School Workshop: Going to Extremes (years 7 to 9)

Workshop overview

What happens in the workshop

We begin in the classroom by considering the location of the world’s Tropical Rainforests and the conditions there. Through the use of a video clip, we highlight just how extreme this environment is and ask the students to identify the key challenges for the plants. The students handle a collection of props that provide them with clues about plant adaptations found in the rainforest.

In the Rainforest Biome the students sketch and note examples of plant adaptations for the rainforest ecosystem and begin searching for examples of symbiotic relationships between plants and animals.

On our return to the Core, students share ideas about how particular adaptations give plants a competitive advantage and give examples of how life in the rainforest is interconnected. We briefly review the theory of evolution before considering how changes in the environment, due to climate change, may lead to species being more or less well adapted. Finally, we consider the role of rainforests in climate change mitigation.

Redruth School

“ An excellent learning experience for the students. ”

Practical information

This workshop enables students to:

Identify examples of plant adaptations to the Tropical Rainforest ecosystem and explain why they are important for survival.
Describe examples of how life in the Tropical Rainforest is interdependent.
Predict how changes in the environment, due to climate change, may lead to species being more or less well adapted to compete successfully.

We've designed the workshop to help teachers cover the following subject areas:

In Science, pupils should be taught how organisms affect and are affected by their environment and about the interdependence of organisms in an ecosystem. They should be taught how genetic information is transmitted from one generation to the next (heredity) and that variation between species and within a species means that some organisms compete more successfully which can drive natural selection. They should be taught how changes in the environment may leave some individuals within a species, and some entire species, less well adapted to compete successfully and reproduce, which in turn may lead to extinction.

The workshop costs £8.50 per pupil, with a minimum charge of £170 per group (includes VAT). Maximum group size is 35. The cost includes:

a facilitated workshop with our Education Team
free access to the Eden site for the day
all equipment needed for the workshop
free teaching resources enabling your class to prepare for the workshop and to follow up on the activity (download a sample copy)
a personal welcome from the Education Team at the entrance
a base for your bags in our purpose-built education centre, The Core
a space to eat your own lunch

The price includes free entry for accompanying adult helpers, whose participation is essential to the success of the day (please note our suggested adult/pupil ratios are as follows: Early Years Foundation Stage, 1:3; Key Stage 1, 1:6; Key Stage 2 and 3, 1:10; Key Stage 4, 1:15; Key Stage 5, 1:20). You’re welcome to bring more helpers if you’d like. Additional helpers are charged at our group booking rate.

We also offer a free preparatory visit to Eden for teachers wanting to plan their school trip, which should be booked in advance.

Plant adaptations learning resource

Accredited workshops

This workshop is accredited under the British Science Association’s CREST Awards scheme and goes towards a Discovery Award.

In order to gain the award it is also necessary for the students to have completed some of the suggested pre and post visit activities provided upon booking.