Pollinator Garden PBL

Problem Based Learning (or PBL) is a student-centered pedagogy in which students learn about a subject through the experience of solving an open-ended problem. The Butterfly Pavilion Pollinator Garden PBL encourages learners to collaboratively design solutions to the issue of declining pollinator habitat and then implement their projects in the community. The Pollinator Garden PBL is designed to be completed over the course of a full school year or the Spring semester.  

The Problem: How can we increase the amount of pollinator habitat in our community?  

• Pollinators are animals that move pollen from flower-to-flower, aiding in plant reproduction. Your favorite foods wouldn’t be available without pollinators, and with increasing development in Colorado, 40% of native pollinators are at risk of disappearing due to loss of habitat. Pollinator gardens are a proven way to increase pollinator habitats in local communities.  

Task: Work with your team to develop an innovative solution to the problem above that addresses real-world limitations.   

What it includes: 

• 8 program sessions: 5 in person sessions with a Butterfly Pavilion Educator, 3 students work sessions with a Butterfly Pavilion educator available virtually. 
  • Session 1: PBL Introduction. 
    • We’ll learn more about native pollinators, find out what has been happening to them and why, and introduce the problem statement and task for your team to accomplish. 
  • Session 2: Student Work Session. 
    • With your team, you will start to work on a solution to the problem. You may decide to start with a self-guided site assessment of the area you intend to improve. 
  • Session 3: Site Assessment. 
    • A Butterfly Pavilion educator and horticulturist will be visiting you to help choose a site for your pollinator garden. 
  • Session 4: Student Work Session. 
    • Now that you have chosen your site, begin working on your solutions and garden designs. 
  • Session 5: Butterfly Pavilion Review’s Solutions. 
    • In front of a panel of both in-person and virtual professionals from Butterfly Pavilion, you will present your solutions and receive feedback. 
  • Session 6: Student Work Session.  
    • Using the feedback from the panel, adjust your solutions and then send them off to the Butterfly Pavilion Team. 
  • Session 7: Butterfly Pavilion Unveils Your New Pollinator Garden. 
    • Butterfly Pavilion will take your solutions, finalize your garden design and present it to your team.
  • Session 8: Garden Instillation Day. 
    • This is the day all our sessions have been working toward! You and your team will plant a garden based on the design you all contributed to with the support of an educator and horticulturist from Butterfly Pavilion.   
• A Butterfly Pavilion Horticulturist assisting the project. 
• Plants, some mulch, some compost. 
• Career exploration. 
• Garden design support 
• Garden instillation support  

What you will need: 

• A dedicated teacher to help guide the PBL 

Pollinator Garden PBL recommendations for best success: 

• 17×17 garden plot, max 20×20 garden plot. 
• In ground garden plot. 
• Available maintenance of garden. 
• An irrigation system onsite has already been installed. 

Timeframe: Spring Semester, February/March-May 

Price:  

• Locations up to 40 miles from Butterfly Pavilion: $2,150 
• Locations 41 to 90 miles from Butterfly Pavilion: $2,500 
• Locations 91 to 125 miles from Butterfly Pavilion: $2,700 

Bring the Pollinator Garden PBL to your school and help your students solve the problem of a decrease in pollinator habitat!