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School Programs

Guided School Programs

Bring your class to Reiman Gardens for a one-of-a-kind enrichment experience! Our 60-minute school programs offer hands-on learning and sensory exploration, while addressing Next Generation Science Standards in a beautiful setting. $7/student.

Beginning at the Gardens

Pre-K – K; 45 minutes

These 45-minute programs are designed for preschoolers and kindergarteners. Each student will get a special program-related take-home tool as they listen to a story with a lesson and complete a special search in the Gardens. Choose one of these topic areas:

Beginning Art: A World of Color — Read Mouse Paint to learn about color theory.
Beginning Math: How Many Caterpillars? — Read Inch by Inch to learn about nonstandard units of measure.
Beginning Science: Which Ones Will Grow? — Read Do You Know Which Ones Will Grow? to learn about living and nonliving things in the world.

Bio Basics

K – 2

Explore how living things in our collections of plants and butterflies use special parts to survive and grow.

Hands-on: Make and Take Terrarium.
Themes: Plant Parts, Plant Needs, Insect Parts.
Standards: K-LS1-1, K-ESS3-1, 1-LS1-1, 2-LS2-1.

Flower Forensics

3 – 4

Take a deep dive into exploring the showiest plant part – flowers! Explore plant-animal interactions through pollination.

Hands-on: Flower Dissection.
Themes: Plant Reproduction, Lifecycles, Part Structures and Functions.
Standards: 2-LS2-2, 3-LS1-1, 4-LS1-1.

Systems and Cycles

5 – 6

Explore how the natural world achieves the delicate balance of cycles necessary for plants and animals to grow, thrive, and adapt.

Hands-on: Biodiversity Jenga.
Themes: Ecosystems, Invasive Species, Energy Cycles, Food Webs.
Standards: 5-PS3-1, 5-LS1-1, 5-LS2-1, MS-LS2-3, MS-LS3-2.

Family Tour

Enjoy this traditional indoor tour of the Conservatory Complex, with stops at the Hughes Conservatory, Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing, Emergence Cases, and Lepidoptera Display. This options targets mixed groups of adults and children of all ages. Advance registration required. $7/child. $9/adult.

Self-Guided Experience

School groups may explore Reiman Gardens without a guide. From the tropical environment of the Hughes Conservatory to the aquatic Lake Helen to the sense-stimulating Herb Garden, Reiman Gardens offers a perfect outdoor learning lab for any age or topic. Advance reservations required.

Bring your class or youth group to Reiman Gardens to explore the Gardens on their own. Age appropriate lessons that incorporate the Gardens as an outdoor classroom are available. All tours align with national school standards and benchmarks. Available self-guided tour packets include:

Garden Shapes and Colors (Pre-K to 1st Grade)
Plants and the Plant Life Cycle (K to 2nd Grade)
Plants and the World Around Them (3rd Grade to 5th Grade)

Teachers can download a garden map and Self-Guided Tour for Teachers for free, as well as any of the above grade-specific lessons. Self-Guided Tours are $4 per student, which includes admission. Adults (parents/guardians) pay the regular admission fee. Self-guided tours must be arranged at least two weeks in advance. For more information or to schedule a tour, please call our Education Manager at (515) 294-1318 or email smerritt@iastate.edu. Please review our Self-Guided Youth Tour Teacher Information packet for more information.

Our 2019 interactive exhibit, Nature of the Game, is intended for self-directed play. We encourage large groups to schedule with us in advance, and explore the large-scale toys and games at their own pace. Directions for game play are posted at each piece, with an ecological spin to teach about and celebrate the connections in nature. $4/student if reserved in advance. School staff free.

Homeschool Days

Reiman Gardens invites home-schooled students to explore real-world science in the Gardens! Geared for K-5. Advance reservations encouraged. $7/student. $9/adult.

Plant Science

March 1, 2019 9:30 am – 12:00 pm

Reiman Gardens is a living laboratory for learning all about plants. Explore extremes plants will reach to survive in their environments through adaptations. Discover what a plant really needs to live, and create a project you can take home.

Insects

May 31, 2019 9:30 am – 12:00 pm

Reiman Gardens’ collection of insects includes hundreds of species. Investigate lifecycle stages, examine insect body parts up close, interact with live specimens, and learn about the role insects play in the lives of human across the globe.

Learning through Play

September 13, 2019 9:30 am – 12:00 pm

In 2019, Reiman Gardens’ programs and displays connect to a larger theme of Toys & Games. Join us for a few hours of learning and fun as this homeschool program addresses science, math, art, language arts, and more though play.

Scheduling a School Program

1. Complete a Tour Request Form online.
  1. Keep in mind the guide to group size and scheduling
  2. Fill out the school programs registration form www.reimangardens.com/school-programs-registration/
2. Gardens Education Manager will contact you to schedule your program.
  1. Scheduling is subject to Gardens availability on a first-come, first-served basis.
3. You will receive an email confirmation containing the following information
  1. Confirmed program date and time
  2. Tips and info to ensure the your preparedness and the best experience for your group
4. Chaperones are limited.
  1. Up to a maximum of 8 adults may accompany each program at no charge.
  2. Organizations will be billed for any additional adults.
5. Come to the Gardens for your program!
  1. Arrive 15-20 minutes before your scheduled program time to facilitate gathering and bathroom breaks.
  2. Come prepared to divide classes into groups up to 20. Group size and number are subject to change.
6. Complete program evaluation survey.
  1. In launching our new programs, we value your feedback to identify areas of improvement.
  2. Education staff will email a survey to you within 2 business days of your school program experience.

Payment Guidelines

A program invoice will be emailed to you within 2 business days AFTER your school program experience.
Payment by check or credit cards (MC, VISA, or Discover) is due within 30 days of invoice receipt. We accept purchase orders as well.
No-shows are subject to a $50 administrative charge.
Discounts affiliated with Garden Memberships do not apply toward school programs or chaperone admission.

Tour Guidelines and Expectations

Adults may accompany tours at a max of 1 adult per 10 students (a maximum of 8 total adults per program). For example, a class of 25 students may have 3 total adults, such as 1 teacher and 2 chaperones. Exceptions may be permitted based on age or special need. View the school program guide to group size and scheduling.
We ask that adults with additional small children (younger siblings, etc.) or adults in excess of the 1:10 ratio enjoy the Gardens separate from the program at regular admission rates and rejoin the group upon program completion.
Please silence all phones and electronic devices during programs.
Lunches are welcome! Come prepared to enjoy a picnic outside on the ground. Any seating indoors or out is first come, first served or may be otherwise reserved for Garden use.
Please come prepared for active engagement and weather. We ask that all adults accompanying groups assist with group management. They may also be asked to assist with program activities, such a distributing materials and tidying messes. Closed-toed shoes are recommended for all participants. Programs take place rain or shine. In the case of severe weather, schools may reschedule.
Discounts affiliated with Garden Memberships do not apply toward school programs or chaperone admission.

View the School Programs Guide in PDF.