Botany & Plant Biology

Did you know California is home to over 6,000 species of plants? California is a global biodiversity hotspot and is recognized as the most biodiverse state in the country! Join us for a week of experiencing the magic of California’s flora through naturalist hikes and laboratory exploration. We will use new and exciting tools such as plant identification apps, spectrophotometers, and microscopes to analyze plant structures, functions, and the chemistry of plant pigments. We will learn about the importance of California native plants, experience the beauty of San Francisco’s natural areas, and investigate different ways humans have utilized plants throughout history. Come join us to experience the magic of botany in one of the world’s most biodiverse places!

Cost: $450 Early Bird. $525 after April 11, 2025
Ages: Rising 5th & 6th Graders

Lunch is included!

Instructor: Carri & Tess Pollizotti
Tess is originally from Marin County, CA, and currently works as a restoration technician with Point Blue Conservation Science's STRAW Program in Sonoma County. STRAW (Students and Teachers Restoring A Watershed) engages K-12 students, teachers, and young adults in integrated watershed science education and hands-on, professional habitat restoration opportunities.

Before joining STRAW in September 2024, Tess graduated from Loyola University Chicago with a B.S. in Environmental Science in 2022. After college, she returned home to Marin County, where she cultivated a deep appreciation for the unique ecology of the Bay Area. Tess began her career in Sonoma County as an AmeriCorps fellow with the Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District, where she developed her conservation knowledge and skills. Following her AmeriCorps fellowship, she moved back to the Midwest to work as a live-in intern at the Eco-Justice Center in Racine, Wisconsin, further honing her land stewardship skills and fieldwork experience.

A career highlight for Tess has been sharing her passion for plants and the environment with students of all ages.

Carri Cupp Polizzotti has been a middle school and high school science educator in the Bay Area for thirty-two years. She is currently teaching Honors and Advanced Placement Chemistry at SHCP. Carri has a lifelong passion for learning about science and recently has been learning about California native plants, water policy and environmental chemistry. One of her goals in the classroom is to learn something new from her students every single day!