The Orchard Outdoor Classroom

Most of our students have never tasted apple cider, let alone made it themselves!

There is something different about an orchard. When children first learn that they will be exploring a real orchard, their eyes widen and shine, as thoughts of Johnny Appleseed and big, juicy, red apples float through their minds. The orchard school year begins with the harvest. The fall-bearing raspberries beckon, and excitement builds when the children make and drink their own apple cider. Learning about science in an educational orchard (no matter how small) is special and powerful. This is not the typical science class.

An Orchard Year
The year’s study begins with learning about tree structure. We refer back to the parts of a tree and how they function throughout the year. The children learn that leaves produce the “food” for the tree, that the bark protects the tree much like our skin protects us, and that the fruit contains the tree’s seeds. We study fruit function in depth, stressing that the ecological function of fruit is to protect and spread the seeds. In inclement weather, the children dissect fruit (bean pods for example) to find the seeds hidden inside. The common and scientific definitions of fruit differ greatly, and can be confusing to children. The concept is revisited in studies of seed dispersal and pollination.

Autumn is the best time to study seed dispersal. Maple trees drop their samaras, annual plants begin to die off, and milkweed pods burst with billowy tufts. Children play games that help them understand why seeds travel in the first place. They then learn about methods of dispersal first hand by tossing “helicopters” and blowing “parachutes” into the air, giving a ride to “hitchhiker” seeds and playing “Squirrels and Jays,” a fun game illustrating how animals aid in dispersal.

Learning about seed dispersal flows into a unit on soil and decomposition. Seeds travel to avoid competition for space, water, and soil. As they touch, smell and feel soil, the children discover that it is more than just dirt. Armed with magnifying glasses, the students can see the different components of soil, and then learn how the decomposition cycle is critically important for the health of our orchards, gardens and farms. By exploring the compost pile and making new compost, children participate in the decomposition cycle first hand. When the classes spread finished compost around the base of the orchard trees, the children become caretakers for the orchard.

The soil and decomposition unit explores the role of worms, sow bugs and other creatures and their importance in making healthy soil. Often children (and teachers) start out the unit with an intense dislike for these creatures, but as they learn of their importance this attitude starts to change. It often seems that the children who are most afraid or most inclined to hurt the animals are the ones who finish the year elbow deep in the compost searching for worms.

Winter in New England is cold and many children lack warm clothing, so classes do not spend much time in the orchard during the winter months. Indoor investigations include worms and vermicomposting and exploring the life cycle of plants by starting seeds or growing sprouts. The winter months also provide opportunities to explore the wide array of books on plants, worms, and trees.

In late winter or early spring the classes begin to study dormancy. Dead and alive branches can look the same to a child. As many children do not quite understand the differentiation between dormant and dead, we compare dormant branches to dead ones, discovering how one can tell the difference. Having observed close-up the differences between a brittle dead branch and a supple dormant one, the concepts is easily grasped. This knowledge in hand, the children have the responsibility of pruning the fruit trees. After a role-play illustrating which branches to cut, learning tool safety and pruning methods, the children prune the trees with care. While many might worry about safety, EarthWorks finds that when trusted with the tools children rise to the occasion and carry out their task seriously.

A student studies a fruit tree bud.

The pruned branches are carried inside, where the classes set up experiments to see what happens to the cut branches. As they track the changes in the branches, the children get a hint at what will soon appear on the trees outdoors – flowers and leaves!

After the pruning activity, each child chooses and labels a bud on an orchard tree. The children observe the changes in their buds for the rest of the school year. For weeks the bud may remain unchanged, but as the spring progresses, the buds swell and burst open with flowers and leaves. As summer approaches, the children will see the transformation of a flower into a small developing fruit. These observations provide a backdrop for pollination and flower structure studies.

Playing games help young children understand complex topics like pollination.

Learning about pollination involves close-up observations and role-playing games for the children. Pollination can be a tough concept to fully grasp, as there are so many factors at work. Almost all lessons during the spring touch on pollination, so the children gain a firm understanding of what happens during this interaction between plant and insect. We play games where the children play the roles of insects and flowers with stamen and pistils. In other games they are rewarded with a sip of sweet nectar as they role-play pollinating insects, and discover ways flowers attract insects. Studying posters of flower parts, dissecting daffodils and hand pollinating orchard trees, reinforce the concepts covered through games.

5th graders study diversity in the orchard ecosystem.

As our attention turns to kinds of insects and their roles in the orchard ecosystem, pollination is again reinforced. The insect roles of “pest,” “pollinator,” “predator,” and “parasite” are explored. The children play games to illustrate each insect role, and then discuss what types of insects are beneficial in an orchard. Through the game “Good Bugs and the Plants They Love,” the classes discover that certain plants are attractive to insects that are beneficial to the orchard. In later lessons, the gardens are planted with these plants; ladybug and aphid activity is studied; and bud observations show definite signs of insect activity. Fifth grade students study the relationship between plant diversity and insect diversity, as they examine the differences between the habitats of the orchard and a lawn area.

There are many topics that classes can explore depending upon teacher and student interests, time and resources. Lessons on these topics might spur investigations, and relate to others. The possibilities for units in the Orchard Outdoor Classroom are boundless!

If you would like to start your own orchard program, visit the EarthWorks’ Urban Orchards page for more detailed information.

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