Activities on the Farm: Field trip activities vary according to season and are tailored to students’ age group incorporating Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards. Every field trip builds skills in nutrition, environmental literacy& stewardship and farming through hands-on, project based lessons on the working farm.

Spring
In the spring we focus our curriculum on life cycles and ecology. Students learn the plant life cycle through up close examinations of flowers, by planting seeds, harvesting strawberries and by tasting the 6 plant parts. Animal life cycles are introduced through hands-on interaction with, and care for, our baby milking goats and chicks. Other activities in the spring vary by grade level and include: a Fabulous Five Plant Needs Scavenger Hunt, Insect Investigations, Animal Adaptations.

Fall
In the fall we offer “Applemania” in which students learn the history of the apple economy in the Pajaro Valley, how to build a healthy, “mostly plants” plate of food, harvest apples from our trees, then make their own fresh cider with our hand crank crush cider press. In the fall we meet the larger farm animals. our milking cow and ponies to learn their role on the farm.

Now in beta testing: New 1st grade NGSS aligned 5E’s lesson, Chickens Sleep Outside

Other possible activities for your group include plant propagation, farm animal care, composting, organic pest control, direct to consumer business models, as well as an exploration of how and why things are grown organically. We welcome input from teachers on how to integrate field trip activities with their students’ curricula, and so will gladly customize your field trip to suit your needs.