We designed and implemented two instructional approaches to plant education, with the intention of supporting positive attitudes toward plants among sixth-grade students (11–13 years old). In one instructional approach, students prepared a book about plants that have interesting characteristics. In the other approach, students visited a botanical garden. The purpose of the study was to compare the effects of these approaches on students' attitudes toward plants. A matched-pairs experimental design was used in the research. A total of 56 students (28 in each group) participated in the study. Data were gathered by using the Plant Attitude Questionnaire. This instrument consisted of 28 items using a five-point Likert scale and included four dimensions of attitudes toward plants: importance, urban trees, interest, and utilization. Our results indicate that instruction via writing a book about plants with interesting characteristics is a good way to support students' positive attitudes toward plants; this approach was especially effective in the dimensions of interest and utilization. The botanical garden trip was also effective, though in a more limited way, in supporting students' positive attitudes toward plants; this approach was most effective in the dimension of urban trees.

Students need to be aware of plants in order to learn about, appreciate, care for, and protect them. However, research has found that many children are not aware of the plants in their environment. A way to address this issue might be integration of plants with various disciplines. I investigated the effectiveness of an instructional approach based on integration of botany with chemistry and art for increasing students’ awareness of plants. The study was carried out in a science summer school for 10- to 12-year-old students (n = 25). A plant awareness questionnaire and a plant blindness test were used as pretests and posttests to assess the effects of the instruction on the students’ plant awareness. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with the students after instruction. The results indicated that integrating plants with various disciplines might overcome the learning problem of students associated with their “plant blindness.” Moreover, this instructional approach can provide students opportunities to learn the names of plants and some concepts in the botanical discipline, as well as help them understand the relationship between plants and other disciplines.