amazing opportunities for plant-based learning. To explore our different educational offerings and to book your field trip, click on the boxes below.

Educational Resources and Lesson Plans

Plant-Based Curriculum

This curriculum is designed for grades 3-5 and includes pre-field trip lessons, onsite curriculum, and post-field trip lessons. Learn more and download the curriculum >

Junior Botanist

Our Junior Botanist program is now available to schools on a limited basis. If you are a 3rd-6th grade teacher and would like for your class to use our Junior Botanist Adventure kit while at the U.S. Botanic Garden, please contact Lee Coykendall, Children's Education Specialist.

There is a maximum class size of (36) with (8) backpacks issued. The Botany at Home adventure sheet can be used as a post lesson and upon successful completion of the adventure sheets, teachers may apply to our botanist to become an official U.S. Botanic Garden Junior Botanist class!

There is no fee for participation in this program. The program is not available during our holiday show (Thanksgiving through early January).

How Plants Work curriculum

Our How Plants Work: A Guide to Being Green is a plant-based curriculum that helps teachers and chaperones lead students through investigations to discover the intriguing life, structural design, adaptability and resourcefulness of plants.

Greenhouse Manual

This is an introductory Greenhouse Manual for educators wanting to better use new or existing greenhouses for programming. The manual clearly and concisely lays out a basic understanding of greenhouses, how to integrate them into lessons, and how to effectively use greenhouses in classroom curricula and out-of-school activities. The manual includes lesson plans as well as basic information on layout and operations of a greenhouse, growing plants (especially during the school year), growing from seed, seedling nutrition, identifying and treating disease and pest management in greenhouses, basic budgeting, and succession planting.

Classroom Resources

The U.S. Botanic Garden offers classroom resources for teachers, including a plant family tree and information on starting your own school garden.