Red Butte Garden is happy to offer Botany Bins, Botany Boxes, and Teacher Professional Development opportunities at no cost to teachers and students in K-12 publicly funded schools (public and charter) statewide.
Botany Boxes
Grades K-4
These single use kits are mailed directly to your school and include real plant samples, scientific tools, and journals students get to keep. Each module supports SEEd standards by presenting students with a phenomenon to explore through investigation and experimentation. See below for information on our Botany Box modules for grades K-4.
Grow Lab
These materials support SEEd standard: 1.2.1
Students design and carry out their own investigations to find out what plants need to survive as they grow and care for Wisconsin Fast Plants. These plants complete their life cycle, from seed to seed, in 40 days in your classroom. Fast plants require a 24-hour fluorescent or LED lighting system. If you don't have your own adjustable lighting system, check out how to make one here. To see when Red Butte is holding a workshop please check out our Teacher Professional Development offerings.
Seed Sleuths
These materials support SEEd standards: 2.2.3, 3.2.4, 4.1.1
Students work to unravel the mystery of seeds by investigating and experimenting with a variety of seed samples and their fruits. With the help of their detective journals, phenomenon videos (3rd & 4th), and magnifying glasses, students explore the scientific process and learn about seed structures, dispersal, and survival needs.
Tree Detectives
These materials support SEEd standards: K.2.1, 1.2.1, 3.2.3
Students become detectives as they work to save a grove of trees. Their detective journal and phenomenon videos and pictures help the students break the code hidden in tree rings, using their own magnifying tool and tree cookie (slice of a tree trunk).
Botany Bins
Botany Bins are located at Red Butte Garden, district offices, and service centers statewide. Check which Bins are available at locations near you.
Grades: 2 & 6
The Botany Bin program offers plant science teacher resources that include unique materials and curriculum that support SEEd standards through hands-on explorations. The Botany Bins are available for 3-week loans at no-cost to Utah public and charter school teachers. See below for information on our Botany Bin modules.
Polleneighbors
2nd grade SEEd standards 2.2.1-3
The Polleneighbors Bin is filled with 3D printed pollen, digital microscopes, and preserved flowers and pollinators from Red Butte Garden. You and your 2nd graders will dive into plant structures, functions, and patterns alongside discussions and research on pollinators and habitats. With three lessons covering SEEd Standards 2.2.1-2.2.3, this bin equips you with innovative resources to nurture your young scientists.
Patterns & Partnerships
6th grade SEEd standards 6.4.1-5
The Patterns & Partnerships Bin is filled with phenomenon-based, 3D investigations and lesson plans that explore Utah’s mountain ecosystems. Covering all 5 of the 6th grade life science SEEd standards, this bin includes customizable curriculum, over 100 specimens, drone footage, scientific tools, and more!
Teacher Professional Development
Red Butte Garden offers teacher professional development at no cost for educators in K-12 publicly funded schools (public and charter). Our current professional development opportunities are trainings to help educators use Red Butte Garden's one time use Botany Boxes and reusable Botany Bins (both also available at no cost to public educators). Each of these resources are SEEd aligned and focus on teaching 3D plant science in your classroom. Scheduled workshops for the upcoming 2025 - 2026 school year are listed below. If you are interested in having a workshop in your school or district, please email botanybins@redbutte.utah.edu.
Grow Lab
Grades: Kindergarten - 3rd
In addition to engaging with the curriculum, you will receive a grow frame and growing supplies, and practice assembling the grow frame. Click here to register for the next workshop hosted at Red Butte Gardens.
August 30th, 2025, 10 AM at Red Butte Garden
October 25th, 2025, 10 AM at Red Butte Garden
February 28th, 2026 at Red Butte Garden
Seed Sleuths
Grades: 2nd, 3rd, 4th Grade
4th Grade at Innovative Minds Conference June 10th, 10 AM at Thanksgiving Point, click here for more information.
2nd Grade at UtSTA September 19th, Davis Conference Center, click here for more information.
Tree Detectives
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st, 3rd
1st Grade at UtSTA September 19th, Davis Conference Center, click here for more information.
Polleneighbors
Grade: 2nd
July 9th, 1:30 PM, Utah Rural Schools Association Conference, click here for more information.
September 24th, 4:30 PM, Granite School District Office
Patterns & Partnerships
Grade: 6th