Sarah P. Duke Gardens
The Sarah P. Duke Gardens offer programs that introduce students to the wonders and complexities of our natural world.
Preview your trip on the Web: Sarah P. Duke Gardens
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- Flowers and pollination This lesson on pollination uses this Pollination Mini Page and can be used as an extension for lessons about the parts of the flower. This lesson can be used with an entire class, or the materials can be given to advanced students to complete independently.
- North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service Find information about agriculture, environment, gardening, health, nutrition, parenting, 4-H, and much more. Many resources are also available in Spanish! This site is broad in scope and depth, easy to navigate, and user friendly.
- Soil Sampling Students will learn how to sample soil to be analyzed for nutrient and lime requirements for proper plant growth.
- Designing a native plants garden In this Xpeditions lesson, students compare native vegetation in different parts of the United States. They then explore websites to learn about native plants in their own region and design gardens containing those local plants. This lesson is based on the National Geographic feature titled "Wild World."
- KidsGardening What better way to celebrate springtime than by planting a garden? Plan, research, share ideas, and tell your stories on this website devoted to gardens, mini-ecosystems and everything you might grow in or near your home or classroom.
- How does my garden grow? Writing in science field journals Students learn about their environment in this lesson that challenges them to plan, plant, and observe the changes in a class gardening project.
Related pages
- ACE - Agapé Center for Environmental Education: The ACE Education program is a carefully developed and integrated program designed to meet goals for...
- New River State Park: Visit New River State Park and discover its unspoiled beauty as well as the flora and fauna of the area.
- Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center at Purchase Knob: Visit the Learning Center at Lake Junaluska and participate in a scientific research program that focuses on the scientific method, air quality, or soil health.
Related topics
- Learn more about Japanese tea culture, ecosystems, food web, haiku, native plants, plants, pollinators, pond life, seeds, soil, sustainable agriculture, and trees.
Legal
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The Sarah P. Duke Gardens is said to be the “crown jewel” on the campus of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. Covering 55 acres in the heart of west campus, the Gardens are named for Sarah P. Duke, wife of one of he original founders of Duke University, Benjamin N. Duke. In the late 1930s, American landscaper, Ellen Shipman created the gardens that are carefully cared for today. The Sarah P. Duke Gardens today consist of four major parts: the original Terraces and their immediate surroundings, the H.L. Blomquist Garden of Native Plants (a representation of the flora of the southeastern United States), the William L. Culberson Asiatic Arboretum (devoted to plants of eastern Asia), and the Doris Duke Center Gardens.
The Gardens offer programs for all age groups that introduce students to the wonders and complexities of our natural world. Each program is age-appropriate and supports the Common Core Standards as well as the North Carolina Essential Standards. Guided programs by docents are available Monday through Friday. Each program is planned for 1 to 1 ½ hours, or enriched and extended if your schedule allows. A fee of $3 per student with $30 minimum is required unless otherwise noted. Students can take self-guided tours without charge, however registration is required.
A list of available programs is available on the school programs pages in the education section of their website. There is also a registration form that can be downloaded from that page.
Payments for the programs should be mailed to SPDG, Box 90341-ED, Durham NC 27708. For more information, please e-mail slsmith@duke.edu or call 919-668-1707. Registration assistance is available Monday through Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm.
