The Great Plant Escape is an educational website for children in the fourth and fifth grades aimed at teaching them the science of plants through problem-solving. The educational website is an extension of the University of Illinois and enlightens both students and teachers about plants and their systems.
Designed using intriguing graphics, bright colours, and interesting photographs, the educational website features short text paragraphs that are hyperlinked to give easy access to word definitions. Additionally, the website also comes with a thorough teachers guide, which enhances the learning experience for children and also the teaching experience for teachers.
The Great Plant Escape site is very well organised and highly user friendly ensuring a smooth knowledge gaining experience. Whether you want to access it from the main page or the teacher’s guide, the site has all the necessary links that can be easily located so you can navigate your way through the learning platform easily. The site also features instructions, resources, and background information for all the problem-solving cases.
Using fun activities, students are educated on the basics of plant science and the way their systems function. Students also get to hone their basic math, social, science, art, music, and many other subject skills as the site uses aspects of these as tools to more effectively teach them about our flora.
The Great Plant Escape website also allows users to individualise their learning experience by selecting their desired activities. These can range from individual to group activities. Additionally, from the very start, the website encourages students to partake in the fun study method using the disguise of “Detective LePlant” who needs help in solving the mystery of plant life. Students engage in identifying the different parts of a plant and learning their function, along with how plants grow. While this serves as the premise of the educational site, teachers can quiz their students by the end of lesson five.
Throughout the learning experience, student interest is maintained in a suspenseful mystery; one that is yet to be revealed while introducing them to important plant sciences and their everyday functions.