Resources for teachers and educators including lesson plans, posters, and hands-on activities on topics such as horticulture, history, and sustainability.

See more ways to learn with Smithsonian Gardens.

Lesson Plans

Pink cymbidium orchid

Structure and Function: What Makes an Orchid an Orchid

Grades K-5

Learn the parts of an orchid by making your own 3D paper model.

Passionflower

The Language of Flowers

Ages 6-10

Learn about the Victorian tradition of floriography through coloring.

Vintage photo of a birdbath and trellis in a formal garden

Archives Alive! American Garden Story

Ages 8-13

Learn about popular garden styles, purposes, and features using historic photos from the Archives of American Gardens.

People in a sunny garden with lined beds and a trellis

Garbage to Gardens

Grades 5-8

Learn about “recycled gardens” through hands-on activities.

Collage of four gardens

Design a Garden: Green Ambassador Challenge

Grades 6-12

Design and build a green space at your school over the course of two to three semesters.

Collage of four people outdoors

Interview a Gardener

Grades 6-12

Learn how to conduct an oral history, then contribute your documents to the Community of Gardens Online Story Collection.

Notebook page with a magnifying glass and butterfly on it

Pollination Investigation Field Journal

Grades 6-12

Get outside and learn about common pollinators and plants.

Straight paved path through a lush pollinator garden

Cultivating Habitat

Grades 9-12

Find connections between the natural world, biodiversity, and art through hands-on activities.