DOE “P” In-Service Course
After-School Professional Development Program “P” In‑Service Course/NYC Department of Education
What Did a Plant Ever Do for You?
3 “P” Credit Course*
This hybrid course provides an introduction to the science and art of botany and horticulture using plants and gardens both at Brooklyn Botanic Garden and in the community. An understanding of the value of plants in natural and human history will complement an inquiry-based approach to learning how plants are built, how they work, and how they interact with the living and nonliving components of the diverse environments they inhabit. Emphasis is placed on experiential, authentic learning that participants can readily bring back to their own classroom settings to engage students with diverse learning styles and cultural backgrounds. Teachers will be asked to reflect on their own backgrounds and how they may affect the classroom learning environment, both in person and online. Teachers will be asked to plan inclusive learning experiences that center marginalized voices and diverse perspectives, offer student choice, and incorporate multiple modes of assessment.
Classes run 4–6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. An additional 15 hours of asynchronous coursework will be assigned throughout the course. Fee includes curriculum materials and resources, plants and potting-up supplies, and access to the Garden.
45 hours | Pre-K–12 Teachers
Fee: $250
Date: 12 sessions; July 5–August 1, 2023
Registration opens in the spring. Please check back.
For questions, please contact BBG’s teacher education coordinator at [email protected].
*3 “P” credits available for an additional $125 fee through NYC DOE’s After School Professional Development Program. You must register both for the class through BBG and for the credit through ASPDP.
Register with ASPDP to receive “P” credits
Exploring Native Plants at Brooklyn Botanic Garden
3 “P” Credit Course*
This hands-on, inquiry-based course focuses on plant ecology and experiential learning in the field. Participants explore the Native Flora Garden, a stunning display home to plant communities that can be found within 100 miles of New York City, from those of the pine barrens of New Jersey and Long Island to the eastern deciduous forest. Participants will discover the foundational role these plant communities play in our local ecosystem. Fee includes curriculum materials, reproducible handouts, plants, and potting-up supplies.
45 hours | Pre-K–12 Teachers
Fee: $250
Date: This course will not be offered during the 2022–2023 school year.
Learning Standards: What Did a Plant Ever Do for You? Grades Pre-K–12
This course will address Danielson Criteria (2a, 3b, 3c), the Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education framework, and the following aspects of the Next Generation Science and ELA Standards:
Next Generation Science Standards
Disciplinary Core Ideas:
LS1A Structure and Function
LS2A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
LS4C: Adaptation
Cross-Cutting Concepts:
Patterns
Cause and Effect
Structure and Function
Stability and Change
Science and Engineering Practices:
Asking Questions and Defining Problems
Developing and Using Models
Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information
New York State Next Generation ELA Anchor Standards
W4: Develop personal, cultural, textual, and thematic connections within and across genres through written responses to texts and personal experiences.
W5: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
R7: Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats.
SL1: Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners; express ideas clearly and persuasively and build on those of others.