GRADES 9 to 12 | 2024-2025
Challenge 5: Million Orchid Project – Orchids on the Move
YOUR CHALLENGE:
Last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released new information related to Miami’s progressively warmer winters of the last decade. According to their research, the types of plants that thrive in Miami may have changed, and plants adapted to warmer temperatures may now be able to grow in South Florida.
To study this, you will join Fairchild’s Million Orchid Project – a massive student driven conservation experiment that addresses important questions related to the propagation and repopulation of native orchids in the environment.
For your challenge, you will investigate how these changes may be affecting orchid growth by comparing the growth of South Florida’s native orchids and Caribbean orchids found in warmer latitudes. You will follow research protocols to experiment with orchids from both regions, then create an infographic easily understood by a public audience that highlights one of your findings. The winning entry will be displayed at the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden to educate its visitors. Schools that complete their school’s data sheet by the deadline with be awarded a bonus 50 points. Download PDF for this info on one page
✓ Submission Requirements: | |
Mandatory In-person Teacher Workshop on September 14, 2024. RSVP by clicking here! **If you are unable to attend the mandatory workshop, please notify the Challenge team at challenge@fairchildgarden.org | |
Original hand-drawn or digital infographic. Your infographic should contain brief background information contextualizing the infographic (no more than 2 – 3 sentences), depict the shift in regional temperature and must contain at least two images (can be photos taken by students, public domain images, clip art, and/or icons), one graph and a title.
| |
Optional data sheet (for 50 bonus points if the data sheet is completed by March 14, 2024) | |
| |
Two submissions per school. (One submission includes one datasheet AND one infographic) | |
On-time submission. Late submissions will be accepted with a reduction in points. |
CHALLENGE RESOURCES:
Important Dates
MANDATORY In-person Teacher Workshop at Fairchild:
Saturday, September 14, 2024 from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm
Submissions Due:
Friday, March 14, 2025 by 5:00pm
**If you are unable to attend the mandatory workshop, please notify the Challenge team at challenge@fairchildgarden.org
Point Breakdown | |
Participants per submission | Group |
Maximum number of points per submission | 100 |
Bonus Points (for completed data sheet) | 50 |
Maximum number of submissions per school | 2 |
Evaluation Criteria
COMING SOON!
Fairchild City in a Garden Standards
Heat Mitigation
Biodiversity
Endangered Species
Scientific Output
This Challenge Meets these Standards of the
Green Schools Recognition Program
Category 1 (School Grounds Enhancement), Indicator B: Habitat Improvement
Category 4 (Curriculum Integration), Indicator A: Interdisciplinary Approach
Category 4 (Curriculum Integration), Indicator C: Field Experiences
Category 5 (Community Involvement), Indicator: Community Partnerships in School Activities
Category 5 (Community Involvement), Indicator: Community Partnerships in School Activities