Students will investigate the future botanical garden as a shared outdoor science lab by observing the site, learning key plant science and scientific naming skills, listening to community partners and school users, and turning evidence into early empathy-based design artifacts.

Students will synthesize site evidence, user needs, and science learning from the project launch to define a clear problem statement for an outdoor science lab botanical garden. They will sort observations, identify patterns and constraints, connect plant and earth science ideas to design decisions, and revise their statements through structured peer feedback before submitting a team-defined challenge statement and annotated zone priorities.

Students will generate many possible outdoor science lab ideas, use plant science and site evidence to choose strong options, and revise garden zone concepts through structured peer and partner feedback before moving into drafting.

Students will turn their selected outdoor science lab ideas into evidence-based first prototypes by applying plant science, site data, and user needs. They will build zone models, draft signage and learning-station features, document design choices in journals, and improve their work through two short peer feedback cycles before a prototype checkpoint.

Students will test their draft botanical garden zones and learning station prototypes with peers and community users, gather evidence-based feedback, and revise their designs to better serve the school as an outdoor science lab.

Students will use structured critique, evidence from testing, and short revision cycles to improve their botanical garden zone plans, learning station prototypes, and science explanations so the outdoor science lab better serves real users and reflects accurate plant, earth systems, and environmental science concepts.

Students will synthesize evidence from their botanical garden design journey, prepare final artifacts for a schoolwide outdoor science lab exhibition, present their themed garden areas to authentic audiences, and document how peer and partner feedback shaped their revisions, scientific explanations, and next steps for stewardship.