The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden held its very first walkSTEM tour, which was organized in collaboration with its founder, Dr. Koshi Dhingra. Dallas Arboretum Education teachers, Christine Dietz and Anna Sorelle, led guided explorations to help children and adults build an understanding of everyday connections to STEM-science, technology, engineering and math concepts.
On June 9 and 10 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., Dallas Arboretum educators will lead walkSTEM tours through the garden starting at the Entry Plaza. Participants may also pick up a map for a self-guided experience at the information booth. The tour is free with paid garden admission.
Arboretum educators guided participants through four different areas of the garden where they encouraged them to explore the way in which math and science can be applied to learning about the world in a fun, interactive manner. At the All American vegetable trial garden, they learned how different plants grow in the garden and estimated how much space a single plant needs to grow. In the Jonsson Color Garden, they looked for pollinators to see what types of flowers pollinators visited most often and observed the shapes and sizes of flowers that attracted these pollinators as well as the role color plays. In A Woman’s Garden, they measured the tiles in the fountain, estimated the number of coins needed to cover the titles, and calculated their value. Finally, at Karen’s Gazebo, participants observed patterns, shapes, designs and repetition inherent in nature and design.
At each station, educators asked questions to challenge their thinking and deductive skills. According to one parent, “This walk opened my eyes to the science and math all around me, especially in the Dallas Arboretum, which is truly a treasure in our city.”
For more information, visit www.dallasarboretum.org/walkSTEM.
The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens is located on the southeastern shore of White Rock Lake at 8525 Garland Road, Dallas, Texas 75218. The Dallas Arboretum is also the home of the internationally acclaimed Rory Meyers Children's Adventure Garden. The Arboretum is open daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. General admission is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors 65 and older, $10 for children 3-12 and free for Arboretum members and children two and under. On-site parking is $15 or $9, if purchased in advance online. The Dallas Morning News is the principal partner of the Dallas Arboretum. The Arboretum is supported, in part, by funds from the Dallas Park and Recreation Department. WFAA is an official media sponsor for the Dallas Arboretum.