Secondary school programs
The following programs are designed to incorporate the Victorian Essential Learning Standards (Aus VELS). They provide an effective and integrated approach for teaching across the Domains.
Each program is led by a Royal Botanic Gardens Secondary teacher and can be adapted to suit individual group needs.Teacher professional development workshops are also available on request.
Cranbourne programs
- Carbon Futures - New Program
- Future Cities - New Program
- Art of the Australian Garden – New program
- Eco-spirituality
- Biodiversity
- Climate Change
- Conservation Matters
- Sustainable Gardening (Water in a Dry Country)
- Australian Environments
- Fire and the Australian Environment
- Wetlands and Water Quality
- A Shared Country - Indigenous Program
- Wilams not Wigwams - Indigenous Program
- Bushfoods - Indigenous Program
VCE Programs:
- Investigating Ecosystems Biology ~ Unit 2
- Fresh Water Ecosystems Biology ~ Unit 2
- Outdoor and Environmental Studies ~ Unit 3 and 4
- Future Use of a Resource Geography ~ Unit 3
Melbourne programs
- Working Wetlands - new program
- The Rainforest
- Biodiversity on the Yarra
- Water Management - Explore Guilfoyle’s Volcano
- Science of Soil - Explore Guilfoyle’s Volcano
- Plant Power - Explore Guilfoyle’s Volcano
- Climate Change
- Aboriginal Resources Trail
- Water 4 Life
- Plant Toxicology
- Sustainable Gardening
- Plantworks
- Changing Landscapes
- Rare and Threatened Species
- Darwin's Garden
- LOTE: Italian, Indonesian and French
VCE Programs:
- Working Wetlands – VCE Environmental Studies Unit 4 - a Sustainable Water Management System - new program
- Working Wetlands – VCE Geography Unit 2- Use and Management of a local resource - new program
- Plant Adaptations Biology ~ Unit 2
- Plant Evolution and Diversity Biology ~ Unit 1
- Behind the Scenes Biology ~ Unit 1
- Changing Landscapes Humanities, Outdoor and Enviro. ~ Unit 3
Session times
All programs 1 hour and 45 minutes in duration.
10.15am – 12.00 noon
12.30pm – 2.15pm
Program prices (domestic)
$10.50 per student (includ. GST)
$189.00 per class, for small groups (Minimum Charge)
Teachers / Adults free
Bookings and information
Melbourne: (03) 9252 2358
Cranbourne: (03) 5990 2245
Email: education services
Secondary Education Programs flyer
Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne (MS Word - 66 kB)
Carbon Futures - New Program
Climate change is a global challenge impacting all countries but in different ways. This program explores some of the social justice issues raised by climate change and some of the opportunities to make the world a more interesting and a better place. Find out what students in East Timor are doing to improve their lives and how you might help. Discover the carbon cycle and how plants can help moderate climate change. Experiences include demonstrating carbons capacity, measuring carbon in trees and fieldwork assessment of carbon in forests. Follow and contribute to student actions in our neighbouring country East Timor.
Problem based learning units
WithOneSeed video
Future Cities - New Program
Water and open green space are 2 of the most critical issues in planning future cities. Australia is the driest inhabited continent and we are nearing the limit of supply through established infrastructure. Can changes to the management of stormwater and other waste water help solve some of these problems?
Activities include fieldwork assessment of the chemical and physical properties of water, bio-indicators, habitat and other amenity providers.
Art of the Australian Garden – New program
Join us in a visual discovery of the Australian Garden and be inspired to new creative heights by contemporary interpretations of the Australian landscape. Using textural and organic materials as well as photography, discover and depict your own connection to this exciting environment.
Activities include ochre mapping of country using traditional materials, photography throughout the garden, and creating a sculptural ground mosaic.
Eco-spirituality
This program encourages students to make a deep connection with nature by exploring Indigenous spirituality, our reliance on the environment for survival, the interconnectedness of all living things and the beauty and diversity in nature which will lead to stewardship of the environment. Experiences include creating a ground mosaic, sensory perception, potting up a habitat/bush food plant, a guided meditation and discussion of an environmental story.
Biodiversity
Investigate just how many plants and animals make up a healthy plant community and find out what you can do to add to the mix. Conduct your own biodiversity survey, capture and name your discoveries. Pot up a plant to diversify your garden and find out some secret ways to house new neighbours on a discovery walk.
Climate Change
Climate change is now accepted as a reality that we have to address globally. Find out what it means for us and what we can do about it individually, in a very positive sense. Take home a drought tolerant, carbon fixing plant, find out how to creatively manage and store water while reflecting on the bigger picture solutions.
Conservation Matters
How can we become active conservationists at a local level and be a part of positive global change? This program provides an authentic hands-on learning experience focusing on Victorian environmental issues and providing strategies for action at home.
Experiences include discovery walk, treasure box, potting up native plant and worm farming.
Sustainable Gardening (Water in a Dry Country)
Gardening is a productive and creative form of expression. Learn how to be creative while you help conserve our precious biodiversity and our water resources. This is a tactile and socially instructive session. Experiences include group workshopping a landscape design, mulch sculpture construction, potting up a plant and worm farming.
Australian Environments
Explore the award winning contemporary cultural interpretation of the Australian flora and landscapes and our remnant native bushland. Discover and identify iconic Australian plant and animal communities as they occur in the Australian Garden.
Experiences include a discovery walks in the Australian Garden and the remnant bushland, treasure box and ponding.
Fire and the Australian Environment
Observe first hand, how fire stimulates Australian plants to set seed and grow. The RBGC uses fire as a management tool to encourage biodiversity and provide habitat for native mammals. Measure the total fire fuel load, observe the weather conditions and learn about plant adaptations to fire.
Experiences include a discovery-walk, exploration of plant adaptations, succession after fire and calculating the overall fuel hazard for a set site.
Wetlands Water Quality
Wetlands are fascinating places to explore. They harbour an incredible collection of flora and fauna and yet they are fragile and threatened environments. Explore our wetlands by ponding for water fauna and testing the water quality. Experiences include a discovery-walk, measuring turbidity, pH, temperature, conductivity, nitrogen levels, dissolved oxygen, orthophosphate levels and identifying aquatic animals and their indicator status.
A Shared Country - Indigenous Program
Discover the importance of the environment to the Kulin people and how plants were used for food, fibre, medicine and tools. Experiences include a discovery walk, examining artefacts, ochre art and plant food tasting.
Wilams not Wigwams - Indigenous Program
This program is a team building, group-working exercise that teaches co-operative learning skills. It does so in an Australian cultural and bush setting, making use of bush materials collected from on and off site.
Experiences include cultural introduction/discussion, discovery walk and wilam construction.
Bushfoods - Indigenous Program
Discover some of the indigenous food plants of the region and Australia generally. Find them growing in the bush and the garden and learn how they are prepared. Experiences include discovery walk, grinding and tasting wattle seed, Lemon Myrtle Tea and other plant leaf products.
Investigating Terrestrial Ecosystems, Biology ~ Unit 2
Identify plant communities and conduct a transect survey. Use a dichotomous key to classify plants in the wetland or heathland ecosystems. Observe plant adaptations, special relationships between organisms, population dynamics, identify human influences and changes over time eg fire.
Fresh Water Ecosystems, Biology ~ Unit 2
Investigate a wetland environment and identify aquatic animals. Learn how species collected can be used to indicate pollution. Perform a habitat survey and test the water for physical and chemical parameters. (See Wetlands above).
Outdoor and Environmental Studies ~ Unit 3 and 4
In our remnant bushland setting, discover the perceptions and uses of the environment made by traditional indigenous Australians, early settlers and contemporary society.
Future Use of a Resource, Geography ~ Unit 3
Investigate how the RBGC is managed as a recreational and scientific resource for future generations. Analyze data to propose a policy regarding the current and future use of the site, including the impact of the new Australian Garden.
Working Wetlands - new program
This program examines the vital resource of water and how the Royal Botanic Gardens uses water saving and water quality improvement strategies. The program also explores how to create sustainable habitats for indigenous plant and animal communities in a suburban environment. Students will participate in a variety of activities including ponding for fresh water invertebrates, observations of wildlife habitats and developing ideas for future sustainable resource use.
The Rainforest ~ Year 7 - 9
Experience a rainforest in the centre of Melbourne! Within the Gardens there is a huge diversity of rainforest plants from Australia and around the world. Students will explore rainforest structure and ecology and the importance of rainforest conservation.
Biodiversity of the Yarra ~ Year 7 - 9
Where in Melbourne would you go to see spoonbills and night herons feeding at the billabong, eels and long necked tortoises swimming in a wetland or even powerful owls and a reed warbler. As you walk through this revegetation area you will be able to observe some of the interrelationships between the indigenous flora and fauna using binoculars to explore life cycles and food chains. Students will examine aquatic invertebrates through microscopes and pond sampling.
Water Management - Explore Guilfoyle’s Volcano
Water Management aims to give students a full understanding of the history of water use in the Gardens and ways that water-saving techniques can be used in the wider community. This program engages and challenges students through a range of hands-on activities, including: making a dripper watering system, creating contour lines on a landscape and seeing water-saving principles in operation.
Science of Soil - Explore Guilfoyle’s Volcano
This program looks at various aspects of soil and aims to develop an understanding of the important role of soil in life on Earth. Students will participate in hands-on activities which will involve handling different types of soil, discovering wetting patterns of different soil types, testing pH of various soils and measuring soil temperature in a range of locations.
Plant Power - Explore Guilfoyle’s Volcano
Plants are a vital part of everyday life, this program looks at many aspects of plant growth. Students will participate in hands-on activities which will involve measuring tree height, using compasses to make a tree canopy map, photographing various types of leaves, counting tree rings to check growth and planting a cutting.
Climate Change
Climate change is now accepted as a reality that we have to address globally. Find out what it means for us and what we can do about it individually, in a very positive sense. Take home a drought tolerant, carbon fixing plant, find out how to creatively manage and store water while reflecting on the bigger picture solutions.
Aboriginal Resources Trail ~ Year 7 - VCE
The Aboriginal Resource Trail is designed to give students a greater understanding and respect for the local Kulin culture. Students visit Long Island, where indigenous plant habitat has been returned and understand the significance of Waa (the raven) and Birrarung (Yarra River). Experiences include making and using ochre paint and string-making. The emphasis is on diversity and examining sustainable land practices used by Aboriginal people.
- Aboriginal Resource Trail VELS (MS Word - 72 kB)
- Teachers Kit (Ms Word - 6 MB)
- Program Snapshot (Ms Word - 107 kB)
Water 4 Life ~ Year 7 -10
Understanding water is vital in the face of a drying continent. This water conservation program explores the role of water in the ecology of natural environments such as billabongs and wetlands. Student activities include water testing/sampling and exploring sustainable gardening practices by propagating a plant and by understanding how the Gardens is conserving water. Students examine plant adaptations for arid and low rainfall environments.
Plant Toxicology ~ Year 9 - 10
Come on a journey to discover the hidden power of plants and how they fight for survival in the face of constant attack from animals. Learn about the poisons that plants make in order to defend themselves and the effects these have on humans and other animals. Learn the shocking truth that many common garden plants and parts of common food plants are poisonous. Recognise the features of poisonous plants, learn about medicinal plants and plants which were thought to have "magical powers".
Sustainable Gardening ~ Year 7 - 10
The basic skills of sustainable gardening practice are taught during this hands-on program, exploring water conservation, organic gardening methods, composting and worm farming. Students will consider ideas for designing or developing their own gardens by exploring the landscapes of the Royal Botanic Gardens.
Plantworks ~ Year 7 - 10
Explore the structure and function of plants and investigate amazing adaptations from a variety of ecosystems. Students participate in observational activities in the Gardens using stereo microscopes, pot up a native plant seedling and investigate the plant collections in the Tropical Hot House and the Herb Garden.
Changing Landscapes ~ Year 7 - 10
This program examines the changing landscape of Melbourne including change in attitudes and impact of land use. Special focus is on the importance of the Yarra River and the role of vegetation within the landscape, as well as its significance to the Kulin Nation. Students will compare historic images of the site and propagate an indigenous plant to take home.
Rare and Threatened Species
A Rare and Threatened Species education program partnership was developed with five secondary schools in 2009, to highlight a new series of plant display beds showcasing our collection of rare and threatened Australian native plant species. The Rare and Threatened Species Collection includes plants from five significant ecosystems in Victoria; Grampians, Mallee, Alpine, Grasslands, and Gippsland Forest regions.
A modified, one-visit version of the Rare and Threatened education program is now available to interested secondary schools on request.
Darwin's Garden
Celebrate the legacy and thinking of Charles Darwin, an extraordinary man. Find out more about the big ideas that changed the world like, 'natural selection'. Darwin was a passionate observer fascinated by plants and the world around him. Explore amazing plant behaviour through observation, critical thinking and scientific inquiry. Techniques explored mirror Darwin's own work such as: creating a nature journal, making plant specimens, using microscopes and observing plants in action. Discover the scientist in us all.
LOTE: Italian, Indonesian and French ~ Year 7 - VCE
These programs help teachers immerse their students in the Gardens as an inspiring resource for language studies. Activities highlight plant use in these cultures and provide opportunity for language enrichment.
Working Wetlands – VCE Environmental Studies Unit 4 - a Sustainable Water Management System - New program
Examine the flow of stormwater and discover how it is diverted through the lakes system via gross pollutant traps and then filtered and cleaned through Floating Treatment Wetlands using bio –remediation techniques.
Working Wetlands – VCE Geography Unit 2 - Use and Management of a local resource- New program
Explore the management techniques used in harnessing recycled stormwater for irrigation. Students assess the sustainability of the water recycling program and conduct fieldwork to analyse its future success.
These programs are suitable for both VCE Environmental Studies & Geography units as well as secondary Geography & Environmental Studies. Programs can be tailored to suit school's individual needs.
Plant Adaptations VCE Biology Unit 2 – Organisms and Their Environment
Explore the diverse plant collections of the Gardens to discover many of the remarkable adaptations that plants have which allow them to survive in a range of different environments. Students explore the plant collections of the Australian Rainforest Border, the Tropical Glasshouse and the Arid Garden. Students participate in observational activities in the Gardens using stereo microscopes.
Plant Evolution and Diversity VCE Biology Unit 1- Unity and Diversity, Unit 4 - Continuity and Change
Take an evolutionary journey of plant diversity from liverworts to lilies. See representatives of many of the plant phyla and their families and discover what kind of evolutionary advantages they have developed. Students participate in observational activities in the Gardens using stereo microscopes.
Behind the Scenes VCE Biology Unit 1 – Unity and Diversity
Visit the National Herbarium of Victoria and the Gardens' Nursery Collections and discover some fascinating botanical specimens. Learn about the work that goes on in the Herbarium such as plant identification and its significance over the last 150 years. See how specimens are collected, prepared, documented and mounted.
Unfortunately, no photographs can be taken in the Herbarium or Nursery area without prior arrangement, due to privacy and copyright issues.
Changing Landscapes VCE Suitable for Humanities, Outdoor and Environment Studies ~ Unit 3
This program examines the changing landscape of Melbourne including change in attitudes and impact of land use. Special focus is on the importance of the Yarra River and the role of vegetation within the landscape, as well as its significance to the Kulin Nation. Students will compare historic images of the site and propagate an indigenous plant to take home.
Last updated 13 Apr 2013
