Early School Students Visit St. Margaret’s Garden to Explore Life Cycle of Sunflowers

An inquisitive class in the Early School currently learning about the life cycle of sunflowers spent time in St. Margaret’s garden this week, as they further explored the science of the giant flowers and the many environmental factors that affect their growth.

 

The students, led by Early School Outdoor Classroom teacher Erika Garcia, took part in a scavenger hunt in the garden this week, searching for living creatures that can either benefit or harm the sunflowers currently growing near the garden’s entrance. Complete with a clipboard and a checklist secured to it, the students sought out grubs, ladybugs, crows, worms, caterpillars, snails and more, checking them off on their sheet as they came across one.

 

Afterward, they sat at the picnic tables in the garden and made watercolor paintings of sunflowers at various stages in its life cycle, inspired by their time in the garden. In addition, the students spent time assisting in the garden’s upkeep, including feeding the chickens and watering plants during their visit.

 

“The garden offers a rich curriculum where children, driven by their natural curiosity, actively explore, investigate, and care for the natural world,” Ms. Garcia said. “Through hands-on activities like planting, nurturing, and harvesting, they not only engage in the process but also contribute to building their knowledge. This interactive approach allows them to learn actively and develop a deeper connection with the environment.” 

 

The St. Margaret’s garden is a vibrant educational environment, where students as young as 3 years old visit to learn concepts related to the natural world. Students investigate, discover, interact and reflect on their findings in nature, all the while learning academic concepts around science, engineering, math and art in an outdoor setting.

 

The garden is an important learning environment in the Early School’s abundant curriculum around life sciences. During their time in the Early School, students develop an understanding about life on Earth and the many variables that affect it, from seasonal changes to the essential relationship between animals and plants.