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Youth Group Visit Request

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Request Form

To request a Self-Guided Youth Group Visit or Mr. Smarty Plants Learning Stations, please fill out the form below. After we receive the information, we will contact you within three (3) business days to finalize the details of your informative, fun-filled visit.

* Required Fields

Contact Information

Contact Name *
 Best time to contact *
E-mail Address *
Phone Number *
Cell Phone *
(Number to reach you on the day of the visit)
Fax

Please select the following options.

Mr. Smarty Plants Stations (K - 2nd Grade) * Space full for Spring

 More Info

Mr. Smarty Plants Stations (3rd - 5th Grade) * Space full for Spring

 More Info

Trained in the Exploring the Native Plant World Curriculum?

 More Info

Self Guided Visit

Mr. SMARTY PLANTS STATIONS INFORMATION (K - 2nd Grade)


Available on Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. and Thursdays at 11:00 a.m. Station visits are approximately two hours long and include five hands-on, learning stations. Activity lessons are TEKS aligned. Maximum of 60 and minimum of 30 students per visit. The maximum limit on group size is to ensure a high quality educational experience. Availability is limited. Please check availability on the calendar and submit your request.

Station 1 - Visitors Gallery (Self-Guided, General)
Using the exhibits in the Visitors Gallery, students learn the difference between a native, invasive and exotic plant and about the benefits of native plants, food webs, ecoregions, and what's in bloom in the gardens. This is an optional, self-guided activity. There may be a docent in the gallery to answer questions, but sometimes there is not.

Station 2- Plant Parts (Plant Morphology & Function)
Students explore the function of different plant structures and observe how these parts may take different forms depending on their environment. This activity will focus on roots, stems, and flowers. Students will be divided into groups and will find plant flowers (food makers) and stems (water carriers) in the gardens.

Station 3- Lots of Leaves (Leaf Function & Shape)
Students will describe how leaves are alike and how they differ and understand the functions of leaves. They will observe different leaf types (i.e. long & narrow, thick, broad, smooth, etc.) and what they have in common and what makes them different.

Station 4 - Life of a Butterfly (Butterfly Life Cycle & Plant & Animal Interdependence)
Students visit the insectary and explore the butterfly garden to learn about the butterfly life cycle and the native plants they depend on for their development. They will use hand lenses to scout out tiny eggs, baby caterpillars, and chrysalises.

Station 5- Insect Evidence (Plant/Insect Interactions & Food Chain)
Students will use their explorations of a natural area to discover the foundation level of a food chain. They will look for evidence of impact on the plants primarily from insects. In the lesson they will describe and classify the evidence they find and predict what other animals are indirectly dependent upon those plants by being part of their food chain. Hand lenses will be used to observe the plants as they look for evidence.

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Mr. SMARTY PLANTS; STATIONS INFORMATION (3rd-5th Grade)


Available on Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. and Thursdays at 11:00 a.m. Station visits are approximately two hours long and include five hands-on, learning stations. Activity lessons are TEKS aligned. Maximum of 60 and minimum of 30 students per visit. The maximum limit on group size is to ensure a high quality educational experience. Availability is limited. Please check availability on the calendar and submit your request.

Station 1 – Visitors Gallery (Self-Guided, General)
Using the exhibits in the Visitors Gallery, students learn the difference between a native, invasive and exotic plant and about the benefits of native plants, food webs, ecoregions, and what's in bloom in the gardens. This is a self-guided activity. There may be a docent in the gallery to answer questions, but sometimes there is not.

Station 2 - The Perfect Fit (Pollination)
Students use pollinator pal wands to observe pollinators at work and understand the association with the plants they visit. Flower colors and shapes are explored in relation to how they attract specific types of pollinators.

Station 3 - Plant Habitat Hunt (Habitats & Plant Communities)
Students search out habitats of native plants to see how different habitats support a variety of different plants. They will explore riparian, woodland/forest, prairie, and desert habitats looking for a match to their assigned native plants.

Station 4 - Life of a Butterfly (Butterfly Life Cycle & Plant and Animal Interdependence)
Students visit the insectary and explore the butterfly garden to learn about the butterfly life cycle and the native plants they depend on for their development. They will use hand lenses to scout out tiny eggs, baby caterpillars, and chrysalises.

Station 5 - Seed Balls (Plant Growth Requirements & Conservation)
Students make seed balls with native plant seeds to learn about what plants need to survive and to share and grow native plants in their community.

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Exploring the Native Plant World Field Study Trips


A curriculum-trained teacher may bring up to 30 students on a Field Study Trip (FST) at reduced admission rates. A minimum of one FST trained teacher is required per 30 students and a maximum of 60 students is recommended per trip.

If it has been two or more years since you have visited the Center, we do encourage teachers to make a planning visit prior to your school visit or take a virtual tour.

For additional resources, visit our Teacher Resources page and Youth Activities page.

*Please note that Field Study Trip Teacher Training Workshops are no longer offered.

ADMISSION RATE:


$ 2.00 per student (FST teachers and chaperones receive free admission)

Payment is due no later than the day of the visit. Teacher or group leader to collect all fees in advance for students and chaperones. Please present one payment to admissions upon arrival if not paid in advance.

Please review the Exploring the Native Plant World curriculum activities prior to your visit. ×

When would you like to visit?

Please submit one request per visit date.

Self-guided Youth group visits may be scheduled Tuesday - Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sunday noon to 4:00 p.m. Mr. Smarty Plants Learning Stations scheduled Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. and Thursdays at 11 a.m. Please note that staff is not available to meet groups on Saturdays and Sundays. (Open Mondays from 3/11 - 5/31).

Requests scheduled based on space availability. Groups are scheduled for 90 minute - 2 hour time slots. Allow time for group entry, payment and parking. Please check our availability on the calendar below, before selecting your visit date.

Calendar Key:
Scheduled Self-Guided Visits
Mr. Smarty Plants Stations

  Date of Visit Arrival Time Departure Time
1st Choice *
2nd Choice *

If using the picnic areas, will it be before or after your visit? Before After

Please note that designated picnic areas are only available on a first come, first served basis.

Group Information

Group Name *
Street Address *
City *
 State *
 Zip *
Group Type *
School District (If applicable)
County

Who's Coming

We encourage group reservations of 15 to 80 people.

Grade Level

Total # Students *

# of Classes/Groups

# of Teachers *

# of Chaperones *
(In Addition to Teachers)

To help us accommodate your group, please note if you have students with special needs and describe needs below:

Have you brought a youth group to the Wildflower Center before?
Yes No

Important Notes

  • Choose the appropriate pictures below, and then submit your form.
  • You will receive an email after your request has been successfully submitted.


Click here to submit your youth visit request


Youth Group Visit Information

Youth Group Visits - Austin, Texas - Wildflower Center Self-guided and hands-on, learning station group visits at discounted rates are available for pre-k to high school age youth.

Get ideas for tailoring your visit with our Teacher Resources. Learn more about our site by taking a virtual tour.

New Visit Option!
Mr. Smarty Plants Stations now offered for K-5th grades. Available on Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. and Thursdays at 11:00 a.m starting the week of March 18 through the week of May 20. Please check the Mr. Smarty Plants Stations box on the request form for more details and to indicate the stations as your preference. Please note that other groups will not be scheduled during these time frames.

Recommended Chaperone to Student ratio:

  • One (1) chaperone per twelve (12) middle to high school students
  • One (1) chaperone per five (5) pre-k to elementary school students

Admission rates:

  • $2 per person, elementary grade levels; admission fee is per student, chaperone, and teacher.
  • $3 per person, Mr. Smarty Plants Learning Stations K-5th grades, admission fee is per student, chaperone, and teacher.
  • $5 per person, middle to high school grade levels; admission fee is per student, chaperone, and teacher.

Payment is due no later than the day of the visit. Teacher or group leader to collect all fees in advance for students and chaperones. Please present one payment to admissions upon arrival if not paid in advance.

If individuals pay separately from the group, they will be charged the full admission price.

For Title I schools, no special discounts apply.

Things To Do:

Discover all the fun and interesting things to do and see while visiting the Wildflower Center with your youth group. Take a look at all the activities.

Picnic areas:

Designated picnic areas are available for lunch and snacks. Please note these areas on the Interactive Map. Please be sure to clean up the picnic areas before leaving.

Map:

Please review the Wildflower Center map prior to your visit to become familiar with the site and amenities. Please feel free to download the map and bring it with you.

Questions:

Check out our Frequently Asked Questions page.