WITH the world’s tropical rainforests slightly too far away for a day trip, Harrow Way Community School Year 8 geographers instead found themselves exploring Kew Gardens’ historic Palm House recently.

The Victorian iron and glass structure proved to be the perfect backdrop for the Harrow Way students to learn about the human and physical geography of the tropical rainforest.

Various exercises, from a scavenger hunt to exploring the different layers of a forest, provided the students with some important rainforest lessons.

The scientific study of the relationships between people and plants, deforestation, fair trade and sustainable farming were all explored as students experienced the climate, viewed the rainforest at ground and upper level and searched for cool plants used as ingredients in everyday items such as toothpaste.

Rebecca Calder, Harrow Way’s curriculum leader for geography, said: “The experts at Kew are able to give students opportunities that are difficult or impossible for us to create in the school environment.

“Kew Gardens is famous for its Palm House, and within this iconic glass structure the students have truly had a feel of what a tropical rainforest would be like.

“We have explored the climate, sustainability, role of plants in this habitat, the rainforest ecosystem, conservation and fairtrade – a very productive day indeed.”

Taking the latest ‘selfie’ craze to a new level, the Harrow Way geography students were challenged to search for different features and zones within the park and take a picture of themselves to prove they had visited all ten.