ABSTRACT
ALL OUR LIVES DEPEND on them.Understanding and appreciating the life of plants is fundamental to the survival of our species and to sustainable development of the planet.This is an area of science that is relatively easy to resource, it lends itself to a range of scientific enquiries and it has great potential for developing children’s creative and aesthetic responses to the world around them.This chapter will show how the study of plants in schools can and should be much more than growing cress and learning the reproductive cycle of a typical plant.Ways in which careful observation can be taught will be discussed, including the use of both digital cameras and more traditional aids.The chapter will also show how the diversity of plants can provide a range of opportunities for the exploration and investigation of life processes with contexts that have proven motivating to children: food, gardening and art.
