Children are Blossoming at the Semillas to Sunflowers Summer Program!

Children are exploring science and nature in our Semillas to Sunflowers summer program for Pajaro Valley Unified School District 3rd through 6th graders at our Blooming Classroom in Watsonville, California. They are learning about nutrient cycles and pollination by dissecting seeds, taking soil samples, and using binoculars and hand lenses to make observations. They’re also tasting delicious, nourishing fresh foods, playing games, and connecting land and sea with a visit to the nearby beach.

On Wednesdays, these young students take a field trip to UC Santa Cruz where they visit a classroom for some science illustration and visit a plant laboratory and research greenhouse. They also interview college students about their experiences of life on campus, planting seeds of belonging so the children can imagine themselves as future college students.

Children finish their college day at our Garden Classroom on the UCSC Farm where they meet Captain Hairdo, honorary queen of the chickens, learn about the role of bees in the ecosystem, climb trees, and become rock stars on the tree-of-tunes (a forest of musical instruments hanging from avocado tree branches).

Two weeks ago, the students watched a monarch caterpillar emerge from its cocoon. They watched the butterfly dry its wings and began to learn to fly. The students shared their observations among one another and recorded the event with scientific illustrations. “It was a perfect example of nature's moments. We all took the time to observe the garden in action!” noted Life Lab Garden Educator Grace Greenfield.