Videoconferencing technology opens the way for schools once limited by distance to experience BRIT via virtual field trips. With the support of the Region XI Education Service Center, BRIT is now able to broaden the scope of its programs and deliver quality services across the airwaves to students in rural schools across Texas and beyond.
The system emphasizes interactive broadcasting where children can see and communicate with BRIT staff who challenge them to think like scientists as they engage in creative activities. Virtual tours of the herbarium and interactions with real science and scientists broaden their horizons from the Peruvian rainforests to the natural wonders across the world, and back home again to consider nature in their own backyard.
All of BRIT's distance learning programs come with pre and post activities, templates and instructions, and teacher materials that deepen and enrich the content of the broadcast.
Visit www.connect2texas.net for times and fees
A Plant's Journey from Peru to BRIT
A charming broadcast that includes a video made at BRIT starring botanists on staff that tell the story of how a begonia named Bella becomes a valued specimen in BRIT's herbarium. This version is designed specifically for early childhood and lower elementary grades. A coloring book, student journal, interactive questions and answers, and pre and post activities are included.
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The king can't stop sneezing so he commands his castle be rid of all plants and all things made of plants! The story reinforces the concept of how plants impact our lives in many ways. This version is designed specifically for early childhood and lower elementary grades. The broadcast package includes a copy of “Thank You Plants” activity book that features King Quigley for each student and class set of cotton bolls for an investigation activity.
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This program combines science and art including a reading of the book, Plantzilla by Jerdine Nolan, a discussion of plant morphology and adaptations, interactive games, and a demonstration of the techniques used to create a plant creature puppet, "Plantzelma". This version is designed specifically for early childhood and lower elementary grades. The program includes a paper back copy of the book, Plantzilla, and a teacher packet with pre and post acitivities.
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A Plant's Journey from Peru to BRIT
A charming broadcast that includes a video made at BRIT starring botanists on staff that tell the story of how a begonia named Bella becomes a valued specimen in BRIT's herbarium. A coloring book, student journal, interactive questions and answers, and pre and post activities are included.
Read More
During this interactive broadcast offered during the months of October and November students make their own pumpkin pie filling while learning the botanical facts about the ingredients. Examples of a "Pumpkin Journal” and a unique “Pumpkin Pie” pop-up book made from paper plates are featured. The program fee includes a copy of BRIT’s curriculum guide “Pumpkins, Exploring the Pumpkin Family through Activities and Games” and a soft bound copy of the children’s book featured in the curriculum guide, Fiona Norris' “Pepe’s Family Reunion”, pre and post activities, templates and instructions for the journal and pop-up book.
The king can't stop sneezing so he commands his castle be rid of all plants and all things made of plants! The story reinforces the concept of how plants impact our lives in many ways. The broadcast and post activities created extend and deepen student understanding. The broadcast package includes a copy of “Thank You Plants” activity book that features King Quigley for each student and class set of cotton balls for an investigation activity.
Read More
This program combines science and art including a reading of the book, Plantzilla by Jerdine Nolan, a discussion of plant morphology and adaptations, interactive games, and a demonstration of the techniques used to create our plant creature puppet, "Plantzelma". The program includes a paper back copy of the book, Plantzilla, and a teacher packet with pre and post acitivities.
Read More
This free program offered for the holiday season during December introduces students to some little known factoids about the seasonings common to the holiday foods of diverse cultures. Featuring six spices and seasonings that are found in virtually any holiday foods regardless of the tradition, the BRIT staff entertains and informs the audience of their origins, folklore and ethnobotany in an interactive video in the Jeopardy Game format.
This videoconference combines learning with a holiday art project. The program includes a reading of an original poem written in “Suess” style featuring Little "Mindy" Lou who has been studying botany in school. She explains that many of our beloved December holidays including Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa have their “roots” in plant beginnings. The poem is followed by a demonstration of an easy, fast, printing technique to create a “Holiday Herbaria” greeting card to reinforce the botanical concepts introduced by the poem.
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Combining art and science, BRIT embellishes the well known “Roses are Red” Valentine’s Day poem to teach botanical facts about roses, violets, and of course, sugar! Also during the broadcast, a Valentine’s Day pop-up book is demonstrated. The book features a box of chocolates with pop-up images highlighting the plant beginnings of the filling ingredients. Pre and post activites are included.
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"The light shines not on us, but in us." ~ John Muir
Photosynthesis is explained by the use of graphics, animated power point presentation, and an engaging game to help students better understand the complicated chemical reactions that take place within the chloroplasts of most green plants.
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