The Arboretum for Educators
Content and methods for teaching science outdoors
Next Workshop:
Signs of Spring: Phenology
Saturday, March 5
9am-11:30am
Weld Hill Research Building
Join us in searching for signs of spring at our next Arboretum for Educators program. We will wander the grounds attuned to spring phenology—the timing of cyclical natural phenomena in relation to plant life. Along the way, we will create “Journey Sticks” as a tool to record our wayfinding and discoveries.
Due to current COVID restrictions, participants will need to show photo ID and proof of vaccination to enter the Weld Hill Building. All participants need to wear a mask indoors. No food or drink are allowed in the lecture hall.
Wonder Spots
Introduce your students to Wonder Spots in both English and Spanish! Each Wonder Spot begins with a “Have you ever wondered….?” question that can be investigated at the Arnold Arboretum, in any outdoor space, and even virtually. A series of prompts encourage children to find the answers using their senses and directly interacting with the natural world, recording these discoveries in a nature journal. Additional resources further student and adult learning and can be shared with all families.

This season, check out Wonder Spots that explore signs of spring in winter, different types of bark, needle-shaped leaves, and what dormancy looks like for many trees.
Save the date!
Tournament of Trees
Check the Arboretum's website next week for the launch of our third annual Tournament of Trees! This year, in honor of our sesquicentennial, we’ve curated 16 contenders that help tell our story. That is one plant per decade since 1872, including a species still under production in our greenhouses. Each tree chosen represents a milestone in the Arboretum’s history. Together, they bring to life stories of plant discovery, collection, and collaboration across time and space.

Come back each week to vote and help declare a Tournament of Trees winner. Voting will be active on March 3!
Arboretum for Educators Summer Institute
Mark your calendars for our annual Arboretum for Educators Summer Institute: August 15-18. More information next month!
Please forward to other educators you know. Subscribe here to receive monthly Arboretum for Educators newsletters.