These tours were designed to supplement school science curricula, they last approximately 1 1/4 hours and have a minimum group size of 10 students. Custom tours are also available.

Contact the Idaho Botanical Garden at (208) 343-8649 to make reservations or to discuss the program.

DATES/TIMES
Monday-Friday, April-October
Spring/Fall tour times: 9:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m.
Summer tour times: Call for availability, Elizabeth Dickey, Education Director, (208) 343-8649.

COST
$2.00/student, Adults (one with every five students): Free, $2.00/each additional adult
Groups smaller than 10 students will be charged $20.


READY, SET, GROW!
Pre-school, 1st Grade
This introduction to the Idaho Botanical Garden encourages young students to use their senses to explore nature. During this lesson they will compare plants to themselves, learn about plant parts, meet an earthworm, and go on an exploratory walk through the Garden. 


WONDERS OF THE WATER CYCLE
Kindergarten & 1st Grade
The water cycle plays a major role in determining day to day weather.  Through song, role-playing, a psychedilic experiment, and a nature walk, children gain a concrete understanding of what the water cycle is all about.

FLOWER POWER
2nd, 3rd Grade - May Only
Students participate in activities emphasizing the structure and function of flowers. Each student will help the Idaho Botanical Garden bloom by planting a flower.

SEED SENSE
2nd, 3rd Grade - Fall Only
Participants germinate and grow a fresh understanding of the importance of seeds, their structure, function, and dispersal methods through a variety of instructional outdoor activities.

LEWIS AND CLARK
4th Grade
During a tour of the Lewis and Clark Native Plant Garden, students will discuss the purpose of the expedition and acquire an increased awareness of and appreciation for the role plants played in the lives of Idaho’s Native Americans and the Lewis and Clark Expedition members. They will practice conducting scientific plant research and will take back to school a plant sample to turn into an herbarium specimen.

NATURE'S GARDEN
4th, 5th, 6th Grade
This tour is designed to awaken a naturalist’s curiosity about Boise Foothill ecology. The students on this ¾ mile hike will interpret the environment and discover the vital role plants play in this sagebrush ecosystem.

BOTANICAL BUGS
5th, 6th Grade - September Only
Students explore the world of insects through catch and release activities. They’ll make an insect capture device to keep. 

MATTER AND ENERGY IN LIVING SYSTEMS
7th Grade - Fall Only
Plants and algae have the amazing ability to take sunlight, C02, and water and turn it into sugars. This ability makes most all other life possible. Insects, mammals, fungi, fish, bacteria, reptiles, and other organisms depend on this energy source. This program addresses photosynthesis, food chains and webs, trophic levels, and the transfer of energy and nutrients. We will discuss those topics, the factors that can affect the amount of organisms in each trophic level and conduct an organism survey in the Garden.